|
|
Total
Wales |
|
|
|
Teen
Diva's Career Is On A Roll |
Teen-diva’s Career Is
Really On A Roll
Karen Price
29/07/1999
CHARLOTTE Church
arrived at Hyde Park wearing her roller blades. As she glided along
the tree-lined driveway faltering from time to time she looked like
any other typical 13-year-old.
The only
difference was that she had a plethora of cameramen from the
national press and media recording her every move, and she loved it.
Like a true
star, she repeated her skating move-ments over and over again so
they could get the photographs they want. She then she duly posed on
a nearby park bench.
Despite all the
attention she receives, it’s hard to believe that in less than a
year this fresh-faced schoolgirl has become an international singing
celebrity with her first album Voice of an Angel selling
three million copies world wide.
Oh, and she’s
rumoured to be worth a cool £13m. Yesterday’s press call was held
to promote the first ever Children’s Proms which will be staged at
Hyde Park on September 12 as part of the BBC’s annual Proms
in the Park.
The child
soprano is the obvious choice to headline the children’s event,
which aims to promote classical music among the younger generation.
As a gentle
introduction, it will also feature some pop groups such as S Club 7.
“It’s going
to be fun - I can’t wait to do it,” said Charlotte. “It gives
children a chance to come and see their favourite pop stars, but
they still get to listen to classical music in the process.”
Charlotte
believes, because of her age, children will also be able to relate
to her.
“They know I
still like pop music. I’m not just into classical - I never listen
to it, I always listen to pop,” said the Cardiff schoolgirl, whose
favourite pop performers include All Saints, Will Smith, Boy-zone
and Ricky Martin.
Charlotte is
almost as popular among the younger generation as main stream pop
stars. “Children aged about six to 11 come up asking for an
autograph but teenagers think it’s way too un-cool.”
Charlotte is
currently in London recording her second album (scheduled to fit in
with her school holidays) which is due to be released in November.
She is rarely
recognised in the English capital, but it’s a different story in
Wales. “People in London are completely oblivious to it all.
It’s a big city and they are used to seeing stars in the streets.
In Cardiff it’s smaller and more intimate.
“I went to
Canton for a fry-up breakfast the other day and when I left the
restaurant there were kids outside all shouting Charlotte Church - I
was so embarrassed and ran into the car,” says Charlotte nibbling
on a bar of chocolate.
Due to her
hectic work schedule Charlotte missed the opportunity to perform at
Cardiff’s free Prom in the Bay last Sunday.
“I wanted to
do it but I was recording vocals for my new album. I am definitely
going to try and do it next year.”
Charlotte is
proud of her Welsh roots and says performing at the Voice of a
Nation Concert to mark the opening of the National Assembly was one
of the highlights of her impressive career so far, sharing the
billing with a host of big Welsh names, including Tom Jones, Shirley
Bassey and Dennis O’Neill.
“It was the
most fun concert I have done in my life - Tom Jones is really good
fun.”
She still
attends Howell’s School, in Cardiff, although she has a tutor when
she is working. “My friends think what’s happened to me is
wonderful - they are really supportive.”
But she admits
she is not always the pleasant, easy-going Charlotte whose in the
public eye. “I have teenage tantrums, everyone has tantrums,”
Her mother,
Maria, who gave up her job with Cardiff County Council to oversee
her daughter’s career, seems to have taken Charlotte’s rapid
rise to fame in her stride.
The
33-year-old, dressed in a smart navy trouser suit, said although she
knew her only child was talented, she could never have predicted
Charlotte would be so successful at such a young age.
“Two years
ago I went to the free Prom in Cardiff Bay and I thought wouldn’t
it be fantastic if in 10 years time she was doing this.
“She’s
coped amazingly well and is like an old professional but at home
she’s very much a kid.”
Charlotte laps
up the travelling that comes with the job and she’s already met
the Pope (her proudest moment), the Queen, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair
and almost every A-list celebrity you can think of.
Maria also
enjoys the perks. “It’s been hectic, but great fun. There’s
been a lot of travelling, but it’s been an amazing experience as
well.”
There will be a
lot more travelling this autumn to promote the new album, which is
as yet untitled.
“I can’t
say too much, but it will be much more commercial with well-known
classical songs and well-known folk songs,” said Maria.
With so much
already achieved at such a tender age, there can’t be much left
for Charlotte to do professionally.
There is talk
of her performing at one of the Rugby World Cup concerts and rumours
of a performance with the Welsh National Opera at Cardiff Castle
next year. But her long-standing ambition is to sing Madam Butterfly
at La Scala in Milan.
In the
meantime, there is one occasion which Charlotte is really looking
forward to - a family holiday in Turkey next month.
“I just want
to chill out and get a suntan,” she said. It’s now almost two
hours since Charlotte whizzed into Hyde Park on her roller blades
and although she has been very patient answering all the journalists
questions, she obviously has more important things on her mind -
like lunch.
As Charlotte
leaps up from the bench where she has been sitting she glances down
at her mother’s head.
“Mum,
you’ve got a grey hair!” she squeals, tugging it out. “Look at
that,” she adds, waving the strand under her mother’s nose.
And then
she’s off, skating towards the Park’s gates, like any other
mischievous 13-year-old.
|
