Let’s Get to Know
Natali e Rushdi e By Natasha Barbieri There will always be a market for beautiful music, sung well and this is one of the greatest appeals of the crossover genre. Natalie Rushdie (formerly known under her maiden name Coyle) was born in Falkirk, Scotland. Her pure voice, polished (but very personable) stage and social media presence is warmly received by fans around the world. A diligent student, Natalie graduated with a degree from Sheffield University and continued to study voice. She won a place with the Royal Choral Society and pursued a performance course from Associate Studios.
“I have had many different teachers over the years due to moving schools and going to university,” Natalie tells us. “I started having lessons when I was 9 and I still have regular lessons now. It is so important for a singer to have lessons as we don’t actually hear our voices directly. Sound comes out of our mouth then goes into our ear (as opposed to an audience member who just hears the sound directly). These days I have two teachers who work together and who are both wonderful. “As with many things in life, it is important that your teacher suits you personally and professionally, all of my teachers have become my friends.” Natalie has performed in Don Giovanni and Carmina Burana at the Royal Albert Hall and she has also performed in concerts alongside crossover favorites like Susan Boyle, Il Divo, Andrea Bocelli, and Katherine Jenkins. One of her first touring experiences was with the band Blake. “I absolutely loved touring with Blake, the boys were wonderful and such gentlemen! I learned so much from each of them as they are such seasoned performers; they helped me find my own style and presence on stage.” Natalie also experienced the group’s super fans up-close. “One of the funniest concerts was in Blythe where the audience went crazy for Blake! At one point I thought they were going to jump on stage and rip the boys’ clothes off! We also did Wembley Stadium together where my shoes split open as it was raining, so I walked on the pitch with my toes popping out!”
The experiences did not deter her in the least, in fact, Natalie dreams to someday perform with Il Divo, Celine Dion, Idina Menzel “and if Julie Andrews toured again that would be the dream!” Speaking of super fans, Natalie is in her own words “obsessed” with Julie Andrews. “I love her voice, the clarity with which she sings is truly beautiful. I would love to play all her roles to be honest but my favorite was in The Sound of Music, that was the first musical I ever watched and it got me into singing. I even went to Salzburg & stayed in the hotel where The Sound of Music was filmed - I would love to be Maria!” Natalie has been nicknamed ‘The Voice of Wembley’ after being the first singer to sing there 5 times and she says candidly that “I do still get nervous.” With an estimated audience of 80,000 people though who could blame her? “This time it was probably more nervous excitement than fear but either way I don’t think having nerves is a bad thing as it shows you still care. I don’t think I could ever not get excited about singing at Wembley Stadium!” The whole experience is “always an honor” but this last time Natalie’s favorite moment came “on the last note of ‘God Save the Queen’ as the crowds started cheering so loudly and I could hear my voice echoing around the stadium… it was just the most incredible & exhilarating experience.” Natalie has also made an impact by giving back to various charities. “I think it’s important to be involved with charities that you have a personal
connection to. Through the Order of Malta Volunteers, I took disabled people to the South of France for my Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme residential week. I enjoyed it so much that I went a further 3 times, it was also the first time I saw the effect music can have when people had life-changing illnesses.” These days Natalie is most involved with Breath AHR a charity who “use music in hospitals to help people recover, relieve stress, Dementia alymexia etc. I am the Patron of the charity and regularly perform for them.”
blew me away. I would love to go back; they have such fantastic venues and by coincidence, while there, I got to see my wonderful tenor friend Jesus Leon who was performing at the Philharmonia.” If she had to pick a favorite place though it would be New York. “I’m very fortunate that I get to go fairly often and it always makes me super excited and happy. I just can’t get enough of the fast pace and vibe of New Yorkers. An ultimate dream would be to perform in New York… maybe at Radio City Music Hall or Madison Square Garden one day.”
In 2016, Natalie married Zafar Rushdie in an elegant wedding weekend in New York. She would “definitely” recommend destination weddings to other brides. “We spread the wedding festivities over 3 days, which made it feel like a big happy holiday surrounded by people we love and care about. I am very lucky that I married someone who is super organized, unlike me (I would forget my head if it wasn’t attached) so that helped a lot.” In a recent interview with Hello! Magazine Natalie shared how her father-in-law (novelist Salaman Rushdie) was also a big help with her preparations.
Her mother recently booked Natalie a 6week cookery course at Leith’s School of Cooking as a birthday gift. So is cooking among Natalie’s favorite things? “I was actually terrible at cooking but I do enjoy it and I’d like to think I am slowly improving.”
After her marriage, Natalie changed her stage name which she describes as “exciting and daunting at the same time.” When she isn’t singing Natalie loves to travel. She recently shared photos from a trip to Russia. “I love traveling and Russia was incredible! It was a life-long dream to go there and I certainly wasn’t disappointed - the buildings and culture
She describes herself as a “simple girl” who enjoys spending time with family and her dog ‘Pickle’. At the end of the day, Natalie remains humble saying, “I feel like I am still discovering my voice! In July I am making my debut at Live at Zedel and will be singing some of the great Diva songs… not necessarily my more typical classical sound but I can’t wait. For me, as a musician, the key is remaining true to myself, sing songs I love and it’s as simple as that.” Fans will be delighted to hear that the future will bring “more performances, more exciting music and yes, of course, an album is in the future.”
To follow Natalie’s adventures, visit her website on:
natalierushdie.com
Everythi n g old i s new agai n By Chantelle Constable Ashley Marie Slater and Luperci de Souza, founding members of classical crossover duo "Classique," may be shiny, chic, and modern, but their passion for the scintillating music of Hollywood from the 1920s to the 1950s proves that "everything old is new again." Their first single, "Be My Love," was a breakout crossover hit for the great tenor Mario Lanza, while their second single, "Amado Mio," first enchanted audiences as it was lip-synced by Rita Hayworth in "Gilda." In this interview, Classique takes us through some of their early influences, and the reasons they are drawn to movie music of the past: the source of classical crossover as we know it today. In the vast genre amalgam that is classical crossover, what drew you to the songs of early "movie musical" and operetta? We wanted to remain true to our classical training and the songs we’ve chosen really allow us to do so. We really love the beautiful classical voices of the movie musical era, in particular, Mario Lanza, and we’ve received a great audience response from songs of this
period. This era represents an incredible period of music making in American history as well and contains so much fantastic music. I see in a recent Spotify playlist you shared that there is a distinct Hollywood influence -- is this a clue to what songs we can expect in your upcoming album? Yes! Both of our singles, “By My Love,” and “Amado Mio” are from Hollywood films of the 1940s and 1950s. Just as they do today, the studios had wonderful composers writing music for the silver screen, and since singing actors were quite popular, there was more of an emphasis on songwriting. We’ve given many of these songs our own spin, as they may or may not have been written for a classical voice. For example, one of Ashley’s favorite films is the 1946 film noir “Gilda” starring Rita Hayworth. In one of Gilda’s most famous scenes, she sings “Amado Mio” in a sultry nightclub. Inspired by Buenos Aires where the film takes place, our duet version is a fiery tango with piano, solo cello and string quartet. All of the songs on our album were written for or featured in Hollywood films from this era.
