Katherine Jenkins (born 29 June 1980) is a Welsh singer. She is a mezzo-soprano who performs operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre and hymns."Profile on Classical Crossover.co.uk". Retrieved 28 October 2009."Profile on Classical Archives". Retrieved 28 October 2009. After winning singing competitions in her youth, Jenkins studied at the Royal Academy of Music, modelled, and taught voice lessons. She came to wide public attention in 2003 when she sang at Westminster Cathedral in honour of Pope John Paul II's silver jubilee. Since 2004, she has released numerous albums that have performed well on British and foreign charts. In both 2005 and 2006, her albums received Classic Brit Awards as Album of the Year. She has been seen widely in concert and has performed for British Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. She has sung at sporting events and in support of many charities.
Early life Katherine Jenkins was born in Neath on 29 June 1980, to factory worker Selwyn John Jenkins and Susan, a NHS radiographer. She has a sister named Laura. She attended the Church in Wales' Alderman Davies primary school in Neath, Dwr-y-Felin Comprehensive School and Gorseinon College."Time to say Hello: my autobiography" Jenkins, K: London, Orion, 2008 She received A grades in her GCSEs and A Levels and participated in productions such as Calamity Jane and Guys and Dolls.Langley, William. "Not just a pretty voice". The Daily Telegraph, 15 June 2004. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
Jenkins studied vocal performance with John Hugh Thomas and passed her Year 8 examinations with distinction in both singing and piano. Her father, Selwyn, who was twenty-three years older than his wife and took early retirement to look after his children when their mother returned to work,Time To Say Hello: My Autobiography, Katherine Jenkins, Hachette, 2012, p. 2 died of lung cancer at age 70 when Jenkins was 15.Greenstreet, Rosanna. "Q&A". The Guardian, 23 September 2006. Retrieved 6 September 2007. She has dedicated each award she has received to him.
Music career Early career Between 1991 and 1996, Jenkins was a member of the Royal School of Church Music Cathedral Singers and passed the St Cecilia Award, the highest RSCM award for female choristers. She was also a member of the National Youth Choir of Wales for three years,Foley, Jack. "Katherine Jenkins – more than just a Welsh pretty face". indielondon.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2007. won the BBC Radio 2 Welsh Choirgirl of the Year contest (twice), and the BET Welsh Choirgirl of the Year competition. She was also awarded the Pelenna Valley Male Voice Choir Scholarship for the most promising young singer. At the age of 17 she won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating with honours and receiving a music teacher's diploma.
After working as a freelance voice coach, a tour guide on the London Eye, and as a model,Sweeting, Adam. "A treat for the dads and lads...". The Daily Telegraph, 3 March 2005. Retrieved 13 February 2008. she entered a modelling competition and became the Face of Wales 2000. She then decided to follow a musical career. Universal Classics and Jazz heard her demo, and she was invited to an interview where she sang Rossini's "Una voce poco fa". Universal offered Jenkins a six-album deal, the most lucrative in the United Kingdom's classical recording history, reportedly worth £1 million."Katherine Jenkins Biography". BBC Online. Retrieved 16 October 2007.Bourton, Tom. "The rise of Katherine Jenkins". BBC News, 25 May 2005. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
Record success
Six out of seven of Jenkins's studio albums reached number one in the UK classical charts between 2004 and 2008, selling a total of more than 4 million copies. After her first album, Premiere, made her the fastest-selling mezzo-soprano to date she became the first British classical crossover artist to have two number one albums in the same year."Jenkins' festive show for troops". BBC News, 22 October 2005. Retrieved 3 May 2007. She is the first female artist to win two consecutive Classical BRIT Awards: her second album, Second Nature, reached number 16 in the UK Albums Chart, and was Album of the Year in the 2005 BRIT Awards.
Jenkins's Italian-language version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" ("L'Amore Sei Tu"), first performed live at Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire on 28 August 2005, was the first cut on her third album Living a Dream. After that album was released, uniquely, she held the top three positions in the classical crossover music chart.Franks, Alan. "The Katherine Jenkins diversity show". The Times, 23 November 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2007. The album held the number one position for nearly a year and reached number four in the pop album charts. Jenkins repeated the success of Second Nature with her Living a Dream album when she won the classical BRIT award for Album of the Year for a second time."Sting on Classical Brit shortlist". BBC News, 2 April 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.West, Dave. "Soprano delighted with second Brit win". Digital Spy, 6 May 2006. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
Her fourth album, Serenade, was released on 6 November 2006 and reached number five in the mainstream charts selling more than 50,000 copies in its first week, a record in the genre. The top four albums on HMV's classical charts were hers.Jeffries, Stuart. "Why Katherine Jenkins is hogging the classical charts". The Guardian, 18 June 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
Her fifth album, Rejoice, was released on 19 November 2007 and included songs written specially for her,Jones, Hannah. "I've got a story to tell, says Kath". Western Mail, 6 October 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2007. two by Take That's Gary Barlow."Details of Katherine Jenkins' fifth album Rejoice". BBC Online, 9 October 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007. The album entered the pop album charts at number three,"Lewis holds on to chart top spots". BBC News, 25 November 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2007. beating the Spice Girls and Girls Aloud.Price, Karen. "Katherine Jenkins beats Spice Girls in album charts". Western Mail, 26 November 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2007. Jenkins commented "I never imagined when I was a young girl listening to them on the radio that I would outsell the Spice Girls and Celine Dion. It's almost too much to take in. I can't thank my fans enough for all their support."
