Everything coming up roses for Seal, who performs in Louisville Derby weekend. What to know

It seems appropriate that the pop music icon who won a string of Grammy Awards for his song "Kiss By a Rose" is performing in Louisville the day after the 149th "Run for the Roses."

Seal will be performing his greatest hits in concert on Sunday, May 7 at the Louisville Palace. When we spoke with the superstar and pointed out the many references to "roses" that will occur Kentucky Derby weekend, the multi-Grammy Award winner figured it was as good a reason as any to wager on the horse race.

"'Kiss From A Rose' has brought me a lot of luck so perhaps I should put down a flutter," Seal told the Courier Journal.

OK, we had no idea what the British-born superstar meant by "flutter" but a quick Google search provided the answer. Turns out, "flutter" is British slang for a small bet, usually one made by someone unaccustomed to wagering, and it sets his heart aflutter.

Speaking of "hearts aflutter," fans of the sleek, soulful singer are anxious for his 30th anniversary world tour to get underway. The North American leg of his tour kicks off April 24 in Phoenix as he celebrates his classic albums Seal I (1991) and Seal II (1994.)

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During his swing through Louisville, Seal will perform the records in their entirety for the first time.

"The entire evening is going to be very exciting," Seal said. "What I am going to do is try to take the audience on a journey because I do believe that our favorite albums are like soundtracks to different chapters in our lives."

His concert promises to deliver a set highlighted by classic chart-topping anthems such as "Crazy," "Future Love Paradise," "Killer," and "Kiss From A Rose."

"'Kiss From A Rose' was a very unlikely champion on my second album and I wasn't expecting it to be the hit," he revealed to the Courier Journal. "But as luck would have it, Joel (Schumacher) used it in his film 'Batman Forever' and it turned me into a household name."

The song landed on the Top 10 charts in multiple countries, went quadruple platinum in the US, and won Song of the Year at the 1996 Grammy Awards. Seal was also awarded Grammys that year for Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

"The success of that song surprised me and everyone else involved in the making of the album," he said.

Trevor Horn, who is Seal's longtime trusted collaborator and was the producer on "Kiss By A Rose," is serving as the musical director for the 2023 tour. Besides producing with Seal on many of his top hits, Horn has produced records for Grace Jones, Tom Jones, Barry Manilow, Paul McCartney, Pet Shop Boys, Rod Stewart, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and Tina Turner.

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Additionally, Horn's legendary band, The Buggles, will take the opening slot for the concert in Louisville. The Buggles, whose storied legacy outshines their output, only released two albums, their debut album produced their hit single "Video Killed The Radio Star," which doubled as the first music video to ever be played on MTV.

"I have been extremely fortunate throughout my career that I have been able to work with great musicians and producers like Trevor," said Seal. "My philosophy out of the gate has always been to only do music that feels good and to only work with people because it felt right."

Tickets to Seal's 30th Anniversary concert in Louisville on Sunday, May 7, at the Louisville Palace, 625 S Fourth St., start at $49 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.

Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Seal 30th anniversary tour heads to Louisville Kentucky Derby weekend