Who are some of your favorite classical and crossover voices in the industry, past or present? Ashley: One of the first female voices that I fell in love with and was greatly influenced by was that of Kathryn Grayson. I was amazed at her versatility, easily going from songs to musical theatre to opera, and how clearly she articulated while still maintaining a beautiful high soprano voice in a classical style. As for contemporary artists, I think Il Divo’s arrangements are amazing and they choose great songs. Luperci: Luciano Pavarotti is one of my greatest inspirations, and the concerts he did with the Three Tenors are favorites of mine. Also, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, and more recently Il Volo do some great work. Are you partial to any composers? Anyone whose songs you love singing in particular? For example, your style seems suited to Rogers & Hammerstein. We certainly love Rogers & Hammerstein and have sung many duets and songs from their repertoire in our shows. We really enjoy doing songs from the classic American musicals, but absolutely love songs by Nicholas Brodzsky, Jerome Kern, Sammy Cahn, and Jule Styne, many of which were included in Hollywood films! We also have a soft spot for Andrew Lloyd Webber and do his music whenever we can. What are your thoughts on retro classical crossover: Deanna Durbin,
Mario Lanza, Kathryn Grayson, etc, etc, vs modern crossover artists? What lessons could each learn from the other? How has the genre progressed, and what elements of the past should be (in your opinion) maintained? We are quite partial to these retro artists as they were some of the first singers to “crossover” into popular songs with their classically trained voices. Mario Lanza is one of our favorite singers and one of our biggest inspirations as well for our debut CD. He had a #1 hit on the pop Billboard charts in 1950 with “Be My Love,” which is an unbelievable achievement for a classical singer! His films certainly helped him get the kind of exposure that led to his popularity in the United States and abroad for the next decade and still today. We think contemporary artists could learn and be inspired by his high standard of vocal excellence and versatility. His voice was rich, dark and full, and yet at the same time, light and full of youth. He was praised by fellow opera singers for his phenomenal technique and received “carte blanche” from some of the world’s most prestigious opera companies who would spare no expense to have him sing in a production of his choosing at their theaters while at the same time appealed to a much broader audience by singing popular songs and film music. There are very few artists in history who have been able to replicate his success. One really exciting aspect about classical crossover is that it has certainly progressed to include more genres. You can hear artists, not just singers but
classically trained musicians as well, crossing over not only just into pop, but into rock, electronic, folk, symphonic metal, etc. As a result, the classical crossover genre has become more widespread and includes a lot more styles of music and when it is done well, it really works. This is a very exciting development and you can be sure that there is something for everyone. For example, besides our love for the retro artists, we are big fans of 2Cellos and their arrangements of Michael Jackson, Sting and Led Zeppelin! How do you think the vintage classical crossover artists would have fared in the "internet age”? We think quality music and voices can cross the boundaries of time. After Mario Lanza came many successful tenors including ones we’ve mentioned before such as Pavarotti and Bocelli. People love this music! And they love the excitement that a classical voice can bring, therefore we think Mario Lanza would have been a big hit today as well. Of course, his career would be taken a different shape. The vintage classical crossover artists were limited to films, radio and tv shows for exposure, whereas nowadays, thanks to the internet you can choose the audience for your music with the click of a button. Perhaps he would have been able to sell even more records had he lived in our time. It seems that you both have a passion for travel? How has that directed and influenced your career? Travel has certainly been a big influence on our lives and careers. Between the
two of us we’ve lived in seven different countries and speak six different languages, and so much of who we are as individuals and artists comes from our lives and studies abroad. For example, Luperci studied and launched his career as a tenor in Scotland, but traveled the world extensively as a child in a renowned Brazilian boys’ choir. Ashley spent years in Italy, performing and studying the Italian bel canto singing technique after completing a Bachelor’s degree in New York. As performers, we’ve been lucky to travel the world singing for hundreds of people each week on cruise ships, and we bring all of these experiences to our concerts. Our knowledge of the world and languages helps us relate to various audiences and it certainly affects the music we choose. This next step in our career as a duo is only possible thanks to our mutual love of travel, living abroad and the musical culture we have obtained in doing so. What is each of yours' history in performance? Classical training? Theatre? Opera? Ashley: I’m trained in opera and classical voice, but have had the chance to perform a lot of classical musical theater as well. Another genre which I particularly love is classical Art Song (compositions written for voice and piano, for example Schubert, Schumann, Debussy, Fauré etc). After finishing my bachelor’s degree in the States, I followed an urge I’d had for some time and moved to Italy: the country of my ancestors. Over the years I spent there, I debuted in operas and was invited to do many Art Song concerts and even a commercial recording of the complete
vocal chamber music of 19th-century Italian composer Gaspare Spontini. In Italy, I also had the pleasure to sing a concert with a wonderful classical crossover artist that you may be familiar with - Frà Alessandro. Some of my opera credits include roles such as Rita (Rita), Adina (L’elisir d’amore) and Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro). Luperci: As a child, I’ve had ten years of training in the oldest boys’ choir in Brazil which was an amazing experience; we even sang for Pope John Paul II in Rome. As a member of this choir, I had a very rigorous but effective musical education which has served me well throughout the rest of my musical career. After finishing the choir and attending a university in Brazil and Argentina, I sang at the opera house in Rio de Janeiro, as well as on Brazil’s main TV channel Globo. I sang many gala concerts for prestigious political events and corporations in Brazil until I was offered the chance to study in Europe. After finishing my master’s degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland supported by an ABRSM international scholarship, I sang at several concert halls and theaters in Europe in roles such as Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), Tito (La clemenza di Tito), and Tamino (Die Zauberflöte).
discovery to me as it helped me realize the potential of the human voice (and she was an R&B singer, not classical!). Then, as a child, I came across a CD of Mozart arias, and I was hooked. That was a deciding moment for me and his music has always been #1 for me. So, thank you, Herr Mozart! Luperci: Well, I had a great introduction to classical music singing in the boys’ choir. We regularly sang Bach, Palestrina, masses and other choral works and this experience instilled a great love of music in me. But in terms of opera, when I was about 15 I saw “The Great Caruso” starring Mario Lanza and I was so moved by his performance that I started thinking about my own voice “operatically,” and the rest is history. How do you define success? What was a defining moment in your career when you thought "I've made it"; what characteristics do you think an artist needs to develop to succeed? Having opportunities to do the music you love and choosing or creating your own music is a great milestone for any artist. Some important characteristics are perseverance, humility, attention to detail, being a good colleague, staying true to yourself while at the same time being open to change and a bit of luck!
Who were your musical influences as children; who first drew you into singing?
What are your priorities in choosing a song for your repertoire?
Ashley: My dad had a Minnie Riperton vinyl. I just couldn’t get enough of her voice and her whistle register in the song “Loving You.” Her voice was a great
It has to draw us in and say something special to us. It has to move us, otherwise, it’s probably not the best choice. We also look for songs that
allow us to remain true to our classical roots. And we love to discover musical gems that are off the beaten path. Our CD contains one or two of those that we hope you’ll enjoy! Please give us a few hints about your upcoming album! Are you working with any particular arranger(s) or producer(s)? Our debut album will be released later this year and will feature new arrangements of songs and duets from the great Hollywood films and the musical era of Mario Lanza. As we mentioned, our first single “Be My Love” was one of Lanza’s greatest hits and inspired us to breathe new life into some of the outstanding music of this time period. The songs themselves come from a period ranging from the 1920s to the 1950s. We’re so excited for this project as we feel that the music from this era deserves to be heard and loved once more by today’s listeners; the music that we’ve chosen for our debut album contains some beloved classics as well as a few surprises that we hope you’ll be excited to get reacquainted with, or will be hearing for the first time with our new interpretation. We are working with an incredibly talented arranger from Edmonton Canada, Ben Christenson. We met him through a mutual friend in the music industry, and we knew he was a great fit for this project. He really understood from the beginning what we were hoping to achieve and we look forward to more collaborations in the future.
