Ryder, who once owned a vegan juice bar in Coggeshall, has TikTok to thank for his rise to fame. Ryder began posting musical covers on the social media platform in March 2020, during the UK’s first COVID-19 lockdown.

His covers won the approval of a string of high-profile names including Elton John and Alicia Keys. And by the end of 2020, he was the most-followed UK artist on TikTok. (At the time of writing, Ryder has near to 13 million followers.)

During the pandemic is also when he penned his hit song Space Man, which he performed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 – the 66th edition of the competition, which took place on May 14.

There, Ryder topped the jury vote, reeling in 283 points, and secured another 183 points from the public.

‘Unity, peace, love’

The 32-year-old musician named the experience an “incredible, incredible, rewarding journey.”

Speaking to presenters Scott Mills and Rylan Clark after the scores were released, Ryder said: “We signed up to come and sing. We enjoy music, and I know that every single artist involved this year absolutely smashed it.

“Everyone was a credit to themselves and a credit to what Eurovision is all about: unity, peace, love, togetherness, inclusivity and expression. Thank you for having us.”

The post Vegan Singer Snags 2nd Place At Eurovision, Earning Best UK Result In 24 Years appeared first on Plant Based News.

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Billie Eilish pushes for climate action

Eilish, a vegan, is passionate about climate awareness. Her current Happier Than Ever tour has its own Eco-Village, where fans can learn more about climate action. It also features a pre-performance message from Baird. She urges viewers to take Support + Feed’s plant-based pledge and ditch meat for 30 days.

Diet change is a key way to fight the climate crisis. The meat industry is a leading cause of deforestation, water pollution, and contributes 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

In the recorded message, Baird says: “I know that you know that Billie and her whole family are very concerned about climate change and I know you are too. By taking a pledge to eat at least one plant-based meal a day for 30 days you will help save the planet.”

Eilish is also backing a new collaboration in the music industry called Music Declares Emergency U.S. Other artists in support of the group—which is the new US chapter of an existing European initiative and pushes for more governmental action—include Arcade Fire, Annie Lennox, Tom Odell, and Bon Iver.

A joint statement from the group reads: “The climate crisis is the greatest challenge of our time, and the power of music should take its place at the forefront of this important movement to create a safer, fairer, more sustainable world. The climate crisis is about science, not politics.”

Overheated is at the O2 Arena in London on June 10-12, 16, 25, and 26. Tickets are on sale now.

The post Billie Eilish To Host A 6-Day Climate Crisis Event In London This Summer appeared first on Plant Based News.

Festival-goers will not be required to provide evidence of a negative Covid test, show proof of vaccination status, or worry about contact tracing before or after the event.

The festival team welcomed the news that restrictions in England officially ended yesterday, and they expect a return to near-normal for the event this summer.

Vegan Camp Out will run from Friday, July 15 to Monday, July 18 at its new venue, Stanford Hall in Leicestershire.

Covid restrictions ending

The government announced an end to all legal Covid restrictions in England from February 24, nearly two years after the first rules were introduced in March 2020. 

According to the government’s Living with Covid plan, people no longer have to self-isolate if they test positive for Covid, although they’re still advised to do so. 

Routine contact tracing will also end and close contacts will no longer need to self-isolate or take daily tests. Covid passports won’t be recommended except for international travel. 

Face masks will no longer be legally required although ministers still suggest they be worn in crowded and enclosed public places. 

2022 agenda released 

Vegan Camp Out’s lineup this year is jam-packed, and includes vegan educator, public speaker, and content creator Earthing Ed. Actor, writer, and podcaster Evanna Lynch, best known for her role in the Harry Potter series, will also be in attendance.

Other famous faces include Lucy Watson, a British reality tv star, model, and entrepreneur who appeared in the award-winning television series Made in Chelsea. Gaz Oakley, aka Avant-Garde Vegan, a cookbook author who collaborated with Wagamama to craft its iconic plant-based egg, will also take to the stage.

Matt Pritchard, Heather Mills, Preacher Lawson, and Happy Pear will be sharing their vegan experiences at the celebrated event too.

The much-anticipated food area will include 45 exciting vendors offering vegan kebabs, pizzas, smoothies, curries, ice cream, cakes, and burgers, to name a few.

The festival team is keeping the final food list a secret until the event kicks off.

Previous years 

This year marks the sixth Vegan Camp Out. The festival came from humble beginnings, when in 2016, 400 people turned up from all over the country. 

The first event had no talks or stalls, just 400 people gathered together in a field in Derby with one food vendor. The gathering allowed people who’d only ever met online to meet in person for the first time.

