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Katherine Jenkins

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Katherine Jenkins

Katherine Jenkins (born 29 June 1980) is an award-winning British classical crossover mezzo-soprano.[1] [2] Her first album Premiere made her the fastest-selling mezzo-soprano to date[3] and she later became the first British classical crossover artist to have two number one albums in the same year.[4] She also stands as the first female artist to win two consecutive Classical BRIT Awards.

Jenkins has released five classical crossover number one studio albums to date selling 4,000,000 copies. Her sixth album, Sacred Arias, was released on 20 October 2008. Her albums feature arias, popular songs, hymns and classical crossover music and she has performed in a large number of concerts around the United Kingdom and other countries, including the United States and Australia.

Background

Jenkins was born in Neath, Wales[3] She and her sister, Laura, were raised there by their parents Selwyn John (1924[5]-1995)[6] and Susan. She has two half-sisters from her father's first marriage, both of whom she has never met. She went to Alderman Davies Church in Wales Primary School in Neath and later Dwr-y-Felin Comprehensive School (also in her home town of Neath), Katherine Jenkins received A grades in both GCSEs and A Levels and participated in productions such as Calamity Jane and Guys and Dolls.[3] Jenkins' music talents continued to progress and she achieved Grade 8 distinctions in singing and piano. She attended singing lessons with piano and singing teacher Mark Ritzmann.[7]

Between 1990 and 1996 Jenkins was a member of the Royal School of Church Music Cathedral Singers, where she achieved the St Cecilia Award, which was, and still is, the highest RSCM award for female choristers.[3] Jenkins was also a member of the National Youth Choir of Wales for three years.[7] She twice won the BBC Radio 2 Welsh Choirgirl of the Year contest,[3][8] won the BET Welsh Choirgirl of the Year[3] and was also awarded the Pelenna Valley Male Voice Choir Scholarship for the most promising young singer.[3]

At the age of 17, she won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music, University of London.[3] At the Academy, she also studied Italian, German, French and Russian and graduated with honours.[7] She finished the course with a degree, a music teacher's diploma and then made some money as a freelance singing teacher and a model for hair and make-up.[9] After entering a modeling competition, Jenkins was made the Face of Wales in 2000 and then decided to focus more intently on her musical career.[3] When Universal Classics & Jazz heard one of Jenkins' demo tapes, she was called to an interview, and she sang "Una voce poco fa" by Rossini.[9] Universal then offered Jenkins a six-album deal just an hour later.[9] This meant that at the age of just 23,[10] Jenkins had signed the then largest record deal in United Kingdom classical recording history, reportedly worth £1 million.[3][8][11] Universal Classics' marketing director has since said, "She is an utter professional, a wonderful singer and has a team utterly committed to her."[11]

Career

2003—2004: Première and Second Nature

Jenkins first came to public attention when she sang at Westminster Cathedral honouring Pope John Paul II's silver jubilee in October 2003 and then supporting singer Aled Jones on his tour.[7][10] At the Rugby World Cup in 2003, she made her Sydney Opera House debut.[9] In August 2004, she made her first US appearance supporting Hayley Westenra at ...Joe's Pub in New York City.[7]

Her 2004 debut album, Première, lasted a total of eight weeks at the top of the classical crossover charts,[4] which made her the fastest-selling mezzo-soprano of all time.[3] A Welsh speaker[12], this first album contained three Welsh songs. She soon became the first British classical crossover artist to have two number one albums in the same year with Première and Second Nature,[4] and she now stands as the only person to have held the number one and two classical crossover album chart positions.[3] Second Nature reached number 16 in the UK pop charts[10] and was later named Album of the Year at the 2005 Classical BRIT Awards.[13] This award is chosen by listeners of Classic FM.

Jenkins was also the first person to perform the Home Nations anthem "The Power of Four". She then began to appear regularly as the singer for the Welsh national anthem, "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau", at Welsh international rugby union matches and sang with Bryn Terfel at the 2005 Wales-England Six Nations match at the Millennium Stadium.[9] Jenkins is now the official mascot for the Wales rugby union team.[11] As well as her appearances before Rugby Union matches, in 2004, Jenkins sang at the rugby league Challenge Cup final between St. Helens and Wigan.