Tell us the story of how you met and formed a duo. Well, with Luperci being from Brazil and Ashley from the US, it’s kind of funny that we met nowhere near our home countries, but in London during rehearsals for a contract on a cruise ship. Each ship had a classical tenor and soprano and we were paired up on the same ship. It was the first time either of us had ever worked in the cruise industry so we experienced it together and started right away developing and doing our own show as a duo. Our repertoire consisted mainly of opera, operetta, musical theater, and some popular classical crossover hits. We immediately recognized a synergy onstage and felt that the blend of our voices and the interaction of our personalities combined with the positive response from audiences, made officially forming a duo a natural progression. From there, we really wanted to create something of our own and started thinking about producing our first album. Thanks to the help of many generous friends, we’re about to realize that dream. You mention the name Mario Lanza frequently; what drew you to him specifically? Definitely the film “The Great Caruso” was a deciding influence for us and we recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. Mario Lanza’s interpretation of the great Italian tenor Enrico Caruso is very moving and his glorious voice can be heard singing both opera arias and popular songs. Besides his incredible voice, his charisma onscreen is
infectious and you just can’t help loving him. How do you bring something new to a genre whose primary focus is to regenerate the familiar? That is a great question and one that all artists have to ask themselves. As opera singers, we are used to performing music that is centuries old and has been done over and over, but we are taught from the beginning to do “our” version and to be ourselves. With years of this kind of preparation, we always approach songs searching for our own musical truth and experimenting with the possibilities. These aspects, infused with our personal aesthetics and life experiences, are what guide us. In the case of our upcoming CD, we felt that this music hasn’t been done enough recently and that it deserves to be heard even more. In the right hands, cover versions of well-known songs can be just as exciting as new compositions, so we hope to make our mark by helping some of these songs become more mainstream again. Favorite songs? Dream opera/operetta roles? Luperci: “Cinema Paradiso,” by Ennio Morricone, Prince Franz from Romberg’s The Student Prince, Nemorino from L’elisir d’amore. Ashley: “Tracks of My Tears” (Linda Ronstadt version), “As If We Never Said Goodbye” from Sunset Boulevard, “Eternally” by Charlie Chaplin, Queen of the Night from The Magic Flute
Why choose duo over solo? There was no doubt in our minds that Classique had to be a duo. With each song, we try to highlight both of our voices working together, often in harmony or playing off each other in a way which will excite the listener and allow them to have a powerful and moving experience. We realized the potential that we could have together when we started performing as a duo on cruise ships. There was a great audience reaction when we sang certain songs and interacted together on stage, and that inspired us to form Classique. It also helps that we have a similar vision and coinciding musical tastes. Just for fun, do you have a favorite classic Hollywood musical film? One that you like to watch, aside from performing? West Side Story immediately comes to mind as a personal favorite, to watch and to perform. It has had a huge impact on pop culture as well. How many parodies of the Jets and Sharks snapping their fingers as they move down the street have we seen in commercials, advertisements, and videos? Too many to count! It was a powerful film and its message is still important for our society today. Who is your ideal audience? The older generation that is already familiar with these retro songs, or the younger generation, to introduce them to classical crossover and classical music in general?
Ideally, we’d like to reach a widely varied audience. Of course, we hope the older generation who might be more familiar with these songs will hear our versions and reminisce about the first time they heard them. Perhaps their families used to listen to Mario Lanza records and our music will transport them back and connect them to those moments. Likewise, we would like to introduce this music to a younger generation who might not be so familiar with it. Just with our first single “Be My Love,” we’ve had a great response from social media from followers of other classical crossover artists such as Andrea Bocelli or Katherine Jenkins, so we know that people, especially young
people, are open to and looking for new music. Any other info you would like to share? We’d like to thank Classical Crossover Magazine for featuring us and we invite everyone to connect with us through our social channels, we’d love to hear from you! We are currently living in Germany and recording our CD here which will be coming out in late summer 2017. Music is a force which unites people and can bring light into our lives. We are so lucky and proud to dedicate our lives to it!
Don’t miss a note! Follow Classique at
classique.biz
Hollywood Soprano BY Jennie Watters The teenager sailed over the hard-packed snowy hillside without a care in the world. She squinted her clear blue eyes while her dark hair whipped behind her in the wind. Suddenly, an icy mound jutted out in front of the toboggan. Before she realized what was happening, she was hurtling through the air, landing with a sickening thud on her back. Stunned and unable to move, Ann did not scream from the pain. Instead, she whispered a prayer as the tears sprang to her eyes. Once she was transported from the San Bernardino Mountains to the hospital, she noticed how concerned the doctors looked as they ran their tests. Her injury was a serious one. Her mother held her hand as they told Ann that her back was broken. She might never be able to walk again. “At first, I couldn’t look at my mother. When at last I raised my head, I was startled. Those warm, hazel eyes under her crown of auburn hair were actually smiling. ‘Have faith, my darling,’ she said. ‘You’ll walk.’” At sixteen, Ann Blyth was not only her mother’s beloved youngest daughter, but
she was also the primary breadwinner of the family and already an Oscarnominated actress. When Ann was small, Mrs. Blyth made a living as a washerwoman. Her husband had abandoned his family, so it was up to Nan Lynch Blyth to provide for Ann and her sister. They did not have much, but the girls always had enough to eat and clothes to wear. Ann admired her Irish immigrant mother, fondly remembering: “Mother worked very hard and her tiny body wasn’t nearly as big as her heart.” Education was a priority for Mrs. Blyth, she made sure her daughters attended good schools and even signed them up for voice lessons and drama. From an early age, Ann was part of the children’s chorus, singing with the New YorkSan Carlo Opera Company. Being surrounded by the glorious music of Puccini and Bizet led to a lifelong love of opera. She also got minor roles in plays and had her first radio appearance when she was only six years old. Despite these positive experiences, Ann occasionally felt the sting of rejection when she wasn't chosen for a part after an audition. Her mother never seemed
disappointed. “Just have faith, my darling,” she would say as they walked home in the fading light. “Something better will come.” Her mother’s attitude gave her confidence, and she continued to do the things she loved free of the pressure to win every time. Even though she knew her mother was always proud of her whether she got the part or not, Ann was beyond thrilled when she was cast in the Broadway play, “Watch on the Rhine” in 1941, when she was 12. During the play’s successful nine-month run, Ann turned thirteen, toured across the country, performed for the president and had dinner at the White House. Henry Koster, a director for Universal Studios, attended the play one
At first, the studio cast her in lightweight musicals, usually with comedian and dancer Donald O’Connor as her High School sweetheart. But in 1945, she landed a big, dramatic role, in a movie co-starring Hollywood legend, Joan Crawford. Ann blew everyone away in “Mildred Pierce” as Veda, Crawford’s ungrateful, cold-hearted, scheming daughter who takes advantage of her mother’s kindness. The fact that sweet Ann Blyth was able to pull off this cruel character so convincingly is a testament to her ability as an actress. When asked about how she did it, Ann humbly explained that her Oscar-nominated performance was due to “a good imagination.”
night. He was impressed by her performance and after a successful screen test, Ann was signed for a sevenyear contract. She was going to be in the movies!
