'Music is emotion'

She is redefining classical crossover, and is pioneering a new genre of opera listener by listener. And just like her ambitious high notes, Katherine Jenkins is doing it in the most unusual of places.

Singing an opera-style tune would be daunting enough a job on any stage in the world, but doing it on the 25 yard line at Wembley Stadium, London, in front of 60,000 pumped up footie fans is another story.

She is not only glamorous, but also very down to earth, accessible and caring — which is possibly the reason she can even touch the biggest Arsenal fan out there.

"Music and sport are both very emotional things in life which is why I think opera and classical music work so well at major sporting events," she said recalling her appearance at the FA Cup final earlier this year.

"The first time I sang at a football or rugby match, I was quite literally terrified because I just didn't know what the reaction was going to be like. But the fans were very supportive and respectful and in the end it was all about the music.

"But I do think there was a marked difference in the atmosphere at the football games and the rugby matches. The football stadium seemed to hold a lot more aggression, which was a bit daunting."

Growing up in a rugby community, Katherine says she naturally has more love for rugby than football and added she still follows her home club, the Neath/Swansea Ospreys.

"It's a gentleman's game and I like that. Even after a few raised temperatures on the pitch, the opposing sides still sit down and enjoy lunch afterwards. Incredible, really."
Light years away from the stereotypical opera singer — histrionic, frumpy, overweight and somewhat aloof — Jenkins looks almost pop-like sat in a fancy suite at Dubai's Atlantis Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah.

Perfect ringlets

Dressed all in white, hair in perfect ringlets and eye-lashes which force you to stare so hard to find out whether or not they are real, she smiles delightfully and continues.

"Emotion is music and music is emotion. I believe you have to have experience certain things in life to sing with true emotion. Heartbreak, love and loss are always at the forefront and because I'm a very emotional person they always seem to be there."

In Dubai as the ambassador for Mont Blanc and its new store opening in the Dubai Mall, Jenkins says the brand is important to her because they believe in art.

"I remember the first time I went to the factory there was a full symphony orchestra in the warehouse. They believe art and music have a positive creative effect and encourage creativity in the workplace. It's incredible — where else would that happen. They also have specially-commissioned pieces of art from floor to ceiling and I just knew it was something I could believe in," with a cheeky Welsh smile she adds: "Not to mention the jewellery is just adorable."

Appropriately titled Premiere, Jenkin's first album was also the mezzo-soprano's fastest selling album, selling well over 30,000 copies in the first week of release.

Her appeal is such that she has already outsold such opera greats as Maria Callas, someone she claims is one of her biggest idols.

"I have been influenced by so many people in my life but big singers like Maria took it to another level for me. The people I look up make me who I am in lots of different ways. I am inspired by strong women like Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Barbara Streisand and Maria. I love the strength, character, colour and emotion of them and their ability to colour the world in their own particular ways."

Success

Born in Neath, South Wales, 26 years ago, she is the only singer in musical history to simultaneously hold the number one, two and three position in the classical charts which she did with her three albums Premiere, Second Nature and Living the Dream in 2005.

So how did it all begin?

"My mother ran the local Sunday school so I grew up singing in the church choir which is why I always had more of a classical training. When I started having singing lessons that was the way I naturally went."

In 1993 Jenkins took the title, BBC Welsh Choirgirl of the Year, something she believes launched her career in many ways.

"I never really knew I was going to make it — I just knew I wanted to sing and that was about as far as I thought. I didn't want or need to be famous but always to perform.
"Even as a youngster I was always putting on shows for my family and friends — it felt so natural. I suppose I liked the attention."

When Katherine was 15 her father, who spent his daughter's early years taking her from music class to music class, died.

"I know how much he wanted this for me and I try to put my heart and everything into it for him. We spend so much time together both my sister and I. I didn't have any brothers and to lose the man in your life at fifteen is really devastating. There have been certain moments when I know he's there for sure. It is like singing to him."

Picking up Brit awards two years in a row for Second Nature and Living The Dream, she is the only female artist ever to win two consecutive classical Brit awards. And now the pressure is on for a third with Serenade.

"I put the pressure on myself. I'm a perfectionist and people around me know that."