2005—2006: Living A Dream and Serenade

On 22 January 2005 Jenkins sang at Cardiff at the Tsunami Relief Concert in order to raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[11] In April and May 2005, Jenkins supported Irish tenor Ronan Tynan on his first US tour as a solo artist. At the Berlin stage of Live 8 in 2005, Jenkins sang the hymn "Amazing Grace".[14] Her interpretation was partly a vocal solo; for the rest she was accompanied by a single softly played piano.

In May 2005, Jenkins sang at Trafalgar Square to 15,000-strong audience to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of VE Day,[15][16] and later helped to launch the Royal British Legion's poppy appeal at Covent Garden whilst wearing a dress made of 2,500 poppies.[17]

Jenkins' Italian-language version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" ("L'Amore Sei Tu"), first performed live at Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire on 28 August 2005, was the first cut on Jenkins' third album Living A Dream. When the album was released, she held the positions of one, two and three in the classical crossover music chart at the same time along with her first two albums,[3] becoming the only singer to do so.[18] The album held onto the number one position for nearly a year and reached number four in the pop album charts.[18] Jenkins repeated the success of Second Nature with her Living A Dream album when she won the classical BRIT award for Album of the Year for a second time.[13][19] She now stands as the first female artist to win two consecutive Classical BRIT Awards.[3]

Jenkins, with the Blue Man Group, sang "I Feel Love" in front of The Queen at the Royal Variety Performance on 21 November 2005, whilst wearing a flashing, multicoloured dress.[20] She also performed at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo, Norway on 11 December 2005.[21]

Her fourth studio album entitled Serenade, released on 6 November, 2006, became number five in the mainstream charts and sold more than 50,000 copies in its first week. This ensured it was the biggest seller for a classical crossover CD in Britain.[3] On HMV's classical charts, the top four albums were all held by Jenkins.[22] Also in November, she performed live before The Queen at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall and joined fellow Welsh singer James Fox in the final verse of "Anthem" from the musical Chess.[23] On 23 December 2006 Jenkins appeared as a guest and performer on ITV's Parkinson show, where she sang the Welsh national anthem informally during her interview and a Christmas song backed by the Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir and a brass band.[24]

2007—present: Rejoice, Sacred Arias and Believe

At the start of 2007, Jenkins made her first appearance on the British young people's Sunday Times Rich List which ranked her as the sixty-second richest young person in Britain with an estimated wealth of £9 million.[25] As of the end of 2006, she is estimated to have sold about 2 million records since her debut in 2004.[25]

She made a cameo appearance in two episodes of Emmerdale which saw 11.6 million viewers tune in to find out who killed popular character Tom King who was murdered on Christmas Day. She appeared in the show on 16th and 17th of May 2007, which saw her opening the village pageant.[26] In July, Jenkins performed live on Saving Planet Earth on BBC One, to raise money for the BBC Wildlife Fund[27] and later that month a special concert starring Jenkins was held at Margam Park in south Wales. It was entitled Katherine In The Park and saw Jenkins perform alongside Paul Potts and Juan Diego Florez.[28] Jenkins extended a personal invitation to Potts to sing "Nessun Dorma" at the concert.[29] On 12 August 2007 Jenkins appeared on ITV's Britain's Favourite View where she nominated Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower peninsula to be voted as Britain's favourite view.[30] She took cameras on a tour of the bay and commented on the great sentimental value the bay has to her: "I grew up on the edge of the Gower, but it was still a holiday place for our family. We’d go on weekend breaks to Three Cliffs Bay – six miles down the road! That’s how gorgeous it is."[31] In September Jenkins catwalk modeled at Naomi Campbell's Fashion Relief event for charity in a Julien MacDonald dress which was then bought by Sir Philip Green for £10,000.[32] On 21 October 2007 she sang "Time to Say Goodbye" with Andrea Bocelli on the Strictly Come Dancing results show.