In 2019, numbers increased to 7,500 attendees and this year that figure is expected to be double that.

Adult tickets cost £70 for the whole weekend and that includes a camping pass. And tickets for children will cost £35 for the weekend. 

Get your tickets from VeganCampOut.co.uk.

The post Vegan Camp Out 2022 Going Ahead As Covid Restrictions End appeared first on Plant Based News.

During the international tour, Eilish will champion various environmental organizations, and encourage fans to take a pledge to eat more plant-based foods.

Part of this involves bringing BIPOC and women-led sustainable initiatives to center stage.

The seven-time Grammy award winner is performing across the US, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand aka Aotearoa this year.

Billie Eilish’s eco-friendly world tour

Along the way, Eilish is spreading an eco-friendly message through the inception of Billie Eilish Action Village. It will host and support minority environmental organizations, including Support + Feed. 

The plant-based charity is run by Eilish’s mother, Maggie Baird, and provides meals to people experiencing food insecurity.

With Support + Feed, the musician announced the launch of The Pledge, which encourages attendees to eat one plant-based meal a day for 30 days.

It also includes a partnership with environmental non-profit, REVERB – that claims to have removed 287,000 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere so far.

The Happier Than Ever tour is part of REVERB’s Music Climate Revolution program. This works to not only reduce the tour’s overall environmental footprint but also supports initiatives eliminating greenhouse gases.

It is these combined efforts that make the tour “climate positive,” meaning it goes beyond achieving net-zero carbon emissions and actively removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Sustainability-focussed music

Eilish’s Happier Than Ever tour launched yesterday, on February 3. 

And along with the aforementioned eco-friendly partnerships, Support + Feed has enlisted vegan brand Wicked Kitchen to help aid their vital efforts by supplying 100,000 plant-based meals to help people in need. The organizations will supply 100,000 plant-based meals to help people in need.

In a statement, co-founder Chad Sarno said: “There is no better time than now to do what we can to alleviate the suffering in this world.

“…That starts with any positive impact we can support within local communities.

“This sense of urgency that Wicked shares with Support + Feed is the driving force of our partnership. And, will be amplified with the power of plant-based food distribution.”

‘Climate positive’ action

It’s not the first time Eilish has championed climate-friendly choices on tour.

For example, REVERB also partnered the singer on her Where Do We Go tour. This included the offering of free filtered water refill stations.

Eilish spoke on Jimmy Fallon back in 2019 about making the tour “as green as possible.” 

Here, she said: “There are no plastic straws allowed, the fans are going to bring their own water bottles. 

“There’s going to be recycle cans everywhere. Because it’s like, if something’s recyclable, it doesn’t matter unless there’s a recycle bin.”

The post Billie Eilish Encourages Fans To Eat Plant-Based With ‘Climate Positive’ World Tour appeared first on Plant Based News.

Abel has been vegan for four years since making the switch for ethical reasons. A Londoner of Moroccan-English descent, Abel has worked with some of the biggest names in the dance music industry such as Wookie, Gorgon City, Kaytranada, Don Diablo, and Kygo. 

He has become well known for his style which infuses soul, funk, and pop influences. But Abel is perhaps better known in the vegan community for his song Vegan, which imagines a romantic scenario with a comedic twist. 

Why Zak Abel went vegan

“She said she was vegan, vegan, vegan, just to get with me”

Abel has made it publicly known that becoming vegan was one of the best decisions he has ever made. 

What began as an intellectual debate between friends ultimately changed his life. He explains that once confronted with the ethical arguments against meat and dairy consumption, he no longer saw the logic in continuing to eat animal products. 

His sense of integrity and remaining true to his beliefs is ultimately what pushed him to follow through with the decision to go vegan.

It’s turning to veganism that has allowed him to live his most authentic life. And that’s because he knows he isn’t harming any animals in the process, he says.

Toxic masculinity in veganism

However, he explains, there is still a lot of stigma surrounding that choice.

“Trying to figure out my place in the world and my place as a man in the world really got me thinking. Over the past few years there’s been a lot of discussion on gender especially online and it’s made me think. 

“It’s been really amazing to have a different perspective challenging the world’s perspective and the way society has existed for so long.”

In his latest single Less of a Man, Abel tackles the topic of toxic masculinity head on. 

As outlined on this episode of The PBN Podcast, Abel discusses how being raised by a single mother has instilled empathy in him. Further, it’s influenced his views on masculinity. 

Despite what society conditions us to think about gender and masculinity, Abel hopes to drive positive change by speaking up about empathy, emotions, and mental health through his music.

