TVI ABSOLUTE INTERVIEW WITH KATHERINE JENKINS WORLD CLASS MEZZO SOPRANO BY PETER JARRETTE 2011

ABSOLUTE MAGAZINE KATHERINE JENKINS INTERVIEW BY PETER JARRETTE~DEC '11

www.absolutemagazine.co.uk

“You have a wheel?” perked Katherine Jenkins excitedly, surprising herself slightly.  No stranger to the sights and attractions of Brighton and Hove, the Brighton Wheel has got this top-flight entertainer very, very excited. “Really?” she continues. “When did this happen? Well I’ve got to visit that!” she exclaims and she will. The Brighton Wheel should be flattered that already it has turned the talented and extremely beautiful head of one of the nation’s most loved recording stars. Katherine Jenkins has been one of the world’s leading crossover artists for almost a decade easily applying her rich mezzo-soprano tones to her much loved discipline of classical opera to more accessible pop and musical theatre genres. She’s performed across the globe, singing in several languages and she can deliver a wicked hymn!

Her melodic voice has assured several chart topping albums since her debut with the album Premier in 2004. Katherine Jenkins is the first female artist to be awarded two consecutive Classical Brit Awards and her second album Second Nature was the 2005 Brit Awards Album of The Year. To date she has seven albums in her cannon of recordings and Katherine’s eighth and most current offering, being the newly released Daydream (Warner Music UK Ltd),  is already meeting with and being assured approval from all corners of the UK music industry. All accolades and plaudits garnered by this dedicated talent are deserved without argument and Katherine has worked at, honed and polished her natural gift, over many years and incarnations from her enthusiastic years  as member of the National Youth Choir of Wales and on through her studies from the age of 17 at the Royal Academy of Music. 

Katherine is in Brighton again this February 10^TH to perform for her many fans at the Brighton Centre. She has made the trip south many times and declares a genuine love of the city and its Sussex surrounds. “I love coming into Brighton to perform. The audiences are so warm and their energy and receptiveness really engage me and that reflects in my performance. It’s an absolute joy to appear on stage for them.” Katherine has played our two top venues, The Dome Theatre and the Brighton Centre both of which she adores, she states “in equal measure. It’s seldom an issue to me where I play though, venue wise. For me it is the enjoyment that I can give and receive from my audiences. Appearing in Brighton does have its own special appeal to me. It is unlike any other city in the country. Just driving in is exciting. The ride in through the area’s beautiful landscape is a pleasure in itself. I get restive glimpses here and there that remind me of my own home countryside in Wales. I enjoy a stroll along the Prom if my schedule allows me the time and I have tucked into some rather lush fish and chips at one of your seafront restaurants. ” Katherine is a strict pescatarian and a lover of salads and vegetables. “My all time favourite food are prawns and I adore them any way they come...grilled, breaded, barbequed...you name it! Yum!” She maintains her slim shape and the energy needed for her hectic schedule touring, appearing on television shows and radio programmes by eating regularly and eating well.

“What is your sin food?” I ask. “Ooooh...that’s easy. Chocolate and anyway that comes! Mousse, cake, in boxes and my favourite is Green and Blacks! Having said that, I do avoid any dairy when I’m singing, it isn’t ideal for the voice.” When she is touring she does have a regime of not talking from the end of the performance straight through to her sound check at the beginning of the next evening’s show. In the hours between shows she will run doing between 5-10 kilometres and unwind afterward with a massage. “This helps me to relieve the stresses of touring. You are under a certain amount of pressure to be the best you can be and give a good show to people who have spent their hard earned money to see you so you really owe it to them to be at the top of your game. But I don’t punish myself. I like to maximise my comfort on the road by bringing along my own comfy pillow and my own blanket. I’ll scent my hotel suite with Baise Diptyque candles and slip into a bubble bath. I’ll read an historical novel. I really enjoy that genre but right now I’m devouring One Day by David Nicholls.” Katherine is known too for her flawless complexion and luxuriant trademark tresses. When asked if she would ever consider doing one of those shimmering hair advertisements she’s quick to reply, “Of course!” One wonders why she hasn’t yet. She looks after her much styled hair with rejuvenating masks and keeps her skin clear and fresh with triple oxygen facials, Sisley and Elemis products. Her choice of cosmetics is MAC.  Katherine is widely admired too for her sense of style and lists Suzanne Neville, Jenny Packham , Dolce & Gabanna and Victoria Beckham as some of her favourite designers. “I did eventually come to meet Victoria and she has her designs sent to me from time to time. It’s a pleasure to wear her label. My day-to-day wear is more a mix of High Street labels like Reiss, French Connection and Oasis mixed in with Azzedine Alaia and Roland Mouret. Let’s not forget shoes! I’m big on YSL, Brian Atwood and,” she sighs, “Louboutin.”

“Will you have any time for yourself and your family this Christmas before you begin to ready for this tour?” I ask her. She has only just begun to wind down after some very hectic months of work and has some 25 or so dates around the country starting January 7^th.  “Certainly, I have a Christmas routine. I’m off to my Mum’s in Wales. I get to see Lily!” Lily is Katherine’s little white Westiepoo that she bought in Harrods’ pet shop. “Lily doesn’t come on the road with me. She does spend some time with me at my London home but when I’m away she stays with my Mum. I’m looking forward to cuddling her. On Christmas Eve my sister and my closest friends that I’ve known since school hit our local pub and we catch-up on a year’s worth of gossip then it’s off to Midnight Mass with Mum. I always look forward to a tremendous Christmas lunch at home and my sister and I try and help our Mum out in the kitchen but to be honest we don’t interfere too much. That’s her gig! She’s a legend in the kitchen and you don’t want to get in her way! ”

When asked if there is anything else that she would personally like to add she giggles, “Why, yes...it is Christmas isn’t it?  Merry Christmas Absolute Brighton readers, I’m looking forward to seeing you in the New Year and, of course, the latest Big Wheel in town!” Katherine does have a special interest in seeing our wheel...you see, before she attained the dizzying heights that her  gifts have brought her to she worked as, among other things, a freelance singing teacher, a fashion model and a tour guide on the London Eye. Katherine Jenkins has come full dress circle.