After her sledding accident, Ann’s promising career had to be put on hold. It was hard to spend seven months flat on her back in a body cast when she had been so used having a hectic filming
schedule. Now that she was helpless physically, she learned to trust in God more than ever. “I found myself blessed, for a new sense of prayer began to unfold to me...there were not the busy times of telling Him what I needed, but rather, times of listening communion, of gathering strength, when my human strength and courage seemed to ebb away.” Even after she was freed from the body cast, it took a lot of time to recover. She was in a wheelchair, then later graduated to a back-brace. Her mother celebrated every step forward with her as she slowly gained back what she had lost. One month after Ann’s back-brace permanently came off, another tragedy struck. Mrs. Blyth died of cancer. Ann was only seventeen years old. Ann’s mother had been her role-model, her best friend, her mentor. Now she was alone. In her grief, she realized that her mother had prepared her for this loss, just as she had prepared Ann for so many other things she would have to face in life. Mrs. Blyth had felt alone all those years ago when her husband left her and her two little girls, but she worked hard and relied on Jesus for the rest. Ann became assured that God would be with her and that her mother was in heaven watching over her every step of the way. It comforted her to remember that they would be truly reunited one day. Human comfort came in the form of Ann’s aunt and uncle, who moved all the way from Connecticut to California to live with her so that their niece could continue her career as a Hollywood actress. Ann threw herself back into her
work, appearing in several more dramas, and then finally a comedy. The 1948 movie featured William Powell, a middle-aged man who falls in love with a mermaid! Ann had a golden tail custom made for her and weighted down so that she wouldn’t float during her scenes in the water. “Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid” made good use of her beauty and athleticism, but for some reason, the beguiling mermaid is mute! Of course for music lovers, any time Ann Blyth sang onscreen was a real treat. Her earlier films do little to showcase her full, rich soprano voice. In “Top o’ the Morning” her co-star Bing Crosby got the lion’s share of the songs, same for her first really big MGM musical with Mario Lanza, “The Great Caruso.” Of course, that movie IS about the famous opera singer Enrico Caruso, but Ann’s voice is so lovely, it seems a shame that she only sings once. In 1954, Ann FINALLY got the chance to exhibit her skill as a vocalist in two big-budget musicals, “Rose Marie,” and later “The Student Prince,” both MGM adaptations of operettas. A year later, she starred with baritone Howard Keel in “Kismet” which features some of my favorite songs ever written: “And This is My Beloved,” “Baubles, Bangles and Beads” and “Stranger in Paradise.” By that time, Ann’s film career was coming to a close. Too many important things were happening in her personal life! She got married in 1953, had her first child in ’54, and a second one in ’55. Between pregnancies, she was still
acting, but she knew she wanted to devote more time to her growing family. By 1957 she had already made thirtytwo pictures, in a variety of genres which included costume dramas, mysteries, musicals, time travel, westerns, film noir, comedies, and war movies. Ann decided to act in stage plays again, with occasional forays into television. In 1963 her fifth (and last) child was born. During the 1970s, Ann didn’t work much because home life kept her busy, but she did do commercials. She became known as the “Hostess Mom” who advertised Twinkies! Her children were often featured in these ads with her. In the 1980s, she made her last television appearance, guest starring in “Murder, She Wrote.” She was not done with show business though! Her husband encouraged her to continue doing what she loved, so she started putting on concerts, singing classics from her theatre performances and movies. In Las Vegas, she even reunited with her old friend, Donald O’Connor. At a 1992 concert, columnist Liz Smith wrote: “Ann Blyth, who was a movie star when the words really meant something, looks incredible. Time seems literally to have
stood still for her, and not only physically. The star’s soprano is as lilting and steady as when she was knocking out those MGM musicals.” She continued singing well into the 2000s, and still does interviews and participates in Turner Classic Movies festivals and cruises. On my fridge, I have an autographed photo of this beautiful lady, her name signed undermine in perfect script. I have always enjoyed her movies, but until very recently I had no idea that her career was as varied as it was, or that her faith was such a vital part of who she is. I had heard of the album, “Hail Mary With Ann Blyth,” which has Ann singing and reciting scriptures, but ignorantly assumed it was just another project. Now I realize what a genuine human being she is, as beautiful inside as she is outside. She survived tragedy bravely and enjoyed good fortune without becoming self-centered. When asked in a recent interview how she would like people to remember her in years to come, she said: “That I made them happy. That would make me very happy.”
Carly Paoli
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The name Carly Paoli may as yet be unfamiliar to many fans of classical crossover music but with several high profile performances already under her belt and the release of her debut album eminent she is poised to become a force to be reckoned with. Her image on the cover of “Singing My Dreams” evokes Old Hollywood glamour and her story is full of Cinderella undertones as articles laud her as the ‘lorry driver’s daughter’ bound for stardom. The Evening Standard even crowned her the ‘Queen’ of the crossover genre. Still, Carly’s own website is modest in its approach and her tagline is simply “an English rose with Italian roots, singing her dreams.” So how did it all begin for this Nottinghamshire-born singer, is the gift inherited from her parents? “Actually I always laugh when people ask if my parents can sing,” Carly tells us. “I wouldn’t wish for anyone to hear my mum in the shower but Dad isn’t too bad.” She does, however, believe that her passion and singing talent derives from her Italian roots. “My Grandfather, Nonno Apollonio, who died recently, came from a family of 5 brothers. Nonno had a beautiful voice and his younger brother worked as a singer/songwriter and he still plays the piano accordion. They would sing together at all family events with my grandfather always singing the upper harmony.” While Carly grew up in the UK she spent her summers in Puglia. “I have Italy to thank for my stage experience. In
those early years, Puglia welcomed me with open arms to perform in piazzas and sing for audiences throughout the summer.” She describes it as an “amazing experience for a young singer.” Although her mother may not be a singer herself she did play a part in Carly’s musical development. “My mother nurtured my musical interest with MGM musicals. I loved Gene Kelly and Judy Garland.” At nine, Carly began taking singing lessons with Liz Hetherington and incredibly she continues to study with Ms. Hetherington to this very day. Her teacher even wrote lyrics for one of Carly’s songs “One Bright Star.” Carly continued to study and at 16 worked at the musical theatre and drama course at Tring Park, Hertfordshire. “I had always imagined myself performing on a West End stage as I love dancing and acting so much. It was always obvious that singing was my ‘special’ talent; we had a visit from a member of staff at The Royal Northern College of Music, who advised me to audition for their Vocal Course. So I auditioned and was offered a place on the spot, but that completely changed my thoughts and dreams away from the West End.” Still, Carly looked forward with enthusiasm. “It was a new challenge.” Carly spent four years at The Royal Northern College and additionally studied with Liz Hetherington on the weekends as well as studying dance “after college hours.” The more she
developed it became even more apparent that hers was indeed a classical instrument. Upon graduation, Carly began teaching at Directions Theatre Arts. “I taught there for 2 years and loved every minute. It’s amazing how much you learn yourself all day when you’re sat demonstrating the correct approach for others.” Along with teaching Carly performed “wherever I could and wherever I’d be seen.” Puglia continued to provide a welcoming venue and she also found opportunities to sing at corporate events, weddings and sometimes funerals. The corporate events would eventually open the door to the next important step in her career. In the classical world discovery is a gradual emergence from minor roles and young artist programs but in a twist that would have made the MGM PR department happy Carly was noticed by a representative of the luxury brand Bedat & Co which fast-tracked her success. “The lady who founded the brand ‘Madame Simone Bédat’ is celebrated for achieving her dream of creating the first watch brand designed purely for women. The brand seeks to support and nurture young talented women who are breaking the glass ceiling in their own field, as ‘Madame Bédat’ did. I thank God that they considered me in that category because I began performing in international events like David Foster’s Miracle Gala which also featured Jennifer Hudson and Steven Tyler.” Carly also sang at the ‘The Women’s Media Foundation Award’ in L.A. where Bedat & Co was the official sponsor.
Carly continued to dream big and learn from her colleagues. One year she attended a concert of José Carreras as a fan and the next she was sharing the stage with him. “You should never stop dreaming because you never know what the future has in store,” she encourages. “One year I’m watching one of my idols deliver an incredible performance and the following year I’m sharing that stage with him and performing duets together. I smile every time I think about this.” While being a singer requires years of dedicated work sometimes opportunities arrive when least expected. “It’s a nightmare to sing classical music at the drop of a hat,” Carly admits. “In the same way that an athlete will always warm up before they compete, singers usually have to go through the same process. It’s not an instrument that you can pick up and put back in its case, it is part of your body, so any illness or just the way you feel can affect the sound produced.” Even so, Carly offers this sage advice. “I think all singers should have 1 or 2 songs that they can perform in an instant and feel confident. Save the backing music to your smartphone if you can and always have it with you. Sometimes opportunities arise and you’ll kick yourself if you had to back out because of not being prepared.” As Carly’s career progressed she has expanded into the world of crossover. She has worked with two of the biggest names in the genre, David Foster & Andrea Bocelli. “I have performed on numerous occasions with Andrea Bocelli, which has always been a real thrill, especially in front of an Italian audience.” Their delightful
performances are available to view on YouTube. “He’s such a pro I think no stage could phase him and he’s usually got a great sense of humor before the song starts and finishes. On our first meeting, he told me I looked beautiful in red.” Carly’s admiration for David Foster is likewise evident. “For any singer, you know David Foster is the man that makes the magic happen. He has such an amazing awareness of what the audience wants to hear from a singer, and he has a way of encouraging singers to go beyond their comfort zone and deliver a performance that is truly spectacular. It’s really exciting performing with David. I don’t have boundaries on the type of singer I would like to collaborate with in the future. I love to work on a project that could bring two different musical worlds together and still be inspiring and engaging.”
surrounded by the most beautiful Roman ruins? My dressing room was essentially in Caesar’s Palace and just off to the corner from there, they believe they have discovered St Peter’s Cell.” Others featured in the concert were The Tenors, Andrea Bocelli, and Elaine Paige. “You should have heard the sound of the voices echoing in the marble dressing rooms as we all started to warm up. The whole process of rehearsing and watching that concert come together is something I’ll never forget. It was also symbolic that all these iconic artists had joined to perform together that night to reinforce Pope Francis’s important message of Mercy. I closed the concert with my song ‘A Time For Mercy’, which was extremely poignant.”
