Girls Aloud are set to release a new version of ‘I’ll Stand By You’, featuring lead vocals from the late Sarah Harding, as the official BBC Children In Need single.
In 2004, the iconic girl-group memorably topped the UK Singles Chart with their rendition of the ballad, originally a single for The Pretenders.
When Nadine Coyle, Kimberley Walsh, Nicola Roberts and Cheryl reunited earlier this year for The Girls Aloud Show, they paid an emotional tribute to Harding with a version highlighting her vocals.
The performance was widely regarded as one of the most powerful and memorable moments from the tour, which was met with overwhelming critical acclaim and became the biggest arena tour of 2024.
“To celebrate and honour our amazing Sarah, we’re releasing a brand-new studio version of the track once again in support of BBC Children in Need,” the group wrote on social media.
“I’ll Stand By You (Sarah’s Version) features Sarah on lead vocal throughout using vocals we discovered in the vault from the original recording sessions.
“The track played a key part in our The Girls Aloud Show arena tour this summer & was an emotional moment for us all.”
The new version will mark Girls Aloud’s first official single since their 2012 releases, ‘Something New’ and ‘Beautiful ‘Cause You Love Me’, taken from their lauded greatest hits collection Ten.
Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders, who wrote the track alongside Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, said it’s “wonderful” to hear ‘I’ll Stand By You’ “with the lovely vocals of Sarah Harding leading the way for BBC Children in Need.”
Girls Aloud will also release a new edit of the original video with unseen archive footage. It will debut on the BBC Children in Need Appeal Show on 15 November.
Additionally, a one-hour special, titled The Girls Aloud: Show: Live at The O2, is set to air this autumn on ITV1, with the full extended arena show available to stream on ITVX.
Harding sadly passed away from breast cancer in 2021.
When the group initially reunited last year, they told GAY TIMES that there was “no need” to record new music without Harding, as it would “dilute what we’ve got going on”.
“It’s so difficult because Sarah wouldn’t be on the track. It would have a different sound, a different feel. She’s embedded in our DNA,” said Cheryl.
Coyle also revealed that Harding’s favourite Girls Aloud songs were “the rockier ones”, such as ‘No Good Advice’ and ‘Real Life’.
Cheryl added: “Anything with a bit of a growl or rasp, she was in.”
Revisit our interview with Girls Aloud here, and pre-save ‘I’ll Stand By You (Sarah’s Version)’ here.
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