By Paul Salfen for AMFM Magazine – November 5, 2025
Best known as one half of Erasure—one of the UK’s most beloved award-winning songwriting partnerships—Andy Bell has a successful and varied parallel solo career with releases that include three solo albums under his own name, and a further two as offshoots of his one-man theatre project, Torsten The Bareback Saint. Throughout his incredible career, he has collaborated with artists as diverse as British Electric Foundation, Jake Shears, Claudia Brücken (Propaganda), Perry Farrell, Boy George, and most recently, Debbie Harry.
His ascendancy began when he answered an ad that Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode / Yazoo / The Assembly) had placed in Melody Maker, and, after a successful audition, the duo formed the phenomenon known as Erasure. Their decades-long songwriting partnership has seen them crowned Best British Group at The Brit Awards, and receive the Attitude Icon Award, amongst many other accolades. Since the release of their debut, Wonderland, they have gone on to sell over 20 million albums, 5 of their 18 studio albums hitting the UK number one spot, as well as multiple Top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Their most recent release, 2020’s The Neon, debuted at #4 on the UK Official Albums Chart, and the duo are working on a new Erasure album project. Andy also recently received the ICON Award at the PEUGEOT Attitude PRIDE Awards Europe 2025.
Andy Bell is currently taking North America by storm on his first-ever solo tour, featuring a live band that includes Grammy award-winning producer, remixer, and DJ Dave Audé, joined by Jerry Fuentes (guitar), Sarah Tomek (drums), and Chelsea King-Blank (vocals). The extensive dates kicked off last month and continue through December.
Following the news of a 4-disc box set, The Crown Jewels, Bell has today shared his collaboration with Keane’s Tim Rice-Oxley, “The Chance Won’t Come Again.” The track, which sees the Erasure frontman and Rice-Oxley duet for the first time, is a bittersweet pop banger, perfect for the upcoming party season. Listen HERE.
Tim Rice-Oxley says, “It has been such an honour to work with one of my musical heroes on this song. It was pretty surreal when I first heard Andy’s magical vocals on something I had written… absolutely the stuff of dreams. The song is a real tears-on-the-dancefloor banger, full of romance and the pathos of missed opportunities. We had such a great time making it and we hope you love it.”
Andy has also shared more details on the tracklisting for the forthcoming 4-disc box set that expands on his acclaimed solo album, Ten Crowns. Out December 12th via Crown Recordings, the box set will be available as a limited (4000 copies worldwide) 4-CD set with a 50-page booklet. Packaged in a gold-foiled box, the release features new, extensive sleeve notes, and candid—previously unseen—photography by Sean Black.
The new track comes hot on the heels of the release of the studio version of Andy’s cover of Olivia Newton-John and ELO’s classic, “Xanadu,” now a live fan favorite. Listen HERE.
The first disc features the original Ten Crowns album, alongside previously unreleased bonus tracks, including “Xanadu” and “The Chance Won’t Come Again (feat. Tim Rice-Oxley).” Marking a magisterial moment in Andy Bell’s forty-year career, the album reconfirms his standing as one of the great pop vocalists of our time. Featuring 10 tracks of dazzling, joyous pop, including his collaboration with Debbie Harry, Heart’s A Liar, the BBC Radio 2 playlisted single, “Don’t Cha Know,” Dance For Mercy, and “Breaking Thru The Interstellar.”
Ten Crowns Extended, the second disc, features extended versions of each track from the original album, created by Dave Audé, who produced and co-wrote the album with Andy.
The third disc, Ten Crowns Remixed, collates remixes by different artists for each track from the original album and includes Vince Clarke’s reflective remix of “Dance For Mercy,” recently described by Andy as “a masterclass in synth futurism.”
The fourth and final disc, Ten Crowns Live, compiles live recordings of tracks—including “Xanadu”—from Andy Bell’s triumphant tour, which has so far travelled through the UK, Europe, and is currently taking North America by storm.