Unsurprisingly prestigious events in Italy have played a part in Carly’s career. She performed an original setting of Ave Maria at Terme Di Caracalla. At the time she was unaware that a representative of Pope Francis was in attendance. “I was contacted some months later with the request to make my ‘Ave Maria’ the official song for Pope Francis’ Jubilee year, ‘The Year of Mercy’. It was such a special time for my family and me and so fulfilling.”
Carly’s repertoire is in fact often inspirational in nature. “One thing that’s instilled into students in performing arts colleges is that there will be rejection. I had my fair share when I left The Royal Northern, or near misses, which can often be even more disappointing. But I always went home to an amazing family. My mum’s faith is extremely strong and she passed that onto me. You hear it so many times, but it’s so true ‘Never give up on your dreams because the dream only dies when you stop believing and trying.’” To this day Carly tells us she still gets nervous but “I always say a prayer before I walk out on stage. I believe my faith is what has got me this far.”
Carly also was invited to sing at The Forum in Rome for the first concert ever allowed there. “Incredible atmosphere. What a venue. How could anyone not feel inspired standing on a platform
She calls music “the major influence in my life.” At this point in her career music has taken on a deeper meaning. “My music has become more than just entertainment, it can actually share an
important message. That’s something I would aspire to do throughout my career. I want my music to motivate people and make them feel good. The world cries out for messages of hope and love right now. So, lyrics are fundamental to me and I love a song lyric that tells a story.” Carly’s debut album “Singing My Dreams” is filled with inspirational music including “Music of Heaven” and “The Mystery of your Gift.” It is available both as a traditional CD and vinyl. While the album is no doubt targeted at a crossover audience Carly’s soaring vocals and lush orchestral accompaniments certainly lean towards the classical. Many of the original songs from the album were composed by Romano Musumarra, particularly for Carly. The album also features her now beloved versions of “Ave Maria” and “A Time for Mercy.” Carly also had a chance to become involved with the writing. “I have written lyrics for 4 of the songs that feature on my debut album. One of the songs ‘Memory of You’ I am particularly proud of. I wrote the lyrics to this song soon after my Grandmother died. She was a rock for the whole family, so the lyrics are influenced by the way I felt at that time. I’m not a composer, so the first melody that came into my head was James Horner’s stunning theme from the movie ‘The Legends of The Fall.’ It’s a piece I’d always loved and associated with nostalgia.” Producer Romano
Musumarra then arranged the piece to fit Carly’s lyrics. “A similar miracle happened for me with ‘Se Tu Fossi (Cinema Paradiso)’. This was an arrangement made a few years ago and I performed it at the Roman Forum. It’s this live recording actually that features on my album. The unique arrangement of Ennio and Andrea Morricone’s iconic music features another theme in the middle section with English text added by myself. It’s a huge privilege to have been able to add my own personal touch to ‘Se Tu Fossi’ and to be able to share that with the world.” The album also features a special duet with José Carreras of ‘En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor’ a song that has been a staple in many of his performances over the years. “This is the first duet version of the song and the first duet he’s recorded in over 20 years. He’s a musical legend through and through and when you get a chance to work with him, you learn he’s also a true gentleman. I had a wonderful time recording this song in his hometown, Barcelona.” As in every stage of her career family involvement has been important for this project. “I’m blessed with amazing support around me, my family, (Mum and Dad always travel with me) my team and musical producer. They have always encouraged me to be creative and included my own ideas in the music, which is a privilege that not all artists get. I love every minute of singing each of the songs that feature on my album as I had complete freedom to choose music I love.”
Carly was recently awarded the prestigious Premio Barocco award and will be heard in ‘La Messa Arcaica’ by composer Franco Battiata in Catania, Sicily later this year. Other performances include a charity concert in Assisi, Italy. “Many of Italy’s most acclaimed artists from the pop world, will be joining me that evening to help raise money for a charity of The Vatican’s choice. I’ll be performing the Bach/Gounod ‘Ave Maria’ and closing the evening with my own Ave Maria, which is a great honor.” Soon too will
come her album showcase at Bafta, 145 Piccadilly. “This is really my own personal celebration of my album launch, Singing My Dreams.” It seems clear that Carly is destined for great things. Musically she teases that, “I’ve always had a soft spot for music from The Great American Songbook. There's an idea ticking at the back of my mind of singing some of the lost gems we forgot about from this golden age of music.”
To continue to follow Carly’s career visit
carlypaoli.com
Careers in music
Alessandra Sorace Musi c Mi n i s try By Natasha Barbieri
I first learned about Alessandra Sorace when a friend posted a video of hers to Facebook. My interest was piqued at her clear, lovely voice and I wanted to learn more about her. “Singing has always been a part of my life,” Alessandra shares after agreeing to an interview. “My mother would play the piano and then put on music both of which I would sing and dance around in circles to all morning. Somehow I have no memories of getting dizzy.” Alessandra was only eight years old when she first began to perform on international television networks. Alessandra remembers, “When we were done at the end of the day, the staff (probably sensing my childish curiosity) showed me around the control room, explained a bit of the production process, and some of the cameramen let me sit up on their chair. They even let me try the camera! Needless to say, I was hooked.” Alessandra has continued to observe the process and says she enjoys working with the different crews. “I have a high respect for the amount of time put into a production and the meticulous people behind it. I suppose it helped to have that background view for when I co-directed one of our largerscale music videos when I was 16.” Alessandra is reminded of these early performances often. “I think most singers cringe when they have to hear their “greener” selves,” but she has learned to embrace it. “I’ll frequently get messages from some of my audience with a clip of a video they took of a rerun they were watching on TV. It’s sweet. I’ve come to accept it as part of
the process of improving your trade. If you see it that way, it can actually be encouraging to see how far you’ve come. (And what bad habits you still revert to that need to fly ASAP.)” Alessandra started being involved in voice competitions around the age of eleven. “My vocal coach would pick my repertoire.” She admits it must have been a challenging task at times because “I had quite a distaste for all things too mushy and lovesick.” The years haven’t done little to change her opinion either. “I’m still not a fan. Somehow, with so much of classical music being the melancholy goo that a lot of people love, she still managed to find great pieces that helped me win. I’m thankful I had such a kind and patient coach especially at that stage of life.” Alessandra’s career evolved in a different way than some of her peers. While she performed at many distinguished events singing also became a chance to share her faith with others and hers quickly became a music ministry. “I suppose there are two ways of viewing an audience. One, where you are honored that they actually like you enough to come to your concerts, love you, and support you, and another where you are honored to serve such an audience with your gift, love them, and support them by providing music that will uplift them in their times of need. We are all on a journey and have bumps on the road. Music is a practical way to share my faith with my audience especially through songs that encourage the conviction held near and dear to
many hearts - that no matter where the road of life may take us, we have Someone who knows the big picture, yet is concerned with the little details of our lives; only wants what is best for us, yet allows life’s tests to make us stronger and bring us closer to Him, our Creator who’s love will never leave us. Whether it’s religious or secular music, I think it just might be the best tool to communicate in a lasting way. Along with the receptive ears of our audiences, we have a responsibility. Robert Schumann put it well when he said, ‘To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist.’”
