Her debut album ‘Amour’ strays from the traditional genre of opera, mixing the classical romantics such as Rota’s Al Gioch Addio (Romeo and Juliet) and Bacalov’s Mi Mancherai (Il Postino) with contemporary style pieces. This blend of the contemporary and the classic could of gone horrendously wrong but Marsh’s beautiful voice melts the two into lyrical harmony creating a sound worthy to be top of the Classical Chart on its first release.

The sensational singer spends some time with Female First to tell us how her childhood passion for opera led her to performing onstage with the great Annie Lennox in front of an audience of stars.

As far as Opera singers go you’re quite different from the stereotype, do you ever feel it’s set you back from being taken seriously?

I don’t think so really to be honest in the opera world when you’re auditioning for a part you have to prove yourself every single time you’re as only as ever good as your last job. You got to audition for every role and you can’t get by or anything other than talent that you have for a lot of the parts. Obviously with the album it’s a slightly different thing the music is very important but wearing glamorous frocks is part of the job as well which I never complain about because it’s always fun!

Do you get a lot of frocks for free?

I do I’m very lucky actually it’s fantastic the designers are just brilliant and obviously you got so many shows and performances touring and photo shoots it’s one of the best bits that come with the job. I got the classical Brits coming up next in a few weeks so I’m already checking out a lot of dresses, trying to think of the style I want to go for. So it’s fun. It’s definitely a fun part.

Your album ‘Amour’ was very successful hitting the top Classical Chart at week number one. Were you expecting this result?

Not at all! No I got a real shock, it was just amazing I wasn’t expecting it in the slightest you sort of get completely emerged in your music when you’re recording it it’s quite hard to see outside of it when you’re in the middle of the album creation. It was absolutely amazing it took me ages for it to sink in actually and just fantastic to have all that support. I was on a tour at the time I felt really fabulous when I stepped out to celebrate.

How did you celebrate?

I was on tour at the time so I went out with his family and my husband as well we had a good old bottle of wine and a nice meal and celebrated. It was a good start, definitely an amazing start.

The music on your album has been described as a crossover genre with classical songs mixed with contemporary tunes. Which style of music do you prefer?

Listening to opera for me, at home, is at bit like homework. I don’t choose to ever listen to it because it’s my job. To wind down and everything I love jazz, I love soul, so I got a complete range. I love all of the fantastic classic ladies like Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Eva Cassidy all those kind of singers. So whatever you do as your job you kind of want to switch off at the end of the day. I love opera there’s no question about it but you start analysing when you listen to it, your brain starts working when you listen to opera for me. I can really switch off when I’m whacking on my i pod and having everything, every different kind of track blaring out Stevie Wonder and Corinne Bailey Rae, love it!

One of your loves besides music is films, how did you incorporate this into your music?

I thin probably because the album’s title is ‘Amour’ which is obviously love in French, I’m definitely a completely soppy romantic girl at heart I love chick flicks I love all of that. A lot of European films rather than the Hollywood have an incredible sense of romance the way that they’re filmed, the beautiful hills in the sunshine, olives and sun dried tomatoes the whole kind of feel for them is very romantic. It’s not pushed in your face the Hollywood way it’s just very atmospheric. I love the classics Jean De Florette, Il Postino and I think the flavour in them really inspired me for the album, to find songs that I felt could reflect a little bit of the atmosphere in some of the films, so that’s really where it came from. I love films; I get out as much as I can to see films particularly European films because I just think it’s so fabulous, so realistic.

So if anyone was to approach you from a European company and offered you a film role would you snap it up?

I wouldn’t say no! I might have to speak in French though or Italian that would be a bit worrying. French wouldn’t be too bad though…

You’ve mastered many different languages haven’t you?

It’s part of the job to be honest because you’re singing in foreign languages the entire time so you got to know what you’re saying otherwise you’d look like a right plonker! I try and make sure I know what I’m saying.

You come from a very musical family, did you ever feel pressure from your family to follow pursuit or is it all in the genes?

That’s a good question! I never ever felt remotely any pressure from my certainly from my mum and dad they were very inspiring rather than pushy but there was just such a wealth of music around me from such a young age. I did all the usual stuff school orchestras and choirs and that kind of thing and I just knew, it was a gut feeling when I started to sing at a very very young age it was what fired me, it’s what got me exciting. I also loved performing and I think that from as young as five, six, I remember thinking God, I would love to do this! I would love to be out no stage… I loved like all little girls the glamour of dressing up and costumes. I spent my childhood dressing my brothers up force them to be in little plays and musicals at the weekend and say you play this part…

So were you the older bossy sister then?

I was! I was! And honestly some of the things I made them dress up in dear me.

Hopefully not as ladies?

No…although I think I dressed my brother up as a bridesmaid at one point which he’s never forgiven me for. Actually he’s gone into acting himself so it can’t have put him off too much!

You have performed with Annie Lennox at the Feast of Alban, that must have been quite an experience what was she like?

Oh it was wonderful. It was one of things when you step out on stage and in front of me I could see nearly everyone from Mick Jagger to Jamie Cullum Colin Firth, there were all there and I had this kind of out of body experience thinking of my God there’re all there! Oh don’t look, look who it is! But I thought hang on a minute I’m performing so yeah I just enjoyed it and got lost in the music but it was an amazing event it was very beautiful I hang out with Annie Lennox quite a bit hung out in her dressing room and had a lovely chat. So it was a great opportunity to meet her and very beautiful in the flesh as well.

You must have been nervous with all these celebrities watching, how do you calm yourself down before a big performance?

I used to struggle more than I do now, I think the minute you forget what it’s about which is enjoying yourself it becomes like work. I get little butterflies in my tummy but they’re manageable I don’t tend to eat a big meal before stage. I make sure I got lovely people around me and I’m usually a bit focused before I’m about to go on, I go a bit quiet but that’s me focusing. I love what I do and I think that’s the key remembering that and also remembering the audience is on their side they want the best from you as well.

You’ve performed at festivals as well as Opera Houses, which do you think provides the best experience?

Completely different I couldn’t even pick! There’s something wonderful about singing in the outdoor festivals where families come along in their jeans and t-shirts with picnics and you got everything from your babies in prams right through to your grandmas and granddads and they’re all sat there just wanting to have a great party and to enjoy some outdoor music at the festivals and it’s completely relaxed and wonderful. So there’s a brilliant atmosphere there but there’s something magical about an opening night in the opera house when the curtains go back and you just feel this total anticipation of the audience just waiting that you’re just about to take them on this big journey and you’re dolled up and it’s a very special evening. I don’t know I enjoy both!

Source: Female First