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Thrush, Sweet Charlotte
Charlotte Church duets with Wyclef Jean. The 14 year old opera prodigy takes aim at mainstream success
CHARLOTTE'S WEB Church will perform for Jean's charity at Carnegie Hall
by Mickey O'Connor
Charlotte Church is probably the only teen sensation most American teens have never heard of. But the 14 year old Welsh soprano (whose mostly middle aged audience gets down to her signature tune, ''Pie Jesu'') has plans to change that. For starters, Church will take the stage at Carnegie Hall Jan. 19 as part of an eclectic lineup that includes Eric Clapton, Whitney Houston, and Destiny's Child. The concert, to benefit the Wyclef Jean Foundation for music education, is a step toward a more mainstream career. While she dismisses the idea that she'll turn into the next Britney or Christina, she WILL take this year off from recording to find ''another voice'' -- and to complete the 10th grade. EW.com caught up with her recently in New York City to find out why the toast of the opera set enjoys kicking it old school with Wyclef and Eminem.
There's been a lot of talk that you want to become a pop singer.
Not quite pop. I'm not going to show my belly and be a sex kitten. But I want to try different things with my voice. Before I went to singing lessons, I used to sing like Whitney Houston. I know there are definitely more voices [inside me] and I just want to try them out, see which I prefer, and see which type of music they suit. I'm just going to go wherever my voice leads me.
Do you have plans for a new album?
No, not really. I'm probably going to take this year off from recording an album because I've done three in a row and it's so tiring. I just need a bit of time off to be with family and to do more concerts.
And I hear you have a book coming out. Tell me about it.
It's completely my own words, but it's not an autobiography. Okay, it's about my life, but it would be stupid to write a book about my life at 14.
True. What's it called?
''Voice of an Angel'' [rolling her eyes].
Why do you make that face?
I guess [being called an angel] doesn't bother me anymore. It's just that I've got a strong sense of irony about it now. I can't mention my angel status without saying my wings have gone into hiding.
Does that mean you've become mischievous?
Well, when I was 12, and they'd say, ''Oh, [she has] the voice of an angel,'' it was probably true. I was a bit of an angel then. But, you know, I do have my little moods. It's not like I'm sneaking out to go clubbing, but I'm not going to be false and say, ''Me and my parents love each other SO much and we NEVER argue and I'm perfect'' because it's a complete lie and my nose would grow like Pinocchio.
Besides your age, how are you different from most opera singers?
I don't do ball gowns. I'll wear a nice pair of trousers and a glitzy top, but oh God, I can't be doing the big dresses.
Why not?
Well, I suppose it's just old fashioned. When you imagine an opera singer -- not all of them, mind you, it's changing -- you imagine someone who's huge, with her big cleavage, and a green puffy dress on and it's just nasty. You're thinking: What an amazing voice; it's a shame about the dress.
Do you identify more with pop musicians?
I think Gwen Stefani [of No Doubt] is great. I really like Jill Scott and Kelis and Lauryn Hill and Destiny's Child. I like Sade's new album.
No 'N Sync or Backstreet Boys on that list?
No, I'm not a boy band fan at all. I went through about a two day boy band phase and then I just lost interest. I mean, I think they're great for the age groups that they appeal to and...
But that's YOUR age group...
Yeah, I know. They're good and they're very entertaining and I know that they work really hard, but there's just too many of them around. I just got bored because all their songs sounded the same.
Okay, so how did you meet Wyclef?
Well, I went on the MTV Awards in 1999 and the MTV people said, ''We want you to present with somebody really different from you: Limp Bizkit.'' And I went, ''No!''
Why not?
Well, just their reputation. I like their music. I love the ''Mission: Impossible'' song, but it was like, well, they're just going to really badly dis me openly and I don't want that, and I would just give them attitude and we'd just go around. But then apparently Fred Durst said he was really upset because he's a big fan. Anyway, then [the MTV people] said, ''How about Wyclef Jean?'' And I was like, ''Oh yeah, great.'' I mean, I love the Fugees, and I love ''Gone Till November,'' so I said, ''Yeah, that'll be cool.'' So we did it and we gave the award to Eminem. [applauding].
You like Eminem?
I do. I've gone off him, though. I mean, it's like, you listen to his album and you say, I'm fed up with anger. I'm done with it. I do like him, but he's really nasty. I think it's all an act. I think he actually could be quite a nice person. But it was really bad what he said about Christina Aguilera. If he'd said that about me, I'd have punched him in the nose.
What will you be performing at Carnegie Hall?
I have no idea. I want to try something different. It'll definitely be something with Wyclef, so he'll be rapping over whatever I sing. I don't think I'll try rapping myself. British people sound silly rapping.
CHARLOTTE CHURCH SINGS FOR A MUSICAL CAUSE
ED CONDRAN, Special to The Record
CHARLOTTE CHURCH: Wyclef Jean Foundation Benefit. With Jean, Eric
Clapton, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, and Third World. 8 tonight.
$ 85, $ 150; VIP tickets $ 500 (includes post-concert party), $ 1,000
(includes pre-concert reception with artists and post-concert party).
For most musicians, performing at Carnegie Hall is a huge deal. For
14-year-old vocalist Charlotte Church, it might as well be just another
gig.