Katherine Jenkins sings the Welsh national anthem at Sofia Gardens before the start of the 2009 Ashes

In November 2007, she again sang at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, and won classical performer of the year at the Variety Club Showbiz Awards.[33] Her fifth album, entitled Rejoice, was released on 19 November 2007. The album contains a mix of classical and pop music in which some songs have been written specially for her.[34] Two of the songs are written by Take That's Gary Barlow.[35] The album entered the pop album charts at number three,[36] beating the Spice Girls and Girls Aloud.[37] Jenkins commented "I never imagined when I was a young girl listening to them on the radio that I would outsell the Spice Girls and Celine Dion. It’s almost too much to take in. I can’t thank my fans enough for all their support."[37]

She has also teamed up with Darcey Bussell, who organised to stage a song and dance production to pay tribute to the stars which have inspired them[38] which include Madonna and Judy Garland.[34] With a £1 million budget, the show was launched in Manchester in November and is entitled Viva la Diva.[38][39] As part of the preparation for the show, Jenkins has learned to tap dance, spent eight hours a week in dance studios learning choreography, and running three miles a day to get fit.[34] Jenkins and Bussell performed a segment of Viva la Diva before the Queen at the 79th Royal Variety Performance which was televised on 9 December 2007.[40] On 15 December Jenkins performed on The X Factor final with contestant Rhydian Roberts, performing the song "You Raise Me Up".[41] She performed the Welsh National Anthem on 17 May 2008 at the 2008 FA Cup Final between Cardiff City and Portsmouth, becoming the first person to do this at an FA Cup Final.[42]

Jenkins' autobiography, Time to Say Hello, was released on 28 January 2008, and was also serialised in The Mail on Sunday.[43] Jenkins is also an ambassador for Montblanc pens and gifts.[44] Being an ambassador for the company she is able to borrow their jewellery to wear to events, but in order to guard Jenkins and the expensive items, she is chaperoned by Montblanc bodyguards.[45] She wore £6 million worth of Montblanc diamonds to the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in 2008.[46]

On 20 October 2008 Jenkins released Sacred Arias, which is her last album with Universal Music. On 19 October The Telegraph stated that Jenkins had signed the biggest classical recording deal in history, for $10 million (£5.8 million), with Warner Music.[47]

Jenkins also appeared in episode 3 of the fifth series of The Apprentice, performing Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah as part of a private recital to winning team Ignite. The programme was aired on BBC One on 8 March 2009.

On Saturday 12 September 2009 Jenkins performed in Hyde Park for the Last Night of the Proms, singing Una Voce Poca Fa, Angel, The Love Theme from the Godfather, Evanescence's Bring Me To Life, Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and Time To Say Goodbye.

On Monday 21st September Jenkins performed at the memorial service for Sir Bobby Robson, singing Pie Jesu at the request of Mrs Robson.

Play.com listed in their "Upcoming 2009 Releases" a Compilation Album by Katherine, which would be released in November, nothing was confirmed by Katherine or anybody else, but the album has been confirmed with a release date 2 November 2009.[48]

Jenkins released her latest album, Believe, on 26 October 2009. She made various TV appearances such as GMTV, Something for the Weekend and Piers Morgan's Life Stories on 24 October 2009.

Personal life

Her father, Selwyn, died of lung cancer aged 70 when she was 15,[3][49] She has remarked on missing him in her album liner notes and has dedicated any award she received to him.

Selwyn was a big Swansea City fan, he would take her to the Vetch Field at a very young age. After he died Katherine still supported Swansea City for her father. At the 2008 FA Cup final between Cardiff City And Portsmouth FC Katherine crossed her fingers while singing to jinx Cardiff City who are Swansea City's closest rivals.

Whilst Jenkins was studying at the Royal Academy of Music, at 19 years of age, she was attacked and nearly raped by a man who followed her off a bus after she had enjoyed a night out with friends.[50] When Jenkins was making the 2-minute walk to her London home, he sprang upon her and tried to drag her into an alley, but she managed to escape.[50] He continued to pursue her and punched her to the ground, prompting Jenkins to curl up into a ball so that he was not able to rape her.[43] After repeatedly kicking her, he eventually left with her wallet and has never been caught.[43] "It was just awful. I was so shaken up. It took me a long time to get over it, and my mum was devastated. I genuinely believe I was very lucky," commented Jenkins.[50]

