The U.K.’s Royal Mail is paying tribute to one of the world’s most beloved singers with a new 12-stamp issue honoring Dame Shirley Bassey.
The new issue celebrates the 70th anniversary of the start of the Welsh-born singer’s career, with photographs of Bassey at different stages of her stardom. Unlike the U.S., the U.K. honors living individuals in their commemorative stamps. And this is the first time Royal Mail has dedicated an entire stamp issue to a solo female music artist – the previous solo music artists with commemorative stamps were David Bowie (2017); Sir Elton John (2019); and Sir Paul McCartney (2021).
Bassey scored her first number one hit in the U.K. in 1959 with “As I Love You” and achieved global recognition for her sultry rendition of the theme song from the 1964 James Bond film “Goldfinger.” She would also perform the theme songs from two other 007 films, “Diamonds Are Forever” and “Moonraker,” and her numerous hit albums spanned contemporary pop, show tunes and soundtracks.
“I am absolutely thrilled and would never have dreamed that one day my face would be on a stamp – that one day a letter might arrive and there I am, with a postmark next to me,” said Basset. “It’s an absolute honour to be the first solo female artist to receive a collection from Royal Mail. The stamps are wonderful, and I hope my fans and collectors love them as much as I do”
David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy said: “For seven decades Dame Shirley Bassey has captivated fans across the world with her distinctive and powerful voice. This stamp issue is a fitting celebration of one of the UK’s most revered and longest serving musical icons.”
The stamps are available at the Royal Mail’s website.
