Legendary producer Trevor Horn makes a surprise live appearance as he joins rising star Sophie Grey for a performance of Buggles hit Video Killed The Radio Star, singing lead vocals and playing bass guitar

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Singer Sophie Grey and Trevor Horn perform an exclusive live rendition of ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ during her support set for Sting at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London. Picture date: Friday October 24, 2025. PA Photo. The performance follows her newly released cover of the song, which was originally released by The Buggles in 1979. Photo credit should read: Doug Peters/PA Media Assignments
(Image credit: Doug Peters PA Media)

Trevor Horn made a surprise live appearance on Friday when he joined Sophie Grey for a version of Video Killed The Radio Star at the Forum in Kentish Town, London.

Grey is an electro-pop artist who harks back to the original golden age of the genre in the early 1980s - an era ushered in, of course, by The Buggles' hit. She’s putting in the live groundwork, and has supported artists as varied as Alison Moyet, Shaggy and, on his current UK jaunt, Sting. She wields a mean keytar, too.

In fact, Grey is a classically-trained pianist who was educated at the Thornton School of Music in California, where she was mentored by Patrice Rushen (yes, her of Forget Me Nots fame). She’s worked at Villager Recorder Studios in Los Angeles, so she has some serious chops.

Sophie Grey. & Trevor Horn “Video Killed the Radio Star” Live at O2 Forum Kentish Town in London - YouTube Sophie Grey. & Trevor Horn “Video Killed the Radio Star” Live at O2 Forum Kentish Town in London - YouTube
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As you can see, Horn joins her for the second verse and the pair perform a fairly faithful version of the 1979 Number One, with Grey providing the distinctive ‘oh-ah-oh’ vocal parts as Trevor gets busy on the bass.

The timing of the performance was apt, coming on the day Grey released a cover of Video Killed The Radio Star.

"Video Killed the Radio Star (Cover)" Sophie Grey. (Official Music Video) - YouTube
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At 76, Trevor Horn shows no signs of slowing down. In fact he has a string of live dates at the end of this year, including a show at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London on December 20.

(Image credit: Doug Peters PA Media)
Will Simpson
News and features writer

Will Simpson is a freelance music expert whose work has appeared in Classic Rock, Classic Pop, Guitarist and Total Guitar magazine. He is the author of 'Freedom Through Football: Inside Britain's Most Intrepid Sports Club' and his second book 'An American Cricket Odyssey' is due out in 2025.

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