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The most famous Mezzo Soprano, Katherine Jenkins takes time out ahead of her Believe tour to catch up with the buzz magazine’s Jenny Boden

The world isn’t entirely sure how to take Katherine Jenkins. Classical snobs scoff at her use of microphones and say she isn’t opera - something Katherine herself will happily admit, while dads love her rendition of Nessun Dorma and women lust after her McQueen heels. She doesn’t slot as nicely as some might

like into a typecast. Undeniably beautiful (and there really is no other word for it), the petit side of curvy, with a classically trained and stunningly pure voice, it is immediately evident where the confusion starts.

Growing up in a council house in the tiny Welsh village of Neath, the wholesomeness of Katherine’s childhood is still much evident today. “I would say my mum is my role model. She was the breadwinner in our house because my dad took early retirement. She never gets star struck by it all, she is never phased by it all, she’ll still shout at me for not emptying the dishwasher!” With Mother’s Day approaching, I wonder if they have any special plans? “It’s difficult because I am usually travelling. Last year I was away so I took my mum to Rome in the summer, we had a girly weekend! I am always with my mum if I can be on Mother’s Day.”

Taking piano lessons at seven, Katherine fell in love with classical music when most girls her age were Vogue-ing to Madonna. Abiding by a ‘work hard and keep trying’ ethos, the following ten years saw her win a string of Choirgirl of the Year Awards and become a member of the Royal School of Church Music Cathedral Singers and the National Youth Choir of Wales.

Excelling academically even after the death of her father just months before her exams, Katherine won a well deserved scholarship to the London’s Royal Academy of Music, graduating with honors and a diploma in teaching. She put her diploma to use teaching singing in London comprehensive schools to fund her further opera studies.

Then, almost overnight, everything changed. After sending demo tapes to Universal Classics, the unknown graduate Katherine Jenkins signed the largest classical recording deal in history, reportedly worth upwards of £1,000,000.

I once heard a description of Katherine’s rise to fame as ‘rocket-assisted’, and that’s about right. In the following years she appeared at Live 8 concerts in London and Berlin to sing Amazing Grace to a 250,000-strong crowd, awed at the G8 Summit, the Tsunami Concert and the VE Day Commemorations and became the only British female to have held two Classical Brit Awards consecutively, as well as the only British artist to hold both the number 1 and 2 slots on the Classical Charts. Somewhere in between, her third album, aptly named Living a Dream, became the fastest selling classical album ever, and she discovered an unusual party trick. “I was singing solo,” she giggles, “I hit a high note and heard a crack! The chandelier smashed, it sounded like a gunshot and everyone ducked!”

In her latest offering, Believe, Katherine is breaking new ground again. A very commercial album, she reworks songs from all genres including reggae, rock and pop

Katherinethe Great

I didn’t create the whiter than white image, I think it’s because of the music I sing and the clothes I wear

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hits. “It is different!” She agrees. “I am trying to push back and explore the boundaries of my music, and it’s definitely more crossover.” A scan through the track list will see a range of unexpected choices, like Bring Me to Life by Evanescence, and No Woman No Cry by Bob Marley. “There are definitely some wild cards on there.” Katherine nods. “We had a whole different approach to creating Believe. We spent a few days brainstorming and coming up with ideas for songs. I am taking a gamble, but I really like it.”

Inching ever closer to the pop end of the crossover scale, Katherine is adamant she will never succumb to pop completely. “I just love this kind of music too much. This has been a dream album for me to record because it is slightly different to anything I have done before, but it’s important to me to keep my classical roots.” Something that influences Katherine’s choices are her steadfast fans. “I always have the people who have bought my previous albums in mind, and I haven’t wanted to take it too far away from that.” She added, “but I loved recording songs like Queen’s Who Wants to Live Forever, and hopefully my fans will like it too.”

Embarking on her Believe tour in March, Manchester is one of her first dates. “I love Manchester!” She gushes. “My grandmother was born and lived in Manchester and I have good memories of the city from when I was younger. I competed at Manchester Town Hall for Choir Girl of the Year!”

She’s come a long way since then. In the past few years especially, she has enjoyed a new echelon of fame. “With every album, I seem to be more and more in the public eye, this one especially. It’s weird because I didn’t start this to be famous, I just wanted to be a singer.” This could probably be the most honest and disarming thing about Katherine Jenkins. There’s no fame hungry desperation that we are so used to, the fame and the money are just a side affect of doing what she loves. She supports this by keeping schtum about her relationship with Gethin Jones. “I try to keep it private.” She says coyly, agreeing it is important to make a distinction between her personal life and her public life. “I have a Twitter account and I keep that updated with what I’m doing and where I am, but I enjoy my privacy too.” Refusing to speak specifically about her and Gethin, Katherine generalised that “a perfect Valentine’s Day would be a romantic dinner, chocolates, flowers. You know, the usual!”

Scandal hit Team Jenkins hard last year when revelations surfaced that Katherine had sampled cocaine while at university. I expected schtum on that front too, but was surprised with an honest answer: “I didn’t create the whiter than white image,” she reminded me. “I think it’s because of the music I sing and the clothes I wear. I was glad when all that stuff came out,” She admited. “It’s important to be completely honest and for people to know that I am human and that I make mistakes.” She paused, “I’m just like any other 29-year-old girl.”

The conversation moved inevitably to shopping. “Shoes are definitely my thing.” She says, excitement in her voice. “I love shoes.” Her taste in shoes takes her far in my book, that’s for sure, but looking great constantly must be a full time job in itself. “I go running, I try to stay healthy. I believe in moderation.” A poster girl for curves, Katherine has bucked the skeletal trend in favour of pin up glamour. “If I want crisps or chocolate, I have them, but I have them in moderation. I love curves! I will never be skinny, and I’m ok with that.”

I am completely refreshed. Does she find it hard to dress a curvier figure when most designers cater for the waifs of the world? “I try to dress to suit my body, I like to be feminine and classy but always dress to my shape. I do try to follow fashions and keep up to date with trends but I adapt them to my figure and tastes. At the moment I love big, structured shoulders, cinched waists and clean lines. Things that are high-waisted tend to suit me too.”

Does she have any beauty secrets she would be willing to impart? She laughs, “The usual. It’s important to get your beauty sleep and drink lots of water.” A self confessed girly girl, Katherine loves makeup and the process of getting ready. “I love Elemis moisturisers and I use Boots remover wipes. I am addicted to lip balm, I think it is important nourish your skin.”

I make a mental note to swing by Boots on my way home and thank Katherine for her time. “It’s been lovely!” She smiles. “Thank you for your time!”

Katherine Jenkins’ album, Believe is out now. Her tour comes to the MEN Arena on 12th March. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.co.uk

the photos: Warwick Saint

If I want crisps or chocolate, I have them, but I have them in moderation. I love curves! I will never be skinny, and I’m ok with that