The song choices were made carefully to be meaningful to her listeners. “Imagining scenarios where the piece would fit in someone’s life, I would ‘watch’ the story in my head as I recorded. Except for the Portuguese album. In that one, I was just trying to get it right.”
Alessandra’s first album “Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go” was a collection of twelve hymns and sacred songs. She later released the same collection in Spanish and then Portuguese. “I speak Spanish and, although I haven’t really learned my father’s Italian nor my mother’s French other than for classical singing, the Latin-based languages coupled with great coaches really helped me to sing in Portuguese both for TV when I was younger, and later for one of my albums. For my album, I frequently spent 16 hours a day and weekends for three weeks learning the pieces and their pronunciations. My main coach would sit in every studio session, several of which ended at 1:30 or 2 am. She would work with my producer and me patiently, making sure I had gotten the little pronunciation nuances right. I was inspired by her quiet dedication and vision for more faith-based music in her people’s language. To make it more incredible, her time was volunteered.”
Her largest single performing audience to date has been a daunting 70,000 people! But far from relaxing before the big event, she spent the day “running around the Alamo dome with someone looking for a pair of in-ear monitors. I had experienced a tremendous amount of echo when I sang there a couple months before, and I did not want that to happen again. We finally got some about an hour before. I had only learned they existed that morning so it would be my first time ever singing with IEMs. But I knew my piece very well.” There wasn’t time for a sound check so Alessandra prayed and sang anyway. Fortunately, it turned out fine in the end.
Alessandra’s multi-lingual approach has opened opportunities for her to perform in different countries. She shares this exciting news, “We have several tours in the early works largely based on volume requests from our audience. Among them are Australia, South America, Europe, and the Philippines.”
For Alessandra discovering the classical crossover music was a Godsend. “I didn’t know it was a thing until around four years ago. I always felt like a misfit singer who liked just enough pop to not be classical, and just enough classical to not be pop. It’s the best genre for
people who don’t like labels and boxes. It’s pretty versatile.” Her favorites from the genre are now “too many to count” but include Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Celtic Woman and Michael Ball as well as “YouTube artists that are doing a fabulous job in our genre.” Alessandra has most recently released singles of “The Star-Spangled Banner" and "What is America to me.” “What do you think of when you think of your country?” Alessandra asks. “Do you think of the cultural foods and sights, your friends and neighbors, and the warm feeling of coming home? I do. I chose these songs because they remind us of what our nations really mean to us. It’s not the geography or the systems with their many imperfections, but the people around us that make the country we love so sweet. For me, that country is the USA.” She spent time researching the story behind the songs. “It took such bravery, self-sacrifice, and integrity to do what the American people, in general, did in both of these eras. These traits did not die with those generations though; they are still evident in the people around us. In a world of bad news, politics, and uncertainty, I was moved to bring attention to and appreciation for the goodness in our daily lives.” She recorded an extended version of the national anthem which Alessandra says she sings “in admiration for it is a solemn depiction of sacrificial effort which resulted in freedom under God. It enables us to praise and worship Him
freely, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our families.” Alessandra is also sharing her music through music videos. “We actually filmed several of them at the same time, depending on the state. I loved codirecting one of them with Eduardo Gonzalez from Scene Alive Inc. Drawing the storyboards, securing and scheduling locations and coordinating dozens of extras at a time with Eddie, riding a chainless vintage bike downhill on camera through a heavy transit road, borrowing an immaculate 1952 Ford truck, briefing, and debriefing meetings at 11:45 pm and 6 am; I wouldn’t take those months back for anything. We met the nicest people on our filming trips. From our great extras to our generous sponsors, there was a sense of unity. The county of Orange, Virginia just opened their doors to us. Hotels who sponsored our stays, local businesses and tourist attractions who volunteered their services, the marines in the New England locations, the local governments, and so many more were instrumental in the production’s success. It was a privilege to work with such beautiful people; many of which we are still in contact with today.” Another aspect of her music ministry is public speaking. “The goal for a singer is maximum communication, whether through the lyrics, or thoughtfully executed melodies that stir personal feelings in people. Since that’s the goal, public speaking came naturally to me. You can talk to your audience like you are talking to a friend - just try your best to make it worth their time. Both require ample study and preparation,
memorization, improv, stage presence, and love for people. I think when they are put together its double power.” When it comes to goals for the future as well as her education Alessandra says, “Music is a lifestyle of which I am and will always be passionate. The goal is to keep creating new high-quality content that will uplift and inspire our audience. We plan to contribute more in the future to philanthropic, bi-partisan government, corporate, and community events on a larger scale, as well as continuing to serve in the faith-based community.”
Some of her dreams are to perform with New York Philharmonic, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, at Carnegie and Disney Concert Halls among others but “the list could go on forever.” “In regards to a major, I actually found a dream voice professor who specializes in both classical and commercial music using the Bel Canto technique at a certain University. It’s definitely a possibility I am considering.” For now, “We have two different major productions on the horizon that we are really excited about; one of which is scheduled to be released next year.”
Alessandra’s 5 Favorite Hymns
1 Amazing Grace 2 Be Thou My Vision 3 Oh Sacred Head Now Wounded 4 Be Still My Soul 5 God Be with You ‘Till We Meet Again.
alessandrasorace.com
The Up & Comer
Amy Manford By Natasha Barbieri
While crossover is our main focus it is always a privilege to feature more classically inclined artists. One young soprano who we believe is destined for great things is the lovely Amy Manford from Australia. While music may be her main passion today her parents “encouraged me to pursue a range of passions.” Amy spent her younger years competing in Rhythmic Gymnastics and pole vaulting. Despite the elite level she maintained, “All the while I managed to sing and play violin in every possible ensemble at school. My Dad is a self-taught guitarist and my younger sister Chloe is an extremely talented singer so music runs in the family. Most of our weekends were spent messing around with harmonies and convincing Dad to learn the chords to our favorite Disney songs, looking back I guess he had a lot of patience!” Her friends also played a big part in her development. “We spent countless holidays contriving new productions and throwing concerts for our parents and friends. Looking back I had a very stimulating and creative childhood. I was lucky to have free reign to pursue anything and everything I loved doing.” Her violin repertoire exposed her to classical music at the tender age of 6. Singing was something she was naturally gifted at but “I never really considered it my thing.” At age thirteen, however, she began attending her sister’s singing lessons. “The classical training that I was introduced to really inspired me and I knew it was something
that I wanted to pursue. So, I guess I have my sister Chloe to thank!” In addition to music, Amy was also temporarily interested in filmmaking. “I studied media in school and had a knack for editing, however, this was more of a hobby than a life calling. When push comes to shove I simply couldn’t imagine a life where I did not wake up every day and sing. It has always been this unrelenting passion that has motivated me to pursue singing as my career path.” Following her decision to pursue a career in classical music Amy prepared her audition for university. She advises that “simplicity is key, pick arias or songs that are within your technical ability at the time you are choosing them. You want to show potential; that you have a knack for languages and a sense of drama. I would suggest choosing a varied list of simple German lieder, French melody, and English song but above all make sure you love what you are singing! Your passion will be infectious and that is the most important aspect of an audition by far.” Amy received her Bachelor’s degree from The Western Australian Academy as well a post-graduate certificate. Her audition strategy did not change but her repertoire has certainly increased in difficulty and range. “I did a lot of research in an attempt to find songs that were interesting and different, arias that I knew the panel wouldn’t have heard 10 times that day. You want to give the impression that you are an exciting innovative artist, and position yourself as one of a kind! After you have
chosen your rep, it is imperative that you perform, perform, perform! It is no good just singing behind your singing teacher a couple of times in your lesson. You need to get a group of friends and family together to test out your program, taking note of what went wrong and what went right in each rendition. After that, the audition should be a piece of cake!” Her careful research and attention to detail have paid off. Throughout her studies, Amy has been awarded the Barbara MacLeod Scholarship for Most Outstanding Female Classical Student, the Michelle Robinson Award for most outstanding first-year recital and the Open Aria and Open Musical Theatre sections of the Fremantle Eisteddfod and Radzyminski Family Prize in the International Australian Singing Competition. Amy shares a little about her studies. “The curriculum at the RCM is challenging and diverse and requires a lot of hard work outside my singing lessons. Languages play a huge role in Opera. I study French, German and Italian and am hoping to learn a bit of Russian in the future. I spend a lot of time working with language coaches and recording friends who are from different speaking countries. Movement and acting classes have been extremely important in both my undergrad and postgrad training. In addition to this, I also have studied the Alexander Technique, which is a movement method that works to change bad habits in our everyday activities. Growing up I also studied a lot of music theory as it was a compulsory aspect of my AMEB violin
