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Charlotte
First to Perform in Dome |
Child Star Will Be
First To Perform In Dome - And May Also Oust Cliff
13/12/1999
CHARLOTTE
Church is to make history this month when she becomes the first
singer in the world to perform live at the Millennium Dome.
The Welsh
singing prodigy will perform her new single and millennium anthem Just
Wave Hello inside the Dome on December 21.
Charlotte, 13,
whose classical album Voice Of An Angel has sold more
than two million copies, will join the fierce battle for the
Christmas Number One spot when her single is released today.
The star
performed the same piece at the closing ceremony of the Rugby World
Cup in Cardiff and decided to release it as a single because it
proved so popular.
Charlotte is to
sing at the centre of the Dome’s Journey Zone surrounded by a
choir of children to mark the official opening of the Ford-sponsored
section.
She releases
her debut single as the battle for the Christmas Number One reaches
a crunch point.
Today is
regarded as the day when the major contenders for the coveted
Christmas No.1 spot will show their hands.
But the
teenager believes her record will be beaten to the top of the charts
by John Lennon’s Imagine.
Just Wave Hello
is
among a number of singles hitting the shops today, hoping to
dislodge Sir Cliff Richard from his reign at the top of the charts.
Sir Cliff
emerged unscathed by criticism yesterday as his single, The
Millennium Prayer, stayed at number one for the fourth week
in a row.
The single was
condemned by pop star George Michael as “vile” and
“exploitative” last week.
The
Millennium Prayer, the
words of the Lord’s Prayer set to the tune of Auld
Lang Syne, has beaten off competition from Artful Dodger with
Re-rewind The Crowd Say Bo Selecta, which remains at
number two in the charts for the second week.
The Vengaboys
had a new single Kiss straight in at number three, and
William Orbit’s Barber’s Adagio for Strings is at
number four.
As well as
Charlotte’s record and Imagine, a novelty track by
The Cuban Boys - a charity version of It’s Only Rock ’n’
Roll - is also in the running to take the prized slot over
the festive season.
Steps also
release their new double A-side single today and are outside
contenders for the Christmas Number One. Another outsider is Welsh
duo Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews. Their single, Baby It’s
Cold Outside, entered the charts last night and could still
make an impact on the final Top Ten of the year.
However, Irish
boy band Westlife enter the race as clear favourites with the
bookies, with William Hill giving odds of 1-2.
The quintet
have already shot straight to number one with each of their previous
three singles, and their cover version of Seasons In The Sun could
well follow suit.
Sir Cliff is
next most popular with the bookies, at 3-1 with The Millennium
Prayer, which has received a massive groundswell of support
despite being largely ignored by radio.
Charlotte’s
manager, Jonathan Shalit, said Just Wave Hello was
being released due to public demand.
“So many
people have gone up to her and said, ‘It’s an amazing
song’,” said Mr Shalit. “But Charlotte herself has said she
thinks Imagine will go to Number One.”
Just Wave
Hello, which
has been given odds of 10-1 by bookmakers Jack Brown’s, has
already received widespread coverage.
As well as
being heard by six billion people worldwide when the Ford advert was
screened, the 13-year-old performed the song at the closing ceremony
of the Rugby World Cup at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
The young
soprano now hopes her first single will be as successful as her
albums. She is currently at positions one and two in the classical
album charts in both Britain and America.
Her debut album
Voice of An Angel, has sold almost three million copies
worldwide.
Her new album,
simply called Charlotte Church, was released last month
and has already sold about 500,000 copies in Britain alone.
But despite her
incredible voice, her single also faces tough competition from a
dance track featuring the sound of yodelling hamsters.
Cognoscenti
Versus Intelligentsia was
created months ago by The Cuban Boys by sampling a popular website
featuring animated dancing rodents. There has been a flurry of
interest and the track has been given odds of 5-1 by Hill.
Chart-topping
pop band Steps, which has two Welsh members, is an outside contender
with its double A-side, Say You’ll Be Mine/Better the Devil
You Know. It has been given odds of 40-1 by Hill.
The latest
figures place John Lennon’s Imagine at 6-1. It was
re-released in response to public demand.
It was voted
the UK’s favourite song lyric in October after a massive BBC poll,
and it was voted second best song of all time in the Music Of The
Millennium poll conducted throughout the year by Channel 4, Classic
FM and HMV.
Charlotte
Church’s manager has denied a tabloid newspaper report that the
13-year-old schoolgirl has bought her own £250,000 home in St
John’s Wood, north London.
Charlotte lives
with her family in Llandaff, Cardiff, where she attends Howell’s
School.
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