School Band Wins Sussex Superstars Talent Contest

Posted in: In the Community, In the Press, Spotlight

Four Year 11 students from Longhill High School, performing as the band SoundWave, have been crowned winners of the Sussex Superstars 2026 talent competition at the Focus Foundation Winter Ball.

The boys impressed a panel of celebrity judges, including Denise van Outen, Duncan James and Anita Dobson, with a powerful performance of Even Flow by Pearl Jam, earning a standing ovation. Their win follows a strong semi‑final showing with a Rage Against the Machine cover.

Queen guitarist Sir Brian May attended the event and personally congratulated the band, praising their talent and bright future. Headteacher Rachelle Otulakowski said the whole school is “incredibly proud” of the students, who achieved this success while preparing for their GCSEs.

The Winter Ball raised more than £148,000 for local grassroots charities, with SoundWave’s performance highlighted as one of the evening’s standout moments. The band Djibril (vocals), Dominic (guitar), Leon (bass) and Cody (drums) formed in March last year and have already performed at several Brighton events, including Sounds from the City at the Brighton Dome.

SoundWave now plan to build on their success and continue their musical journey.

Image of the Longhill High School Band Soundwave

Read the full article on Brighton and Hove News here: https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2026/02/09/queen-guitarist-applauds-longhill-band-for-sussex-superstars-triumph/

Read more stories from Longhill High School: https://longhill.org.uk/news/

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