exams. Although I found it very boring at the time, I developed a very good ear and with the benefit of hindsight, it has helped me to pick up music very quickly. Basically, the training never stops!” Fans will discover that Amy has crossed over on occasion. She finds the largest difference between her classical singer and crossover to be amplification. “Classical crossover singers usually use a microphone so they can afford to go off the voice a bit (my singing teacher would kill me to hear me say this, but sometimes I like the effect it gives!) In contrast true classical singing is produced from your body alone with no microphone. You need to think of yourself as a violin, never letting the bow leave the strings.” “If I had to pick an all-time aria, I would have to say Olympia’s Doll Song. It is so virtuosic and I love hearing what different Sopranos can do with it. I also will never get over Diana Damrau singing Queen of the Night; I feel like she will conquer the world with that aria. When it comes to a Musical Theatre piece I would be hard pressed to pick. Some days I am obsessed with Disney musicals and on other occasions, it’s the classics like The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady. If I had to pick one Musical Theatre performance song it would be Light in the Piazza.” It’s equally difficult for Amy to narrow down a favorite composer or music period. “I couldn’t say - it changes every day! Today it is Vivaldi because it is Spring in London and I listened to The Four Seasons this morning walking to
college - and on the way home I listened to Cecilia Bartoli singing Agitata Da Due Venti which always reminds me why I sing!” Audiences have already seen Amy onstage in a few opera roles. “My first performance role in Opera was Dido in Dido and Aeneas. It was a great first role because Dido is a strong powerful woman and it encouraged me to quickly develop into a mature, confident performer.” Her favorite so far has been Clotilde in Handel’s Faramondo. ‘The Opera is very rarely performed so I really had to create the role from scratch without turning to past performances for inspiration. Alongside the challenge of creating such a multifaceted character, it was an absolute dream to perform with the London Handel Orchestra under the baton of Laurence Cummings. My dream role is Queen of the Night.” Amy’s unique history and achievements in sports have seen her become a national champion in gymnastics and also a more rounded performer. “I’m a happier person when I have a million things on my plate and I think I perform well under pressure. If I had any tips I would say surround yourself with like-
minded people.” She again points to the importance of friends as well as time management and making lists. “I think seeing a checked off list by the end of your day is really rewarding and reminds you of what you have achieved.” As she looks to the future Amy is careful to remember those who have helped her get where she is today. “I have been very fortunate to have had a lot of positive and influential figures in my life. My family has always provided me with a sense of stability and my Mum, being a very creative person herself, has encouraged me to follow my dreams and supported me whilst achieving my goals. I have also been lucky to have knowledgeable singing teachers who have had incredible careers themselves and have guided me in the right direction. This is fundamental to successful development as a vocal artist. As for the future, like any artist, I have my wish-list and work hard every day towards those dreams. I love both Opera and Musical Theatre and will continue on this incredible journey to grow as an artist and explore these genres. Performing is my passion in life and I feel very fortunate to be a working vocal artist, sharing this with audiences all over the world!”
Continue to follow Amy’s blossoming career at:
facebook.com/amymanfordsoprano
Q & A with
Natali e Di Lucci o By Chantelle Constable 1) What is the story of how you first started in music? My parents put me in singing lessons when I was five years old. I always use to sing as a child and my brother had a fascination with the guitar so they put both of us into music lessons. Music was my only interest while growing up. I never missed a lesson and as I grew older I became much more serious about it. My mom used to drive me around every day after school for music classes, auditions, rehearsals, piano/dance lessons, meetings - you name it. I wanted to do everything. I owe her and my dad everything today. They sacrificed a lot for me. I remember as a child I had to practice 30 minutes of singing and 30 minutes of piano every day before I was allowed to go outside and play with my friends. I entered singing competitions from the age of 6 and got accepted into a high school for the arts when I was 12. After graduating from high school I went on to McGill University to study Western Classical Voice. A career in music was my only option. I had no backup plan.
1b) Share your first influences? In my early teens, I was introduced to my current vocal coach, Inna Golsband. She has been my biggest musical influence and has really helped me find my voice and master my technique. I grew up listening to a lot of Classical Crossover music. I really felt inspired by singers like Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, and Sarah Brightman. I would say they are my strongest musical influences to date! 2) You did musical theatre as a younger artist, correct? Any plans to pursue more theatre in the future? Yes, I did. And I loved it! There is no set plan as such in the near future but my life has always been very spontaneous and you never know what can pop up around the corner. Having said that, it’s not a priority of mine right now as I’m focused on releasing my album this year. 3) Please tell the story of being invited through MySpace to sing on an Indian music compilation album in 2009
During my time at McGill University, I received a message from an Indian composer on Myspace. He messaged me about coming to India. I wasn't even going to respond because often one got random messages on MySpace, but I did, saying, 'Thanks so much, maybe one day'. A few months later he got in touch again and said he was doing music for an album and wanted me to sing from Canada. So I recorded and sent him my vocals. After a few months, I got a CD. My voice was on an album of India’s biggest superstar, Sonu Nigam. This man had been working on Sonu Nigam’s album. That’s where it all began. After this, I decided to take up the composer’s first offer and come to India. His wife is a singer and he wanted to do a fusion album. It was from my first trip that I was introduced to Bollywood. India just sucks you in. I fell in love with Bollywood films and Indian music. I also started meeting a lot of people working in films which made it all the more interesting to watch. After experiencing all of this, I knew this was something I liked and wanted to be a part of. 4) Your thoughts (especially as we were in the first generation of artists to grow up with computers/the internet) on the use of social media to assist in a musician's career/promotion? Whether we like it or not, Social Media is changing the way we artists function. I believe it is an integral part of every
artist’s career now. The artists we admired growing up always had a mystery around them and now with social media, it’s become almost expected for artists to document our daily life. I’m actually a pretty private person so I sometimes struggle with this but I also realize that times are changing and you can’t live in the past. The wonderful thing about social media and in particular YouTube is that an artist is in control of his/her career. Earlier in the day, we could only be heard if a record label signed us. Thanks to the internet, we have the freedom to release content anytime we’d like. Once you can cultivate an audience on YouTube, the world is at your fingertips! The only con with YouTube now is that we have a surplus of music and content and I feel people’s attention spans have reduced. Fans have gotten used to artists releasing music videos almost monthly. Earlier on, an artist would work on an album for a year and release maybe 3-4 singles a year. Social media has moved everything in the fast lane. My only concern is the quality. I wonder if we can still create “legends” in this day and age with how quickly things are moving now. 5) Your transition in moving to India. What were the challenges in the cultural difference, and learning new languages? Well, the first time I came to India, I, of course, had a culture shock. It was the polar opposite of almost everything I knew growing up in suburbia outside of Toronto. The immense population, the
extreme diversity in rich & poor, the intense driving, the cows, the barbers on the sidewalk. I’d never seen anything like this. At the same time, I was so fascinated by all of it. I loved it. I loved that my eyes never got bored looking out the window or walking down the street. There was always something completely foreign to me happening at any given time. I crave this diversity now. India is never boring it’s the perfect place for someone like me who gets bored easily and likes to keep my brain stimulated. There is never a dull moment! I didn’t know a word of Hindi before coming to India. I actually remember my first day sitting in this families living room and I was thinking, “I’ll never know this language in my lifetime”. It was super frustrating initially. Once I spent more time there, the words started becoming more familiar to me. I had no preconceived notions of what Hindi was (grammar or vocabulary) so I learned it as a baby would. I heard people talk. I immersed myself in it. I went to plays, movies, learned songs, got a Hindi tutor, got a diction coach, practiced basically any way I could. Honestly, more than any textbook will ever teach you-you just need to be immersed in it and then suddenly one day it starts to click. You somehow start to understand and the day you realize its happening it is really exciting. Now it’s been about 5 years and I’m quite proud of myself that I understand about 70% and can speak enough to deal with any situation. I no longer need to call my friends to deal with the delivery guy or taxi driver or anything like that! Those were the frustrating times!