On 20 October 2008 Jenkins released Sacred Arias, which is her last album with Universal Music. On 19 October The Daily Telegraph stated that Jenkins had signed the biggest classical recording deal in history, for US$10 million (£5.8 million), with Warner Music.
Jenkins released her next album, Believe, on 26 October 2009, the first with Warner Music. This album featured Andrea Bocelli and other musicians like André Rieu and Chris Botti. She made various TV appearances such as GMTV, Something for the Weekend and Piers Morgan's Life Stories on 24 October 2009 and on The Graham Norton Show on 2 November 2009. She performed the theme from The Godfather, Parla Piu Piano at Children In Need Rock The Albert Hall with cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. Later in December 2009, she performed a cover of Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life" at The Royal Variety Performance and again at A Concert for Heroes at Twickenham Stadium in September 2010. On 23 May 2010, she went to Argentina for the first time and sang Parla Piu Piano in the popular Argentinian show Susana Giménez.
In 2011, Jenkins released Daydream, with the Christmas album This is Christmas following in 2012.
After a move to Decca Records, Jenkins released Home Sweet Home in 2014, and in 2016 she released the album Celebration.
In August 2017 it was announced by Classic FM that Jenkins was the best selling classical artist of the last 25 years in the UK.
In November 2018 her 13th studio album 'Guiding Light' was released, charting at Number 2. In May 2019 it reached Number 1 making Jenkins the first classical artist to have had 13 Number 1 albums.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Jenkins was asked by the BBC to be the first to record "God Save the King" for the new King Charles III. The new national anthem aired for the first time the day following the death of the late queen, 10 September 2022.
Concerts
Jenkins first came to public attention when she sang at Westminster Cathedral honouring Pope John Paul II's silver jubilee in October 2003 and then supporting Aled Jones on tour. At the Rugby World Cup in 2003 she made her Sydney Opera House debut as a guest of fellow Welshman, Max Boyce and, in August 2004, her first USA appearance, supporting Hayley Westenra at Joe's Pub in New York City.
Jenkins was the first person to perform the Home Nations anthem "The Power of Four" and began to appear regularly to sing the Welsh national anthem "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" at Welsh international rugby union matches, singing with Bryn Terfel at the 2005 Wales vs. England Six Nations match at the Millennium Stadium. In 2005, she became the official mascot for the Wales rugby union team.
On 22 January 2005, Jenkins sang in Cardiff at the Tsunami Relief Concert and in April and May of that year supported Irish tenor Ronan Tynan on his first US tour as a solo artist. That May she sang at Trafalgar Square to a 15,000-strong audience celebrating the 60th Anniversary of VE Day."A party to remember live from Trafalgar Square – VE Day 60th". BBC Online, 5 April 2005. Retrieved 17 October 2007. At the Berlin stage of Live 8 in 2005, Jenkins sang the hymn "Amazing Grace","Live 8 concert line-ups". The Guardian, 29 June 2005. Retrieved 6 September 2007. and she later helped to launch The Royal British Legion's poppy appeal at Covent Garden whilst wearing a dress made of 2,500 poppies.Martin, Nicole. "It's never too early to wear your poppy". The Daily Telegraph, 27 October 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2007.
On 27 August 2005, Jenkins performed "Abide With Me" at the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff which was attended by 74,213 spectators.
In December 2005 and 2006, Jenkins travelled to Iraq to entertain the soldiers for Christmas."Jenkins performs for Iraq troops". BBC News, 23 December 2005. Retrieved 24 December 2006.
With the Blue Man Group, Jenkins sang "I Feel Love" in front of the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance on 21 November 2005."Tate asks if Queen is 'bovvered'". BBC News, 22 November 2005. Retrieved 28 December 2006. She performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, on 11 December 2005."Julianne Moore to co-host Nobel concert". usatoday.com, 29 November 2005. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
In November 2006 she performed before the Queen at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall and joined fellow Welsh singer James Fox in the final verse of "Anthem" from the musical Chess."Festival of Remembrance". BBC Online. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
In July 2007, Jenkins gave a concert at Margam Park in south Wales, performing alongside Paul Potts and Juan Diego Flórez."Talent show winner in opera concert ". AOL. Retrieved 9 July 2007. Jenkins extended a personal invitation to Potts to sing "Nessun dorma" at the concert."Paul Potts comes home with Katherine Jenkins". 1 July 2007. newswales.co.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2007.
In September 2007, Jenkins modeled at Naomi Campbell's Fashion Relief event for charity in a Julien Macdonald dress which was then bought by Sir Philip Green for £10,000.
In November 2007 she sang again at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall and was named classical performer of the year at the Variety Club of Great Britain Awards."Variety prize for Keira Knightley". BBC News, 19 November 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2007.