Jay Britton has been singing at funerals for twenty-two years and describes herself as a ‘blank canvas’ through which families can honour their loved ones, no matter the song.
Whether it’s opera, a sea shanty like “Drunken Sailor” or a pop ballad, Jay performs the requested song with care and compassion. No matter the song, Jay is happy to perform whatever the family requests. “It’s not about me and my voice,” she said. “It’s about the person we are celebrating.”
Jay has strong local ties to Bermondsey and regularly performs at funerals in the area. “My mum’s family are all from Bermondsey and live nearby,” she explained, expressing how she spent a lot of her childhood here and keeps coming back.
Jay is often found singing in churches, crematoriums and event at gravesides.
Her journey as a funeral singer began whilst she was training to be an opera singer at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. She sung at a family members funeral and was noticed by a funeral director, who asked how to get in contact with her.
She had just started her degree and it therefore began just as a way of helping pay her University fees. Soon, she developed a passion for the funeral and bringing music to mourners whilst they say goodbye.
Singing has been Jay’s job since she was eighteen and has performed as an opera soloist all across the globe, from Westminster Abbey to Vatican in Rome and St. Peter’s Church in Manhattan. However, singing at a local level is at the heart of her work in recent years.
The pressure of singing at such a sad event is huge, but Jay takes it all in her stride. “It’s an intimate moment for a family,” she said. “I’m often standing right beside their closest loved ones, so I want to make sure they feel completely comfortable with me.”
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From the initial consultation to the day of the service, Jay’s focus is on making families feel seen and supported. During her performances, she may offer a gentle smile or nod but she’s also learned when to simply hold the space without expecting a response.
“It’s something I’ve learned over the last twenty-two years — and something I truly enjoy,” she said. “Speaking with the families helps me understand why they’ve chosen a particular piece of music, and I think that also helps put their minds at ease.”
“It’s never lost on me that when you are arranging a funeral, you are going through one of the worst times in life, losing someone that’s really close to you.”
She added: “It’s never lost on me that when you’re arranging a funeral, you’re in the middle of one of the hardest times in your life.
“You’re suddenly organising what’s essentially a large event, with logistics, paperwork, and so many emotional decisions.
“Everyone wants it to be perfect in honour of the person they’ve lost. If I can help reflect that through the music, then that’s where I can make a difference.”
When booking Jay for funeral, families can request as many songs as they would like.
At a recent funeral, Jay performed for over forty minutes at the graveside, singing a huge mix of music, from pop to classical hymns. All the congregation joined in when she sung “We’ll meet again” and Jay said: “I felt like one of the family by the time it was over.”
When asked what the most commonly requested funeral song is, Jay replied: “The one that trumps all of them regardless of whether it’s a religious service, is Time to Say Goodbye. It’s a beautiful song in both English and Italian.”
Jay has seen many different styles of funerals emerge over the two decades she has performed at them.
A current stand-out is Eco funerals, using cardboard or eco-friendly coffins in natural burial grounds. Instead of large headstones, there will be simple markers.
Outside funerals, Jay has a passion for early music, particularly from the time of Henry VIII. She has married this up with her love for history and with the help of intricate Tudor costumes she established her business ‘The Tudor Songbook’.
Jay travels up and down the country in period costume, performing songs that were written and listened to in the Tudor period, including some songs from Henry VIII himself. She has event learnt how to play the lap heart, a traditional instrument.
“If you really want to know what was happening during a certain period, you should look at the music.” Jay tells The News, “There will be things hidden that would have been too dangerous to say or write down in account at the time.”
Jay travels widely for her work, but says her heart firmly belongs to London. “I feel incredibly lucky to be able to sing every day and to call it my job,” she said.
Jay works completely independently and people can contact her directly, all details can be found at: https://www.jaybrittonfuneralsinger.com/