After Jenkins and Dame Vera Lynn were both seen centre stage together at the 60th Anniversary of VE Day in 2005 during the song "We'll Meet Again", the newspapers dubbed Jenkins "the new Forces' Sweetheart", a nickname given to Lynn during World War II.[16] Lynn had said to Jenkins that she should "go out and entertain the troops" to which Jenkins promised.[16] In December 2005 and 2006 Jenkins travelled to Iraq to sing to the soldiers for Christmas.[4][51] On her first visit to Iraq in 2005, when travelling to Shaibah, the largest British base in Southern Iraq, the helicopter she was travelling in was targeted by missiles. Anti-missile flares were deployed and the group landed safely.[16]

In November 2008 Jenkins revealed to The Daily Mail that when she was a student she had taken class A drugs (cocaine and ecstasy) and cannabis. She noted that she was introduced to them by her friends at London's Royal College of Music, and that she stopped taking them after signing her record deal in 2003.[52] In the article Jenkins describes taking drugs as "the biggest regret of my life."

On July 8 2009, Jenkins performed at the opening ceremony of the Ashes cricket competition between England and Australia at Sophia Gardens cricket ground in Cardiff to much acclaim by many of the British tabloid papers and cricket commentators.

Discography

Singles

Song Year
"Time to Say Goodbye" 2005
"Green Green Grass of Home" 2006

Albums

Album Year UK Albums UK Classical USA AUS Notes
Premiere 2004 31 [53] 1 N/K DNC
Second Nature 16 [53] 1 N/K DNC UK Classical Album of the Year; released in the U.S. as La Diva.
Living a Dream 2005 4 [53] 1 [54] N/K 13 UK Classical Album of the Year.
Serenade 2006 5 [53] 1 [55] N/K DNC
From the Heart 2007 Import Import N/K DNC Import from China; compilation of tracks from previous albums.
Rejoice 3[36] N/A N/K 25 Not designated as "classical".
Sacred Arias 2008 5[36] 1 N/K N/K Last album with Universal Music.
Believe 2009 First album on Warner Music label.

Concert videos

DVD Year Notes
Live at Llangollen 2006
Katherine in the Park 2007 Live at Margam Park, Port Talbot.
Viva La Diva 2008 With Darcey Bussell, live at the O2 Arena London.