After all, the Welsh sensation has already sung for the pope and
President Clinton, and hung out with such icons as Elton John and
Luciano Pavarotti.
"I have experienced quite a bit, but I can assure you that I'm very
much looking forward to playing Carnegie Hall," Charlotte said about her
performance, one of the highlights of tonight's Wyclef Jean Foundation
Benefit.
"I'm far from jaded," Charlotte said in a call from London. "I
understand that it's a really incredible place to play. I'm honored to
be able to perform there, and I'm a big fan of who is performing. I love
Destiny's Child, Eric Clapton, and Whitney Houston."
And the benefit's purpose, to raise money to help provide children
around the world with musical instruments, is one she fully supports.
"It's a great cause,"Charlotte said."I love Wyclef. He's
brilliant and so kind to give something back. Everyone who has an
interest in music should be able to have the chance to play. I've been
lucky enough to have the opportunity to do this, and I've had such good
fortune, considering I'm so young."
But make no mistake: Charlotte's no Britney. She favors classical
over pop.
"I used to sing pop songs as a child,"she says, recalling those
days oh-so-long ago."When I was 8, I would belt out Whitney Houston's
'I Will Always Love You. I grew up with pop and rock in the household,
but I fell for classical."
On the charts, however, she's proven she's in Britney's league. Her
1998 debut album,"Voice of an Angel,"and 1999's eponymous release both
went platinum, and her latest,"Dream a Dream,"was one of the 1 season's
most successful Christmas releases. Signed with Sony Classical, she has
sold more than 4 million albums in the United States.
"It's been amazing,"Charlotte said."I make music, sell so many
discs, and I've met so many fascinating people."
People like Ricky Martin ("He's lovely"), Jay-Z ("He told me
that I'm incredible"), and Prince Charles ("He's very funny"). Meeting
Clinton was fun ("He certainly has charisma"), but nothing tops her
meeting with the pontiff ("After I sang for him, I kissed his ring. He
touched my face and said 'the singer in Italian.... Even if I wasn't
Catholic, I would have been over the moon...").
When pressed, Charlotte said she was uncertain about what she'll do
for an encore, but,"I definitely want to make a change soon. It could
very well be big, but it also could be subtle. I would like to
experiment and make changes with my voice and try different styles. I
could try rock, or maybe theater. Down the line, I could do opera. There
are no limitations for my voice."
'Ecleftic' Lineup for Carnegie Hall
R&B singer Mary J. Blige, reggae singer Steve Marley, and the Rock Steady Crew Dancers have been added to the lineup for rapper Wyclef Jean's Jan. 19 benefit concert at New York's Carnegie Hall.
The show, which will be a revue of musical eras since the 1930s, will also include guitarist Eric Clapton, pop diva Whitney Houston, R&B trio Destiny's Child, and British teen singer Charlotte Church. The concert — the first Carnegie Hall event to be headlined by a rap artist — will raise money for the Wyclef Jean Foundation, which donates musical therapy, instruments, and lessons to children around the world.
A highlight of the show will be Wyclef's unveiling of a new song — a duet with Clapton.
The song will be the latest in a series for one of hip-hop's most active collaborators. The rapper teamed with U2's Bono in 1999 for "New Day," a song they debuted at the NetAid benefit concert, and with Santana for "Maria Maria," a No. 1 hit from the best-selling Supernatural.
His solo albums — The Carnival and The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book — are also peppered with team efforts, with appearances from Blige; Kenny Rogers; Earth, Wind & Fire; and the Neville Brothers.
Destiny's Child, Whitney Houston To Play Wyclef Benefit
By Brian Hiatt reports
Destiny's Child, Whitney Houston and Eric Clapton will perform with Wyclef Jean next month in a benefit concert at Carnegie Hall that will celebrate the last century of American music, Wyclef said Tuesday (December 5).
The January 19 concert, which will also include classical singer Charlotte Church and veteran reggae group Third World, will raise money for the Wyclef Jean Foundation's efforts to aid musical education for children all over the world.
"I was looking for artists that have an eclectic vibe ... people who could hold their own," Wyclef said at a press conference held at the New York offices of his label, Sony Music. "The lineup is gonna keep getting bigger."
Wyclef has written a new song for the event, which he and Clapton plan to perform together, the Fugees co-founder said. He might write other new songs for the event as well, he said.
The concert will also include some surprising choices of cover songs that may date back as far as the 1930s.
"Destiny's Child, you might hear them do 'Charlie's Angels' ['Independent Women Part 1'], but you also might hear them do [Duke Ellington's] 'Take the 'A' Train,' " Wyclef said. "Certain pieces I choose will bug you out."
Wyclef will be the first hip-hop artist to perform as a headlining act at the legendary Carnegie Hall, according to his publicity firm, Shore Fire Media.
The concert, which will be recorded for a possible future album release, will also include performances by Clef's Kids — a group of 14 young musicians aided by Wyclef's foundation.
Three of those musicians performed during Tuesday's press conference, as Wyclef — who wore baggy leather pants, a turtleneck sweater and a silver medallion in the shape of a musical clef — looked on.
"I'm real strong on music education — that's probably what saved my life," said Wyclef, who also invited his high school music teacher to the conference.
In August, Wyclef released his second solo album, The Ecleftic — 2 Sides II a Book, which included a cover of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here".
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