M.E.N ARTICLE

xcept · Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 10:59 am Post subject: M.E.N ARTICLE

M.E.N ARTICLE
BY Ian Wylie

SALFORD LAD: Russell WatsonWHATEVER happened to Russell Watson? The vocal hero from Salford laughs as he poses the question many of his fans have been asking. "You can't really say, 'Hi everybody, I'll be back in two years'. I've been away touring America, Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia and other places around the planet."

Adoring audiences and global public acclaim were his travelling companions. But the Cheshire-based tenor admits there was a huge personal downside; being separated from his daughters Rebecca, 11, and Hannah, five.

"It's hell," he sighs. "It really is the worst part of the job. When I'm away I miss them. I ring them every day, but it doesn't make up for actually being with them. So it is tough. They're growing up so quickly. Time is going by and I don't want to be there in 10 years' time and they've grown up and leaving home, and me thinking, `Oh my God, where did their childhood go?'

"That's the main reason for me wanting to concentrate on the UK this year. I want to be in the same country as my kids. I want to be able to just jump on a train or plane whenever I feel like it and go and see them. I want to dedicate this year to that."

Former Irlam factory worker Russell has also returned to explore new challenges after a 2003 health scare prompted him to change his life.

A lump found on a vocal chord threatened his career. Although it was successfully removed and he's fine, the opera star now takes nothing for granted.

Livelihood

"It changed my outlook to everything I do. When your livelihood, your career and your personal health are threatened, it makes you reassess life and yourself.

"As a result, I made some fundamental changes in my life. I think most of us, at some stage in our lives, go through that sort of period and, hopefully, it makes us wiser and smarter."

His future plans had included marriage to fianc?©e Roxana Valerio. But the wedding is off. The couple met while Russell was on tour in New York, about a year after his marriage to first wife Helen, the mother of his children, collapsed in 2001.

He later proposed to his new love on a canal bridge near where he then lived at Worsley, Salford. "Roxana and I split up about five or six months ago," he reveals. "I'm a single man now and enjoying it."

Also now in the past is a long-running legal dispute with a former management company. In 2004, a court ordered Russell to pay more than half a million pounds to his ex-managers.

Although some stuffed shirts resented his success, he's acknowledged as the first UK artist to take opera and classical music to a new audience.

While Russell has been touring the world, several others have followed in his footsteps, including G4 and Il Divo. He hopes everyone can benefit.

"The market has definitely extended and expanded since I left the country a couple of years ago and they've brought in a younger demographic. So it'll be interesting to see if they're going to tap into my music."

Studio

Aside from spending time with his children, he's back home to promote his new album, The Ultimate Collection, which is out next month, to be followed by a studio album in the autumn and a yet to be announced UK tour, which will, of course, visit Manchester.

But first come two departures from his recent career path. Last week, he stepped in to save the day at BBC1's duets singing showdown Just The Two Of Us when Rick Astley quit, leaving Cutting It star Sian Reeves without a partner. Russell had just got back from New Zealand when he was asked if he'd take Rick's place. "Sian and I got along well, so now we're playing catch up in rehearsals."

Russell originally quit his factory job to perform pop ballads in north west working men's clubs before one social secretary asked if he had ever considered singing that operatic classic "Nesty Doormat". He went off to learn Pavarotti's Nessun Dorma and then discovered The Voice he never knew he had.

So he's not daunted by the challenge of having to perform on TV with Sian in several different styles and genres. "I spent 10 years singing all that sort of material, from rock 'n' roll to country & western and pop. For me, it's a bit of a flashback to the past and a chance for the public to see a different side of Russell Watson."

After the TV show comes the role of Parson Nathaniel in Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds musical tour, which calls at the M.E.N. Arena on April 23. "It's a big production and very exciting because it's my first acting role. There are certain avenues in my career that I haven't really explored and this year I felt like I wanted to broaden my horizons and stretch myself a little bit more.

Amazing

"That's not to say that I'm bored with what I've been doing. I'm not. It's been an amazing journey. But I can't wait for the show to get to Manchester. All my friends and family are going to be there."

Although he's played around the world for kings and queens, presidents and Popes, Russell has a favourite memory closer to home. "One of my proudest moments was performing at the opening of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. That was outrageous. Just before I walked on, there was this little old fella at the side of the stage with a steward's outfit on.

He said, 'All right, Russell? You know there's going to be about a billion people watching live on TV, don't you mate?' And I said, 'Er, no, I didn't. Thanks for that!'"

Russell says his children help keep him grounded. "I was giggling away to myself a few weeks ago. I'd just got back from Malaysia, where I'd done a huge outdoor concert for the King and Queen. They then invited me to dinner, so there I was, chatting away with royalty. Next minute I'm flying back to Britain for Christmas and a couple of days later I'm wiping my five-year-old's nose and thinking, ah, the diversity of the music industry. The kids aren't really that impressed with what I do. But maybe if I was to duet with Will Young, then they might think I was cool."

Just The Two Of Us is on BBC1.

Stephanie · Joined: Jan 14, 2006 Posts: 66

that you for the article that was a good read.

nettie1199 · Joined: Jan 05, 2006 Posts: 183 Location: Australia

Very down to earth interview. I am wishing him a relaxing time in Manchester with his family and friends. He has worked hard and deserves it. Very Happy