Further reading

References

  1. ^ "[1]" Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  2. ^ "[2]" Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Katherine Jenkins". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2007. Cite error: The named reference "Profile" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d "Jenkins' festive show for troops". BBC News, 22 October 2005. Retrieved 3 May 2007.
  5. ^ Deaths England and Wales 1984-2006
  6. ^ the arts desk
  7. ^ a b c d e Foley, Jack. "Katherine Jenkins - more than just a Welsh pretty face". indielondon.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  8. ^ a b Langley, William. "Not just a pretty voice". The Daily Telegraph, 15 June 2004. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  9. ^ a b c d e Sweeting, Adam. "A treat for the dads and lads...". The Daily Telegraph, 3 March 2005. Retrieved 13 February 2008.
  10. ^ a b c "Katherine Jenkins Biography". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  11. ^ a b c d Bourton, Tom. "The rise of Katherine Jenkins". BBC News, 25 May 2005. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  12. ^ http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/royal_family/Camilla-46805.html
  13. ^ a b "Sting on Classical Brit shortlist". BBC News, 2 April 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  14. ^ "Live 8 concert line-ups". The Guardian, 29 June 2005. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  15. ^ "A party to remember live from Trafalgar Square - VE Day 60th". bbc.co.uk, 5 April 2005. Retrieved 17 October 2007.
  16. ^ a b c d Jenkins, Katherine. "G.I. Jenkins: How the Welsh opera diva Katherine swapped designer dresses for desert camouflage". The Daily Mail, 20 January 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  17. ^ Martin, Nicole. "It's never too early to wear your poppy". The Daily Telegraph, 27 October 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2007.
  18. ^ a b Franks, Alan. "The Katherine Jenkins diversity show". The Times, 23 November 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
  19. ^ West, Dave. "Soprano delighted with second Brit win". Digital Spy, 6 May 2006. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  20. ^ "Tate asks if Queen is 'bovvered'". BBC News, 22 November 2005. Retrieved 28 December 2006.
  21. ^ "Julianne Moore to co-host Nobel concert". usatoday.com, 29 November 2005. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  22. ^ Jeffries, Stuart. "Why Katherine Jenkins is hogging the classical charts". The Guardian, 18 June 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  23. ^ "Festival of Remembrance". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  24. ^ "Katherine Jenkins on Parkinson". parkinson.tangozebra.com. Retrieved 17 October 2007.
  25. ^ a b "Katherine Jenkins, Sunday Times richlist". The Times. Retrieved 3 May 2007.
  26. ^ "Emmerdale cameo role for Jenkins". BBC News, 26 March 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2007.
  27. ^ "Saving Planet Earth". bbc.co.uk, 11 May 2007. Retrieved 8 July 2007.
  28. ^ "Talent show winner in opera concert". AOL. Retrieved 9 July 2007.
  29. ^ "Paul Potts comes home with Katherine Jenkins". 1 July 2007. newswales.co.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2007.
  30. ^ Pettie, Andrew. "Britain asked: What's your favourite view?". The Daily Telegraph, 14 August 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2007.
  31. ^ Crump, Vincent. "Well, in my view Britain's best is...". The Times, 12 August 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2007.
  32. ^ "Big Brother twins steal the show at star-studded Fashion Relief". The Daily Mail, 22 September 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  33. ^ "Variety prize for Keira Knightley". BBC News, 19 November 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2007.
  34. ^ a b c Jones, Hannah. "I’ve got a story to tell, says Kath". Western Mail, 6 October 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  35. ^ "Details of Katherine Jenkins' fifth album Rejoice". bbc.co.uk, 9 October 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  36. ^ a b c "Lewis holds on to chart top spots". BBC News, 25 November 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2007.
  37. ^ a b Price, Karen. "Katherine Jenkins beats Spice Girls in album charts". Western Mail, 26 November 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2007.
  38. ^ a b Thorpe, Vanessa. "See what they've been keeping under their hats". The Guardian, 29 April 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
  39. ^ Hastings, Chris. "Jenkins and Bussell as their favourite divas". The Daily Telegraph, Retrieved 14 February 2008.
  40. ^ Leigh, Spencer. "Royal Variety Performance". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2007.
  41. ^ "Kylie and Jason sing on X Factor". BBC News, 12 December 2007. Retrieved 13 December 2007.
  42. ^ Szczepanik, Nick and Kempson, Russell. "Cup Final fans are urged to show respect". The Times, 17 May 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  43. ^ a b c Simpson, Rin. "Katherine Jenkins says she'll never forget attacker". Western Mail, 14 January 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  44. ^ "Jenkins becomes face of Montblanc". The Times, 22 October 2006. Retrieved 14 February 2008.
  45. ^ Nicholl, Katie. "A grand night out for Katherine Jenkins". The Daily Mail, 5 May 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2008.
  46. ^ "Katherine Jenkins still shaky after nearly losing £6million worth of Montblanc diamonds". The Daily Mirror, 13 February 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2008.
  47. ^ "Singer Katherine Jenkins agrees $10million record deal to break America". The Telegraph. 2008-10-19. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
  48. ^ http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/10150663/Katherine-Jenkins-The-Ultimate-Collection/Product.html
  49. ^ Greenstreet, Rosanna. "Q&A". The Guardian, 23 September 2006. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  50. ^ a b c Simpson, Richard. "Opera star Katherine Jenkins: The night I fought off a sex attacker". The Daily Mail, 14 October 2007. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  51. ^ "Jenkins performs for Iraq troops". BBC News, 23 December 2005. Retrieved 24 December 2006.
  52. ^ Morgan, Piers. "I took drugs and I'm ashamed, reveals heavenly soprano Katherine Jenkins". The Daily Mail, 1 November, 2008 2008-11-01. Retrieved on 3 November 2008.
  53. ^ a b c d "UK Top 40 database". everyhit.co.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2006.
  54. ^ "Katherine Jenkins: the fastest-selling UK classical artist of all time". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2007.
  55. ^ "Top 10 Classical Chart". whsmith.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2007.
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