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Biography
Katherine Jenkins is redefining Classical Crossover, and is pioneering a new genre of Opera superstar. She is not only glamorous, but also very down to earth, and accessible and caring as a human being. She is light years away from the stereotypical opera singer- histrionic, frumpy, overweight and somewhat aloof.
Her first album, appropriately titled ‘Premiere’ was the fastest selling album of all time by a Mezzo Soprano selling well over 30,000 copies in the first week.
Her appeal is such that she has already outsold such opera greats as Maria Callas.
She is the only singer in musical history to simultaneously hold the number 1,2 and 3 position in the classical charts which she did with her 3 albums ‘Premiere’, ‘Second Nature’, and ‘Living the Dream’ in 2005.
Living The Dream also got to Number four in the Pop Album Charts, whilst staying at number one in the Classical Chart (It still is number one!!!) for an amazing 47 weeks.
Katherine in part seems to emulate both Marilyn and Madonna. She likes the look of innocent starlet and the mind that is business savvy. “ I do not understand where the idea came from that opera is only for privileged people, I am as happy singing before 70,000 people at the Millennium Stadium, as I am in front of a few hundred in a small concert hall”
She was born in Neath, South Wales 26years ago and her parents were not slow in recognising their daughter’s unique blossoming talents. Her mother ran the local Sunday school, and it was not long before Katherine became a permanent star fixture in the church choir.
Her father, who had retired, dedicated himself to driving Katherine to and from music lessons, and doing whatever he could to further her musical talents.
In 1993 Katherine was the BBC Welsh Choirgirl of the Year. Sadly when Katherine was 15 her father passed away quiet suddenly. The
emotional impact is always with her and in her voice. That’s what makes her voice so special. And there’s the dichotomy. Young, bubbly, smiling with a voice that’s so emotionally striking it touches the soul. “I know how much he wanted this for me and I try to put my heart and everything into it for him. We spend so much time together both my sister and I. I didn’t have any brothers and to lose the man in your life at fifteen is really devastating. It was two weeks before my GCSE’s. It was a toss up whether to do them. My dad really wanted me to do them. I don’t know how I managed it but I did. There have been certain moments when I know he’s there for sure. It is like singing to him. I got a sense of that when I accepted the BRIT award he was watching.”
She has won BRIT awards two years running, one for ‘Second Nature’ and one for ‘Living The Dream’. She is the only female artist ever to win two consecutive classical BRIT awards. And now the pressure is on for a third with ‘Serenade’.
“I put the pressure on myself. I’m a perfectionist and people around me know that. Yes it’s hard to put something out after you’ve been successful because you have to make sure it comes up to my high level of expectation. I set myself really high goals and only if I achieve them will I be happy.”
Her new album ‘Serenade’ features one of her favourite songs of all time, her “classicalised” version of Bryan Adams’ Everything I Do. “I like the idea of doing a classical version of a pop song. I did it last time with I Will Always Love You (L’Amore Sei Tu) and I thought I’m going to carry on the theme because I’ve always loved that song. Bryan ended up coming into the studio and playing guitar on the track, which was a moment that was such a thrill. I didn’t even tell him that when I was younger Robin Hood Prince of Thieves was a huge favourite of mine and I got my piano teacher to teach it to me.”
Katherine is very aware and sensitive to the advice from her fans.
On her new album she also duets with Kiri te Kanawa singing “The Flower Duet” This song is best known as the tune from the British Airways ad and was one of the most requested from Katherine’s fan base.
She has already sung at some of the most prestigious venues in the world ranging from the Sydney Opera House, the Albert Hall London to the Millennium Stadium Cardiff which has become virtually her second home having sung there on at least 12 occasions including 2 FA Cup Finals, 2 Rugby League Challenge Cup Finals, at least 8 Welsh international Rugby match’s, as well as the Tsunami Concert.
Katherine is as passionate as she is a perfectionist. She is the kind of girl who believes in love at first sight and following her heart - an interesting balancing act when she knows she must put her all into her career right now. Katherine is seizing the moment. “You never know how long it’s going to last.”
Her rise to fame has been meteoric. Schoolteacher to super star within months though Katherine says “ I’ve been singing since I was four years old, so I am hardly an overnight sensation!”
After graduating with honours from the Royal Academy of Music, Katherine did many things to earn enough money to keep body and soul together, from part time modelling (“I hated all the waiting around all day”) to being a tour guide on the London Eye.
Whilst she was enjoying being a freelance singing teacher at a school in Hertfordshire, she was invited to showcase her talents for Universal Records who eventually signed her in 2003 to a long-term 6-album contract. Later on that year ‘Premiere’ was released and the rest is history.
Currently the love of her life is her miniature Jack Russell. “He’s such a cutie. Mostly cream with chocolate spots and big eyes. Whenever I can I take him out to, even when I go to the gym to exercise, a double stress buster. I spend as much spare time as I have with friends, going out to dinner, and being with my family. You can’t beat a roast Sunday lunch!”
© http://www.katherinejenkins.co.uk
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