Students were given more than just a lesson in music when a chart-topping singer stepped onto the school stage to speak candidly about mental health, online safety and the realities of growing up in the social media age.
Pupils at Isca Academy welcomed Canadian singer-songwriter Capri for a series of live performances and discussions focused on wellbeing, body image and digital pressures.
The 21-year-old, who is currently based in Los Angeles, performed across three sessions for different year groups. Students were given free T-shirts, had photographs taken and received signed autographs during the visit.
Alongside her performances, Capri spoke about her own experiences with mental health and body image, encouraging open conversations about wellbeing, respectful relationships and the safe use of social media. She told students that such challenges are faced by many young people and that support is available.
Capri has achieved millions of streams across platforms including Spotify, TikTok and YouTube. She holds a Guinness World Record for singing 76 national anthems in their host countries, in their native languages, in one year to raise money for orphaned and abandoned children. She completed the challenge at the age of 11. Her recent release, Arcade, reached number 17 on the Billboard charts.
The visit formed part of the school’s wider work to support student wellbeing and digital awareness.
Mrs Vicki Joyce, headteacher at Isca Academy, said: “It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to hear from Capri. Her performances were exciting and engaging, but just as importantly, her messages around mental health, social media and online pressures were incredibly powerful.
“Experiences like this help students see how learning connects to the wider world and show that education does not stop at the classroom door.”
Moira Marder, chief executive of the Ted Wragg Trust, said: “Visits like this can have a real impact on young people. Hearing from someone who is willing to speak openly about creativity, wellbeing and the challenges of modern life helps students feel supported and understood, while also showing them the many different paths their interests and talents could lead to.”
