About Us
Founded by Ellie Robinson in 2017, Queen Bees is a choir made up of friends who simply love to sing. We perform unaccompanied (a cappella) in a wide variety of styles — from sacred music to musical theatre and pop.
Our greatest strength lies in our blended sound, high-quality vocals across the group, and the genuine friendship that binds us — bringing an extra layer of sparkle to everything we do.
Questions with the Queen Bee Ellie
Ellie Robinson, Founder & Musical Director
While I’ve always loved performing in musical theatre, I’ve also been drawn to the huge variety and challenge of choral singing. I hadn’t found a choir that quite captured everything I loved — so I decided to start one myself, with some friends from SOS Presents (or Southampton Operatic Society, as it was known then).
We rehearse at my house, in the playroom/music room — we just about fit once the train track and marble runs have been cleared away! Rehearsals are on most Friday evenings during term time, and we also hold our annual Queen Bee Bootcamp weekend, which is a highlight of the year.
We often get asked this — which I take as a huge compliment! So far, the choir has been invitation-only, as I want to keep the group small enough to retain its close-knit feel. It’s important that both voices and personalities blend in harmony. We're friends first, then a choir.
Most of us have roots in musical theatre, so that’s a natural favourite, but we also love the beautiful harmonies and emotional depth of sacred music. They say girls just want to have fun — and we certainly do, especially when we dive into some sassy pop!
We tend to explore what’s already out there for female a cappella groups, but occasionally we’ll ask someone to help us create a custom arrangement. Everyone brings great suggestions, and we have a very long wish list of songs to learn — if only we could quit our day jobs and sing full-time!
It’s the perfect mix of fun, friendship, and challenge — plus the incredible comments we get from people who hear us sing. There’s something really powerful about making music with people you trust and care about. It lifts you, connects you, and keeps you coming back week after week — cheering each other on through tough times and celebrating the joyful ones.
One of the biggest challenges is that there's nowhere to hide! Without a piano or backing track, we rely completely on each other for pitch, timing, and blend. Everyone has to stay totally focused and tuned in, especially during tricky key changes or crunchy harmonies. We also sing off-copy to achieve a polished, connected sound — which means memorising the music!
We were stuck for a name for a little while — nothing quite fit. But then inspiration struck from one of our favourite songs, and the first one we really nailed as a group: “Royals” by Lorde. When we sang the line “you can call me queen bee”, it just clicked. It felt fun, sassy, and a little bit fabulous!
When people arrive, there’s plenty of chatting and catching up while helping themselves to a glass of wine or — increasingly popular — a fruity tea. There's always talk of shows people are in, plus stories about work, children, grandchildren... Eventually, Ellie calls everyone to order and we get started — singing through something familiar before working on new material. Sometimes we split into voice parts across the house! When it's time to practise in formation or add choreography, we head into the kitchen and push back the table. There’s always a lot of laughter, and everyone goes home buzzing.
It’s a real highlight of our year when we head to Swanage for a weekend of singing and fun. We all squeeze into Ellie’s parents’ house, with beautiful views over the hills and the sea. Being a teacher, Ellie makes a timetable — packed with rehearsals and tea breaks, beach walks, shop browsing, prosecco, and board games. It’s the perfect blend of music and memories, and we always come home closer and more in sync as a group.