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| St.
David's Hall |
Welsh
Press Scans
Source:
Westen
Mail/South Wales Echo
Date: 4
September 2001 |
  
Young star to hold concert for hospital
Source:
South
Wales Echo
Date: 4
September 2001 |
CHARLOTTE Church talks at break-neck speed.
With French manicured nails often furiously tapping the wooden table where she rests her full fat cola, and glances to her mother and father for reassurance on the rare occasion when she stumbles over her words, she is a young lady in full possession of her career potential and her burgeoning femininity.
Her skin is flawless, her make-up just a brush stoke overdone for a girl of 15 and her gold-leaf shaped earrings dangle expensively under her highlighted hair.
And as if the world didn't know where she came from, she wears a Made in Wales T-shirt over skin-skimming jeans and a belt which spells out in leather and sequins her allegiance to Great Britain.
She looks fashionable, possibly a little deliberately "now", and is turning into a woman who looks like she left childhood the day she hit a top C.
But for all her professionalism and fast talk of her latest album and the seemingly rehearsed inflections which permeate her well-defined speech, she is utterly likeable.
Church is like a woman/child who has grown into herself on the fast track of self-development, riding out on a wave of success which has put her in the league of the super-rich.
In her short life she has made millions, sang for presidents, lived through a high-profile court case, turned from sweet little girl to vamp provocateur to being - here's the bit that we tend to forget amid the hype and pseudo jealousies - a young singer of absolute charm.
So it comes as quite a surprise when she takes a moment to announce, "I'm still a child you know."
Making a rare public appearance in her home turf in Cardiff to announce her solo UK concert, the proceeds of which will go to the Noah's Ark Appeal to build the first children's hospital in Wales, Charlotte says, "Well, I am only 15.
"My parents are always telling me that I am still only a child.
"So as a child in my position I can help out charities that are for children.
"Anything else wouldn't be as fulfilling for me.
"If I was just anybody I could give my £2 to Oxfam but I am able to do so much more now."
Much is made of what the young soprano will do when the Voice of an Angel phase dissipates behind her current Dressed for Success allure.
She admits to liking a broad range of music - interestingly, the classical genre isn't mentioned in her list - but isn't seeking to follow a popular pop path in her teenage years.
"I like things with a different vibe and my voice is relaxing a bit, and my teacher thinks there might me a mezzo lurking under there.
"I'm still doing arias but it's just great to be able to mix it all up."
And with that the princess of Puccini breaks into a bountiful beam of a smile, grabs her cola and walks with her head held high to hold court with another of her unsuspecting subjects while mum and dad nibble biscuits in the board room.
- Hannah Jones
Church's concert for children's hospital
Source:
BBC
News
Date: 4
September 2001 |
Church helped launch the hospital campaign
Charlotte Church is to hold her first ever solo concert later this month with the proceeds going to help build Wales's first children's hospital.
The concert will take place on the 18 September in Cardiff, and organisers hope to raise thousands of pounds for the Noah's Ark Appeal.
Church will donate tickets for auction
The 15-year-old Cardiff-born singer has been a strong supporter of the campaign to build Wales's first children's hospital which will cost a total £21m.
Now she has announced plans to donate 900 tickets from her first solo concert to be held at St. David's hall in Cardiff.
"Everywhere I've been, most of the countries have a children's hospital. It's not a big thing, people don't even think about it," Church said.
"Wales really needs one, we are lacking. I can't imagine what it's like to be a child spending any length of time in hospital over Christmas or a birthday and things like that."
The Noah's Ark Appeal was launched last year and in December it reached its first milestone of £2m.
The charity is aiming to raise £5m phase one of the hospital - the main entrance, child-friendly reception areas and two wards, each of 25 beds, specifically designed for children.
If they manage to do that, they will get a further £4.5m from the Welsh Assembly.
Botham hopes to raise £250,000
Last week cricketing legend Ian Botham said he would do his bit to help.
He has promised to walk the 229 miles from Machynlleth to Cardiff, taking his collecting bucket with him.
Wales is one of very few countries in Europe that does not have a hospital specialising in the treatment of sick children.
It is hoped the new 50-bed unit would provide facilities specifically for children and their families.
Doctors and parents have campaigned for many years to establish a specialist unit.
The ultimate aim is to build a complete hospital which will replace existing facilities at UHW which staff and relatives of patients say are unsatisfactory.
Charlotte
Backs Noah's Ark Plea
Source:
South
Wales Echo
Date: 4
September 2001 |
TEENAGE singing star Charlotte Church did not join her classmates on the first day of the new term today, as she was getting ready to entertain her fans across the world.
The Welsh diva will not be back at her desk in Howell's School for Girls until next week in this her final GCSE year.
But even on her return from her short visits to Dallas and then Japan, Charlotte has promised to take time out from studying to stage her first solo British concert in Cardiff.
The show - two weeks today - will be recorded for TV spectaculars in America and the UK.
Film footage will also be taken for Charlotte's new video to be released with her new album Enchantment in October.
And all proceeds from the sale of the concert tickets are going to her favourite charity, the Noah's Ark Appeal to build a new children's hospital in Cardiff.
Charlotte said: "I really wanted to do a concert in Cardiff. I have realised that most people outside of the UK do not know where Wales is. I am really proud to be Welsh and I want to promote it as much as I can.
"I want people to know that Wales is not part of England as they generally believe and that it is a country in its own right.
"All the money which is made on the night will go the Noah's Ark Appeal. I really believe it is so important that children in Wales have a hospital.
"It is every child's right to have first class health care, and Wales is the only country in Europe without a children's hospital. I spent a short time in hospital when I was nine years old with suspected appendicitis.
"I went in on several occasions but the doctors could not find out exactly what was causing the pain, and then it stopped. I remember that it was quite a scary experience despite all the efforts of the doctors and nurses.
"I believe that a hospital suited to children's needs will ease a lot of their fears."
Tickets for the show on Tuesday, September 18, went on sale from St David's Hall this morning.
The concert will feature songs from the new album, which boasts a wide range of musical styles, from pop to Broadway musicals and classics to Celtic ballads.
A spokeswoman for show promoters Clear Channel Entertainment said: "This will be no ordinary concert. It's not just a chance to see and hear Charlotte sing, but to be a part of her new video and a TV audience all at the same time.
"As this is a televised event the show may be up to three hours long."
- Peter Bilby
Source:
Ananova.com
Date: 2
September 2001 |
Charlotte Church has
denied trying to be more sexy, saying her evolving image is
all just part of growing up.
The 15-year-old singer, who was sporting a T-shirt with the
words Proud to be Welsh, was announcing plans for her first
UK solo concert.
Miss Church, who is set to
take her GCSEs next year, was disclosing details of a
charity concert which will be held in her home city of
Cardiff on September 18 this year.
She said: "I'm not trying to be all grown up, I'm just
growing up. I don't want to keep wearing white angelic
things. I'm not trying to be sexy. My fans wouldn't like
that."
The event, which is her debut solo UK show, will be in aid
of The Noah's Ark Appeal to build Wales' first children's
hospital in Cardiff.
The millionaire singer, who has sold eight million records
worldwide and has sung in front of the Pope and former Bill
Clinton, said she was anxious about performing in Cardiff.
She said: "I'm nervous because it's a home crowd. All
my friends and family are going to be there. They're my
biggest fans and my worst critics."
The concert will feature
songs from her fourth album Enchantment, which will be
released on October 22, and singer Russell Watson is also
expected to make a guest appearance.
Ticket prices start at a minimum donation of £12 for the
Noah's Ark appeal. The show will be held in St David's Hall
and also be televised in the US and the UK.
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