A few months ago, Al found himself doing something he never expected to do in his music career. He was standing backstage, wearing a blonde wig, platform heels, and preparing to sing in front of thousands of people — not as himself, but as Björn from ABBA.

If you know Al, this makes the story even better. He’s always been a guitarist first. Singing on stage, dressing up, putting on an accent and chatting to the crowd? None of that is really “his thing”. But sometimes life throws an opportunity at you that’s just too strange — and too exciting — to turn down.

It all started when his partner, Leanne, who performs in a touring ABBA tribute show, asked if he’d like to get involved. The catch? The gigs were in Tahiti. After about fifteen minutes of sitting on the sofa, weighing up his fear of singing against the idea of performing on a tropical island, he said yes.

That decision led to two shows in Tahiti and another in New Caledonia, with audiences ranging from around a thousand people to more than three thousand. From the moment the band arrived, the experience felt surreal. They skipped passport queues, were welcomed with flowers and live music at the airport, and treated like international stars — even though Al had never sung lead vocals in public before.

On stage, the nerves were real. The first night was, in his words, “horrible”. Bright lights, a sweaty wig, unfamiliar shoes, and the pressure of being called on stage to sing lead in front of a huge crowd. But something interesting happened over the course of the shows. By night two, it felt more manageable. By night three, he started to enjoy it.

There’s a lovely honesty in how Al talks about this part of the experience. He doesn’t pretend it was easy or glamorous. He talks about feeling awkward, about technical problems on stage, about not being able to hear his guitar through his in-ear monitors, and about watching a bandmate injure himself mid-performance and still carry on playing. It’s real, human, and very relatable.

One of the most striking moments comes when he describes the audience reactions. People crying. People waiting afterwards for photos. People wearing ABBA outfits and singing along to every word. Al realises that the performance isn’t really about him at all. For the audience, it’s about memories, emotion, and reconnecting with music they’ve loved for decades. He’s just the messenger.

Alongside the music, there’s plenty of travel chat too. Tahiti comes across as almost unreal — snorkelling straight from the hotel, swimming with sharks and stingrays, and landscapes that feel postcard-perfect. New Caledonia, while still beautiful, feels more built-up and less magical by comparison. These moments give the episode a relaxed, conversational feel that’s perfect for learners who want to hear how British English sounds in real storytelling, not textbook examples.

What makes this episode particularly enjoyable for English learners is how natural it feels. There’s laughter, hesitation, mild swearing, and moments where the conversation drifts — just like it would between friends. Expressions like “bricking it”, “crack on”, and “out of my comfort zone” appear naturally and are easy to pick up through context.

By the end of the conversation, Al admits something surprising: he enjoyed the experience far more than he expected to. Enough, in fact, that he’s open to doing it again — maybe even exploring other tribute shows in the future.

It’s a great reminder that growth often comes from doing the things that make us uncomfortable. And for listeners, it’s a warm, funny, and very human story that offers brilliant British English listening practice without ever feeling like a lesson.

If you enjoy real conversations, cultural insight, and stories that don’t go quite how you expect — this episode is well worth your time.