Katherine Jenkins was born on29 June 1980 in Neath, Wales is an award-winning Welsh mezzo-soprano. Her first album Premiere made her the fastest selling soprano of all time and she later became the first British classical artist to have two number one albums in the same year.
Jenkins has recorded several number one albums which feature arias, popular songs, hymns and classical crossover music and has performed in a large number of concerts around the United Kingdom and other countries, including the United States and Australia.
At school Jenkins received A grades in both GCSEs and A Levels and participated in productions such as Calamity Jane and Guys and Dolls.
Two years after she had become a choir girl at her church, she shattered a chandelier whilst singing “O Holy Night” at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall. Jenkins later went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music and taught music to children prior to being signed by Universal.
In 2004, at the age of twenty-three, she signed the largest record deal in United Kingdom classical recording history, reportedly worth £1 million.
In 2004, her debut album Premiere lasted a total of eight weeks at the top of the classical charts, which made her the fastest selling soprano of all time. She soon became the first British classical artist to have two number one albums in the same year with Premiere and Second Nature, and she now stands as the only person to hold the number one and two classical album chart positions.
When Jenkins’ third album, Living A Dream, was released she held the positions of one, two and three in the classical music chart along with her first two albums.
Her album entitled Serenade released in 2006, became number five in the charts and sold more than 50,000 copies in its first week. This ensured it was the biggest seller for a classical CD in Britain. On HMV’s classical charts, the top four albums are all by Jenkins.
Here’s Katherine Jenkins
Since Katherine Jenkins first leaped to fame five years ago, the opera singer has been growing blonder every year.
Spotted in the royal box at Wimbledon on Tuesday, it appeared the Welsh soprano had reached the limits of her dye habit with a platinum blonde style.
Fresh from celebrating her 29th birthday on Monday, the singer stood out from the crowd at Centre Court with her bright locks, which she had dyed on Friday.
Just in time for the hottest weather of the year, Katherine looked summery with her newly-dyed hair and white summer dress.
Tennis fan Katherine and her mother travelled to Wimbledon to check out the Women’s Quarter Finals between American Serena Williams and Belarusian Victoria Azarenka.
Writing on her Twitter micro-blogging page from Wimbledon, Katherine enthused: ‘We’ve just been given a glass of champagne. How civilised.
‘Watching the tennis in the royal box at centre court with my mum. Just been watching Serena Williams – awesome! Having afternoon tea now. Wow, it’s a scorcher.
‘It’s too hot on centre court, so now we’re sitting on the terrace watching Laura Robson.’
Although born a brunette, Katherine has been dyeing her hair blonde since she was working as a music teacher seven years ago.
When she signed her first recording contract is 2004, the fresh-faced 23-year-old was strawberry blonde.
As her fame progressed, Katherine has tried various shades of blonde from ash blonde in 2005 until a lighter golden blonde last year.
But as she marks the last birthday of her 20s, Katherine looks determined to hold on to her youthful looks by dyeing a shade lighter.
Perhaps her bid to crack the States is behind the lighter colour.
After conquering Europe and signing a £6million record deal with Warner Music last year, Katherine has set her sights on conquering the U.S.
Last month, Katherine wowed Americans when she took to the stage at the Mandalay Bay resort & casino in Las Vegas.
She said in a recent interview: ‘Every artist wants to do well in America. It’s a challenge. Not many crack it.’
Ahead of Wimbledon on Tuesday, Katherine marked her actual birthday with a day at Regent’s Park before dinner at the Big Easy restaurant in the King’s Road, Chelsea.