6) Your recent TED talk on "leaving the comfort zone." Can you give us a summary of that, and why that topic is so important to you? I am constantly in awe of the incredible moments we can experience when we go outside our routine. Magic lies beyond your comfort zone. We often stop ourselves from experiencing so much because we are afraid. Fear is the reason many of us don’t fulfill all our dreams, not because we are not good enough. We are afraid to step outside our comfort zones, break routines and take chances but the most magical moments in life will happen when you allow yourself to step outside your comfort zone. My entire journey till date, my career, all the incredible experiences I’ve had, and people I’ve met have all been because of that. In my TED talk, I speak about my journey and also encourage people to get out of their comfort zones even if in the smallest of ways because when you let go of fear, the sky’s your limit. 7) Of the wide variety of projects, you have sung on so far (films, adverts, compilations, etc) what has been your favorite? I enjoy the variety of work I’ve done in films/adverts but my deep passion has always been in Crossover music. My favorite project so far which is really close to my heart is a single that I released last year. It’s an Indian fusion rendition of the Morricone classic “Nella Fantasia”.
8) Your facebook bio states that you have worked with Mauro Malavasi, a producer of Pavarotti and Bocelli. Your website promises an upcoming album. Can you give us any hints/ teasers/ideas of your musical direction? I worked with Mauro Malavasi in Bologna for about a month and it was a magical experience. He taught me a lot, especially how to dig deep into my emotions while singing. Without giving much away, the music that I plan to release this year will follow along my path of bringing people closer together through music. 9) You have a history of traveling -back to your home in Canada, to Italy, to Thailand... do you plan on staying mainly located in India, or do you foresee moving to another location to pursue further music opportunities? I am somewhat a nomad. I travel a lot but in the past India has been my base. This year, I definitely foresee spending a lot more time in the US and Europe to pursue my crossover career further. 10) Did you finish your studies at McGill University before moving to India? How important do you think a college degree is to those interested in the performing arts? I didn’t complete my studies at McGill. During my second year I was feeling very confused, here I was accepted into one of the best opera programs in the world but in my gut I knew it wasn’t the degree that was going to give me a
career in singing, it was the opportunities already knocking in front of me, especially if I wanted to get into mainstream music. I had a lot of opportunities at that time but I couldn’t explore any of them because I was in school. This is where I talk about letting go of fear. It was one of the most difficult decisions to leave at a time when all of my friends were studying, to pursue a career which is very uncertain, but if I didn’t take the chance when I did, I really don’t know where I’d be now! To answer your question, it definitely depends on the direction of the singer. If you are getting into Opera, then a degree can be very necessary to enter the opera world, or if you are looking to teach music then a degree is necessary. If you are looking to sing in the crossover or pop world, then a degree is not going to give you your career but it can of course help you become a better musician and give you a backup plan as a teacher. I’m not a fan of backup plans though. In my opinion, the most important thing a singer should have is a great vocal teacher. I think at the end of the day, a career in music all boils down to hard work, talent and persistence. 11) "Her aim is to constantly finding ways of bridging the gap between the east & west through music." -- What do you think is the biggest gap between the east & west? Many eastern classical music can sound foreign and even unpleasant to ears used to the western classical tradition. Do you foresee a possible career, even on the side, even in music education?
That's an interesting question. I often find when I am in the West I get tons of questions about what life is like in India and also since I’ve traveled a lot, I get many questions about the eastern continent in general.
strongly connects with me. I find myself listening to a lot of Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and Rachel Platten lately. Recently anytime I need to feel inspired, I find myself listening to The Piano Guys. I love their energy!
There is still a lot of curiosity surrounding these regions. Many people believe in the stereotypes and only know India for example as what they’ve seen on news or from films like Slumdog Millionaire. I feel in some small way, through music, I have an opportunity to educate people on different parts of the world, different cultures, different ways of life. In a very small way, I’ve seen at least the people I’ve grown up with have a changed perception of what India is and I feel good about that. I’ve had many friends travel this side of the world that may never have if I didn’t tell them about it, so in a small way, I feel I have this unique opportunity to break down walls between cultures. While talking about the music aspect, there are so many musical traditions that we don’t know about, so many unique instruments out there that haven’t come to the forefront, so many interesting ways music is a part of people’s daily life across the world. Even if in the most subtle of ways I can start adding these elements to my music, or at least giving these traditions a platform, it would be a step in the right direction.
13) What (if any) are some of your regular disciplines in maintaining your vocal and physical health?
12) What are some of your other influences besides classical and eastern music? Any secret guilty pop music pleasures? I am all about heart. Anything where you can feel the singer’s emotions bleed
I usually go on voice rest one day a week if I can. I also try to warm up my voice every day before speaking so my voice is placed correctly throughout the day! I use to go to the gym a lot but now I’ve gotten into Yoga. It’s really helped me instill calmness in my mind and become extra aware of my breath. I think Yoga should be a part of every singer's routine! 14) Do you have any dream duets or collaborations? (When I listen to your music, I am reminded of the "Dharohar Project" with Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling.) (Wow! I’d never heard “Dharohar Project” before. This is super cool! These are Manganiyar folk artists from the same family that I collaborated with in Rajasthan.) Well of course like most crossover singers, it’s always been a dream to sing with Andrea Bocelli & Josh Groban. Two singers I’ve grown up admiring. Outside the crossover world, there are so many collaborations I want to explore. One being in North East India where they have very unique tribal choirs. Without giving too much away, trying to get to North East next!
15) Do you write original music, prefer to sing / re-arrange covers, or debut songs by other original composers? I love to do it all, although I love rearranging old classics and bringing my own twist to them. Having said that, there is nothing like singing your own songs. 16) Finally, let’s end with the story of making your music video for Nella Fantasia "A Dream From Rajasthan.” The concept came to mind four years ago when I met Sawan Khan Manganiyar in Mumbai. He was performing on MTV’s Coke Studio at the time and his performance gave me goosebumps. I spent hours on the Internet watching video clips of Manganiyars of Rajasthan and was extremely fascinated by their style of music. I knew that together we could
create something magical and showcase the beauty of Rajasthan at the same time. This video was a 3-year journey. We first recorded my vocals in LA and then I brought Sawan Khan to Mumbai for recording his bit. Sawan was the real deal and not someone touched by modernization, which I absolutely loved. Although Sawan and I couldn’t communicate directly -- he only spoke in Sindhi and I, in broken Hindi, which his son then translated, to Sindhi -- we formed a special bond instantly. Shooting the video was a memorable experience. We landed in Jodhpur and spent about a week trying to get permissions for the Mehrangarh Fort and flying the crew from different areas in India. We shot the video in 8 hours as the Fort couldn’t be held up for long. Needless to say, it was one of the most special days of my life and a project I am really proud of.
Keep up to date with Natalie’s travels at
nataliediluccio.com