Olly Alexander and Danielle St James have spoken to NME about organising the Trans Mission charity show in London – which raised awareness and funds for LGBTQIA charities.
- READ MORE: Here’s what went down at the ‘Trans Mission’ Wembley gig, with Wolf Alice, Adam Lambert and more
Taking place at the OVO Arena Wembley on Wednesday (March 11), the show was dubbed “A Night of Solidarity For A Lifetime Of Change”, and saw performances from Wolf Alice, Beth Ditto, Sugababes, Adam Lambert, HAAi, Jasmine.4.T, Kae Tempest, Kate Nash, MNEK, Romy, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and former Years & Years turned solo star and actor himself.
It also featured guest appearances from Sir Ian McKellen, Jordan Stephens, Munroe Bergdorf, Nicola Coughlan, Russell Tovey, Tia Kofi, Zack Polanski and more, who all came together in a “statement that trans people are loved, valued, and celebrated, and that the entertainment industry stands proudly with them”.
Before the night kicked off, the It’s A Sin star and Danielle St James (founder of the trans charity Not A Phase) sat down with NME to explain why they were determined to make the huge event into a reality.
For St James, the event was something she had aspired to create for years, borne out of the urge to “do something big and visible for a long time” to support the LGBTQ+ community. For Alexander, however, the determination was sparked following the UK Supreme Court ruling in April 2025 – which saw judges unanimously rule that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex under the Equality Act.
“I was part of a group that reached out to people in the UK music industry and asked them to sign a letter of solidarity with the trans community,” he shared, referring to the letter signed by names including Charli XCX, Self Esteem and Wolf Alice.
“I was having conversations at that time with Glyn Fussell from Mighty Hoopla, and with Dani, and we all came together and thought ‘OK, let’s put on a fundraiser and go as big as we possibly can’… Now, here we are at what feels like the world’s biggest-ever fundraiser.”
Aside from raising money and awareness for the cause and the charities involved (Good Law Project and Not a Phase), St James also shared that she hopes the gig helps spread hope to those who feel disheartened, as well as spark wider conversations across the country.
“Wembley is about to be full of nearly 10,000 people from all over the UK, not just trans people, but people from all different backgrounds,” she said. “For us as a charity, that taps into our broader goal, which is to try and make information digestible and friendly enough, so that we empower people to go home and start having conversations with people that love and trust them.”
She continued: “I really believe that’s where long-term change comes from. There’s only so much that can come from me standing outside your office shouting at you… Real long-term change is from being sat around the table at the pub and saying, ‘Oh, I heard something else about this, and here’s what I learned’.”
Alexander agreed, saying the night felt like “a beacon of positivity and light, in what I think is quite a dark time”, and sharing that one of the most powerful ways to get the message across is through music and the arts – which they both see as deeply intertwined.
“You’ve always seen a link between music, art, and politics. When you look at the people who make up the arts, it is often marginalised communities at the forefront who are making work about their identities,” the ‘Shine’ singer said.
“We’re really lucky that we have an amazing line-up tonight, and a team who are so passionate about building a coalition and using our voice to say ‘Hey, what’s happening in the wider world [against the trans community], we’re not OK with that.’ We’ve got a voice and we’re going to use it.
“Something like this, while it’s so positive and joyful and celebratory, it’s also about how we can turn these moments into change moving forward.”
St James agreed: “There are so many examples of the music industry stepping in real times where people’s rights were being challenged, especially when it comes to wider LGBT rights,” she said. “There was Madonna in the ‘80s speaking up on behalf of gay men. There was Live Aid and Band Aid. These are all examples of the music industry putting a foot forward and saying, ‘We are not going to stand for this, and music brings us together’.”
On the night, Alexander performed tracks from his time under the Years & Years moniker, and was introduced to the stage by Sir Ian McKellen, who recited Shakespeare’s The Strangers’ Case speech from Thomas More to the crowd.
That speech was the same that the acting legend shared in his recent appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, and relates to immigrants and the treatment of people who were seen as “different”.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski also took to the stage to encourage people to “not be distracted” by those trying to antagonise the trans community, and added: “As a gay man, I know that when they come for one of us, they come for all of us. We will all stand together.”
One of the most powerful moments of the night came when Caroline Litman – the author of Her Name Is Alice, a book about her transgender daughter who took her own life – made a moving speech in memory of her late child, leading to a standing ovation.