Nile Rodgers changed my mind

Nile Rodgers has done an insane amount in his career, but completely changing my view of cruise performers is probably not an achievement he’ll ever mention.

If you’d asked me to picture cruise entertainment for most of my life, I probably would have described a scene of elderly people tapping their feet to Barry Manilow’s greatest hits.

No offence to Barry, but at 28 years old, it really didn’t seem like my vibe.

That was until the legendary Nile Rodgers was announced as a headliner for Virgin Voyages’ Red Hot Sailing Club Voyage around the Bahamas.

I’d somehow missed Chic while at Glastonbury 2025, so snapped up the chance to right that wrong and see one of the greatest artists in living history.

While Le Freak and Everybody Dance might be 70s classics, Nile’s continued engagement in modern music means the group feels utterly timeless.

For an hour, they blasted through a variety of their original hits and some collaborations, including Diana Ross’ I’m Coming Out and (of course) Madonna’s Like A Virgin.

The magic of Chic is undeniable.

Everyone on deck was up and dancing, no matter their age, with tracks clearly having cross-generational appeal.

I was treated to a meet and greet with the legend, which I’m not ashamed to say I ran up nine flights of stairs to get to, and he was as cool in person as on stage.

The fleeting introduction gave way to a Q&A, in which he hilariously recounted the first time he met David Bowie, with pal Billy Idol vomiting during their hello from being slightly too intoxicated.
His insane stories didn’t end there as he recalled meeting various legends, effortlessly picking up his guitar and strumming a few notes as he spoke.

Even when he fumbled, forgetting the introduction to Daft Punk’s Get Lucky which he helped create, he played it off with ease.

The chat was a masterclass in being the coolest guy in the room.

So if the Nile Rodgers wasn’t above performing on a cruise, why the hell was I being so arrogant about it?

Admittedly, Virgin isn’t your regular cruise company; Sir Richard Branson’s brainchildren rarely are.

The legacy of Virgin Records echoed throughout the ship.

Nile aside, the talent of the guest musicians on board made me feel a little guilty for ever doubting them.

Each night, one or two bars would have live performances from solo acts or groups, all with a unique vibe.

Immediately, I gravitated towards Dustin Monk and the Hustle, a rock soul group who knew how to put on a show, blending their original music with some covers.

Frontman Dustin’s rendition of Tennessee Whiskey (complete with a quip about looking like Chris Stapleton) was a highlight of the onboard music, with the entire crowd singing along.

‘Virgin Records would not only bring the world new artists, but we would do so at key moments that would reshape popular culture, some would say, history,’ he said.

‘That’s an amazing badge of honour to have on our hull.

How do you make this music programme feel like that indie record label?’
He explained they want passengers to be able to ‘explore new music’, rather than listening to (probably slightly bored) singers performing the classics.

Kennedi and the Groove was the perfect example of this, having originally started as a crew band, with their music paying homage to black female trailblazers, no matter the genre.

Then there were the soloists, with Jacob Koopman and Danielle Mohr real standouts who were happy to take any audience request and make it their own.

Danielle played everything from Hozier to Radiohead, in a low-key set perfect for post-dinner drinks.

Even the performers in the evening shows exceeded my expectations, with a particular shout-out to the Up With A Twist crew, a campy cabaret-style musical with various talents on display (including some acrobatics that genuinely made me gasp).

The only letdown was Red Hot, a ‘rockumentary’ of Sir Richard’s life, where the singers and dancers were great but I drew the line at the AI Spice Girls, which were borderline sacrilege.

Of course, Nile Rodgers and Chic were the diamond on the cruise’s lineup, but the consistently good performances made his appearance feel like a natural fit.

I’ve left a little shocked at myself, wondering how a champion of small venues and pub-circuit artists could be so obnoxious when it came to musicians trying to make a living.

While I’m not convinced the next Sex Pistols-level disruptive artist is waiting to be discovered at On The Rocks (one of my favourite ship bars), it’s far from the snoozeville I expected.

Admittedly, 4,350 miles was a long way to go to learn a lesson, but it’s one I won’t be forgetting any time soon.

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