Elly Roberts reviews
Katherine Jenkins: Second Nature
Distributed by
Universal Classics and Jazz (UCJ)
- Cat.no: 9869033
- Released: October 2004
- Rating: 10/10
She's blonde, blue-eyed, beautiful and very intelligent.
From obscurity to superstardom, it’s been an incredible year for 24-year-old
Welsh songbird Katherine Jenkins. It comes as no surprise that she’s become such a huge
success. With 9 A grade GCSE’s four A levels, and graduating from the Royal
Academy of Music with honours, also winning several awards along the way,
she’s finally realising her destiny.
Now she releases her follow up to debut album Premiere which reached
number one in the UK classical chart in April
this year. She has become a sensation since signing a 5-album recording
contract, literally after leaving college. The Neath beauty is out-selling
the likes of Dame Kiri Ti Kanawa and Lesley Garrett in the classics
department.
With the National Youth Choir of Wales right behind her,she
covers past masters like Verdi, Bizet, Dovrak and more contemporary composers
–Rodgers and Hammerstein, Ennio Morricone - she displays all the might
needed to stay the course in a cut throat and unpredictable business. This
is based on the fact that she is able to diversify at the drop of a hat as
the tracklisting shows.
Popular classics such as House Of No Regrets/Chi Mai and Time To Say
Goodbye show her fluidity and strength in depth. Tackling anthems normally
sung by males such as Pavarotti - O Sole Mio, it
takes on a totally new meaning with her finely tuned arrangements. Her
virtual angelic dulcet tones really kick in on Rodrigo’s Spanish masterpiece
En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor with chilling effect.
Not forgetting her Welsh roots she delivers one of the purest versions of
Calon Lan (Clean Heart) you’ll ever hear.
Finally, Katherine cleans up with R&G’s You’ll Never Walk Alone in a
momentous crescendo to a stunning album. A must for real music lovers.
The full list of tracks included are :
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.