The post Zak Abel: Why Being Vegan Doesn’t Make You Less Of A Man appeared first on Plant Based News.

Irish musician Padraig O’Dubhlaoidh is behind the creation, which took years of research to complete. The violin maker’s instruments have been played at high-profile venues, including Buckingham Palace, the White House, Carnegie Hall, and the Royal Albert Hall.

Violin makers have historically used non-vegan materials in their designs, such as animal hide glue, derived from the skin, bones, and tendons of animals. It is typically sourced from horses but rabbits, fish, and other species can be used too.

Further, violin strings and bows can contain ivory, horse tail hair, and animal intestines, among other animal-derived products. 

But O’Dubhlaoidh is insistent that animal body parts are not needed to create the instrument. The musician stayed true to the traditional tools and methods used in violin production, but with some modern twists of his own.

For instance, to develop the purfling decoration that wraps around the instrument’s edges, he used wild berries and spring water sourced from beneath the granite of the Malvern Hills in the UK, where O’Dubhlaoidh lives.

Although animal-free strings and bows do exist, they are not currently registered with the Vegan Trademark.

For ‘ethical musicians’

O’Dubhlaoidh explained the process in a statement sent to PBN.

“I learned a lot about my craft during years of research and ultimately, it was the science of conservation that brought about a series of breakthroughs leading to success. During my experiments, I also discovered that there are unforeseen advantages to a vegan violin.

“Apart from the benefit to animals, society, and our environment, it has become very clear that animal-based glues have harmful effects on violins, inducing powerful tensions on wooden components. The adhesive used in my vegan violins however, has no such effect. Irrespective of ethics, this is an acoustic improvement.

“With our planet facing crises on almost every front, the collective voice of people wanting a fairer future grows stronger every day. Ethical musicians are part of this movement and have long wished for a violin that is fully vegan yet retains all the qualities of the classic instrument.”

The Vegan Society’s marketing manager, Ericka Durgahee, applauded the launch.

“It’s incredibly exciting to have the world’s first vegan violin registered with the Vegan Trademark. This will be music to the ears of so many violinists who have longed for a high-quality instrument that is free from animal products,” they said in a statement.

“Every violin is also completely bespoke with the sound and feel tailored to the player’s individual style and preference. Padraig has done a fantastic job and we’re extremely proud of what he has produced.”

To learn more about the vegan violin, see O’Dubhlaoidh’s website. 

The post ‘World’s First’ Vegan Violin Crafted By Musician Using Wild Berries And Spring Water appeared first on Plant Based News.

Farm animal sanctuary Pigs in the Woods teamed up with vegan cider brand Orchard Pig to bring the concept to life.

The event will take place at the 10-acre sanctuary, located in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Around 20 pigs live on the property, and they will be free to roam the festival grounds and interact with attendees.

Many of the animals were saved from slaughter. For instance, Angel the pig, mother of two pigs who are also at the sanctuary, was rescued from a petting farm. Since the pig family were no longer being used, they were due to be killed.

Another resident, Harry the pig, has been saved from slaughter twice within his first three months of life. Since he was the runt of the litter, he was due to be discarded as waste. And Florence was set to be euthanized by a city farm before she found a home at the sanctuary.

Related articles…

‘Pigs deserve a home’

Orchard Pig Gig will feature local plant-based food, as well as jazz, rap, and classical music performances.

“Our pigs are one of a kind and love to socialize and dance to music,” said Russell Haggata, Operations Director and Chairman at Pigs in The Wood.

“They can’t wait for this year’s Orchard Pig Gig. Our sanctuary wouldn’t exist without the generosity of donations, and we’re aiming to raise over £50,000 to improve the facilities for our pigs so that everyone can experience the joy these animals can bring,” he continued.

Emily Gray, Brand Manager at Orchard Pig, added: “Just like people, pigs deserve a home, and we believe they also deserve to party.”

The post World’s First ‘Festival For Pigs’ Arrives In UK, And It’s Vegan appeared first on Plant Based News.

Syko Juice, complete with a ‘spicy kick’, is available this month online.

Bring Me The Horizon

It’s inspired by lead vocalist Ollie Sykes’ surname.

And, the hot sauce partnership follows in the footsteps of the fellow band You Me At Six, who have also released their own recipe with the company in the past.

Dubbed ‘the sauce of the summer’, it contains chipotle, jalapeno, ancho chili peppers, as well as onion, garlic, and rapeseed oil.

The company says it’s ‘the perfect way to crank your barbecues up to the next level’.

Sykes notably offered vegan burgers to fan at a gig in Sheffield, UK, two years ago – where the band was formed.