Ten Crowns finds Andy Bell travelling into new dimensions and possibilities with gospel in his heart and dance in his soul.
Ahead of his Dallas stop, we caught up with Andy via email for an exclusive interview. From the long road to his first solo U.S. tour to the spiritual Tetris of new favorites, here’s what the Erasure icon had to say.
AMFM Magazine: Andy, congrats on the new album and first solo tour of the US. We’re excited that it’s happening now—but in the best way: what took so long?
With Erasure taking up the majority of our career time it is very hard trying to squeeze in other work! 20 Erasure albums, 3 solos, 4 Torsten’s, 2 Operas is pretty good going as far as I’m concerned! This being our first ever solo tour, we had been building up to this for a while and it took a fair few go’s to get it right!
AMFM: There’s so many years of great music to cover in one set. How do you fit it all in and what are we going to hear?
I always go by whichever mood takes me, so if I have a particular song in mind which I think will fit perfectly into the set, I will do that. It is quite tricky to fit the new songs into the set seamlessly, but I think the audience hardly hears the joins.
AMFM: So many aspiring singers look up to you—and have for many years. What advice would you give them?
I used to be one of those singers that didn’t particularly take good care of his voice. I thought it was vain, but now as I get older, I realize that you cannot take it for granted, like any other part of the body, and being a performer/sportsman takes a particular discipline. Plenty of sleep, good food, and lots of warm-ups and water is advised.
AMFM: My co-host is Drew Pearson, one of our great Dallas Cowboys that caught the Hail Mary and went into the Hall of Fame. What was your Hail Mary Moment—the moment in your life or career where you had to go for it and it worked out for you?
I’m still waiting for it!
AMFM: Accomplishing everything you have has taken quite a bit of focus. What do you keep in mind that keeps you on the right path always?
I must admit, sometimes I become very cynical and think about giving up, but always managed to quieten that voice inside my head. Once that voice is silenced, then I can begin again building up my armor for the next phase of each career step.
AMFM: Of all the great new songs, which means the most to you?
I have a couple of favorites on the new album, Ten Crowns. My favorite song is Dawn of Heaven’s Gate, because it’s like a spiritual game of Tetris. My second choice would be Thank You, because it sounds like the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
AMFM: After this, what’s next for you? More Erasure or more solo material? Or both?
At the moment we are working on Erasure material sporadically, but to be honest, I’m looking forward to a hard-earned break over Christmas.
AMFM: Dallas has always been a place that has loved your music. Do you have any favorite memories here and is there anything you’re looking forward to doing while you’re here?
A casual stroll down Oak Lawn. That’s it – Coming to you!
As Andy Bell steps into this bold solo chapter, Ten Crowns and its lavish Crown Jewels expansion prove he’s far from done dazzling us. Catch him live while you can—North America won’t know what hit it.
ANDY BELL TEN CROWNS LIVE NORTH AMERICA:
November 7 – Chicago, IL – Metro
November 8 – Chicago, IL – Metro SOLD OUT
November 9 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
November 11 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room
November 13 – New Orleans, LA – Orpheum Theater
November 14 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theater
November 15 – Dallas, TX – Majestic Theatre
November 18 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre
November 20 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
November 21 – Park City, UT – The Marquis
November 22 – Park City, UT – The Marquis
November 25 – Sacramento, CA – Crest Theatre
November 26 – Menlo Park, CA – Guild Theatre
November 28 – San Francisco, CA – Palace of Fine Arts
November 29 – San Francisco, CA – Palace of Fine Arts SOLD OUT
December 2 – Portland, OR – Newmark Theatre
December 3 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue
December 4 – Seattle, WA – ShowBox at the Market SOLD OUT
December 6 – Stateline, NV – Harrah’s Lake Tahoe
December 9 – Phoenix, AZ – Van Buren
December 10 – San Diego, CA – Music Box
December 12 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theater
December 13 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theater
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