Vegan rock scene

Bring Me The Horizon aren’t the only members of the rock scene making waves in the vegan movement.

For example, My Chemical Romance launched a vegan makeup range last year.

Moreover, rock legend Bryan Adams has long used his platform to advocate for veganism.

Following the launch of Netflix’s Seaspiracy, the musician urged his followers to stop eating fish.

You can purchase the vegan hot sauce via Lou’s Brews here

The post Bring Me The Horizon Launches Vegan BBQ Sauce With Artisan Brand appeared first on Plant Based News.

Launched by a former busker, Trusty Buck’s was destined for the festival season last year, but had to adapt following COVID-19 restrictions.

As a result, Founder Hugh Kearns hired some fellow musicians. Now, business is booming and the region is receiving high demand for its plant-based offerings.

Trusty Buck’s vegan takeaway

Kearns spoke to Glasgow Live about the business’s journey, which soon grew in order to meet the demand for takeaway plant-based fast food.

Since quitting his job at Brewdog, his plan was to take the food truck around British festivals.

When COVID-19 hit, the chef turned his attentions to home deliveries.

Formed in his driveway in 2019, Kearns began tallying orders on Friday and Saturday nights – mounting his mother’s electricity bill as he went.

He told the news outlet: “The food truck was turning into a bit of a struggle. I was constantly working seven days a week and barely turning a profit because we had to stop taking orders so often.”

So, he decided to expand into a spacious commercial kitchen in Dalmarnock with more equipment.

Supporting musicians

As a result of expanding the vegan takeaway, Kearns created 14 new jobs and formed a team of chefs and musicians.

This led him to receive the Young EDGE Award for entrepreneurship from the business organization, Scottish EDGE.

Involving music in the business is part of Kearns’ passion, and he hopes to open a vegan music venue one day.

He added: “The best compliments we get are the ones that say, ‘I’m not vegan, but I’d come back for this food’.

“We’re trying to move past the concept of vegan food just being for vegans, and that has to come with more creativity going into offering exciting dishes where the absence of animal products isn’t really that noticeable”.

This year, Trusty Buck’s hopes to open a sit-in venue, although details are yet to be revealed.

You can find out more about Trusty Buck’s here

The post Scottish Vegan Takeaway Supports Musicians Out Of Work Following COVID-19 appeared first on Plant Based News.

The star, better known by her stage name Tigerlily, is using her Instagram platform of more than 500,000 followers to attempt the Vegan Easy June Challenge.

Vegan Easy June Challenge

The scheme is a partnership between Vegan Easy, an organization offering sign-up challenges and support, and the charity Vegan Australia.

Whilst Vegan Easy offers monthly challenges for people to start as and when they like, participants will receive added bonuses for the month of June. This includes free access to an online vegan cooking school with hundreds of classes and a host of different recipes.

Additionally, those who sign-up will receive a plant-based meal-planning guide, as well as tips for shopping and eating out.

DJ Tigerlily

Hayes is currently on tour and encouraging her fans to go plant-based along the way. There’s ‘no better time to show your compassion and try something new’, she said.

The musician is outspoken about animal rights, and has partnered with PETA in the past.

Becoming vegan was ‘the best decision’ she ever made.

In a blog post, the 29-year-old said: “It has given me so much more compassion for animals, for the people who work with animals and has made me really conscious about what I consume on a day to day basis and the small changes we can all make to impact our health and the environment.”

Additionally, her health improved, from better skin to increased energy levels.

The environment is a driver for her too. ‘I won’t go into too much information. But, a vegan lifestyle is the best way to reduce your carbon footprint, save water, the oceans, and reduce environmental destruction’, she said.

Vegan sign-ups

Other schemes centered on boosting the vegan movement have skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years. For example, Veganuary exceeded a record-breaking 500,000 participants this year.

The scheme, which challenges people to eat vegan for the month of January, even secured endorsement from hundreds of celebrities such as Ricky Gervais and Paul McCartney.

Whilst Veganuary is well-known, other monthly sign-ups are also reporting increasing success. This year, No Meat May witnessed a 91 percent boost in sign-ups.

According to Vegan Easy, the growth in initiatives such as these is a demonstration that more people want to ditch animal products. And, that number is growing in Australia.

Moreover, vegan-friendly grocery products are becoming more widely available and rising annually by 55 percent, Vegan Australia claim.

You can sign up to the Vegan Easy June Challenge here

The post Vegan DJ Endorses Sign-Up Scheme To Encourage People To Go Plant-Based appeared first on Plant Based News.