Charlotte Church

Contact: Kevin Chiaramonte KevinC@PFAMedia.net

CHARLOTTE CHURCH

Charlotte Church is one of the UK’s most successful, talented and beloved young performers. A Welsh icon, classical and contemporary songstress and mainstream television hostess, she continues to entertain audiences across the world with her glowing, natural charm and burgeoning talent.

Born in Cardiff’s capital city in 1986, she became an international sensation with the release of her debut album, ‘Voice Of An Angel’ in 1998. Showcasing her unique vocals across a collection of arias, hymns and traditional pieces, it sold over four million copies worldwide and made her the youngest artist ever with a No. 1 album. It also propelled her to double platinum success in both the UK and USA.

In 1999 she cemented her impressive debut with the self-titled second album ‘Charlotte Church’. A Top Ten hit in the UK, peaking at Number 8, it was also a massive success in the US reaching platinum certification. Her third LP ‘Dream A Dream’ – an album principally made of Christmas carols – witnessed a triumphant experimentation with pop.

At just 16, in 2002, Charlotte released the best-of collection ‘Prelude’. Summarising her deftly impressive classical career, it coincided with an American Royal Christmas Tour alongside Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, which also preceded a beckoning change in musical direction.

The decision to move away from classical music was an instinctual, entirely natural decision. “My taste in music has always been the broadest of anyone I know and it is always changing.” Charlotte commented. “It was totally right for me to make a pop record. In my head there was no other real option.”

Similarly, the decision to co-write the bulk of the songs on the next album grew out of Charlotte’s innate sense of what works for her and what doesn’t. “I am not a shy girl,” she grins. Thus, when it came to picking out songs, Charlotte wanted only what felt right for her.

In the end this meant either writing them herself or finding songs that complemented the mood and content of her own songs. Her instincts were vindicated by platinum UK sales of the album and a nomination, at the age of 19, for Best British Female at the BRIT Awards in 2006.

An accomplished and internationally successful vocalist, Charlotte began to broaden the scope of her career with film and television.

Having made her silver screen debut with Craig Ferguson’s ‘I’ll Be There’, she also made a number of acclaimed cameo TV appearances in ‘Heartbeat’, ‘The Catherine Tate Show’, CBS’s ‘Touched By An Angel’ and the BBC’s ‘Have I Got News For You’.

In the summer of 2006, Charlotte was hosting her very own series – ‘The Charlotte Church Show’. An intoxicating mix of humour, audience hits and celebrity guests – as well as live performances by Charlotte – it was an instant hit and garnered unprecedented success with the highest 16-34 year old ratings in its time slot.

She’s already the holder of a Classical BRIT and a GQ Woman of the Year Award (2005), and 2006 saw Charlotte gather yet more accolades, including the Glamour Magazine Woman of the Year Award, a Loaded Magazine LAFTA for Favourite Television Personality (2006), and a prestigious British Comedy Award for Best Female Newcomer.

Returning in early 2007 with the second series of the ‘The Charlotte Church Show’, Charlotte announced midway through the series that she and long-term boyfriend, Welsh rugby star Gavin Henson, were expecting their first child. While production of the show’s third series was delayed as a result, Charlotte’s talents as a television personality were again recognised when she received Glamour Magazine’s Television Personality of the Year Award (2007).

Charlotte took a necessary and well-deserved rest during pregnancy, but still found time to release an autobiography (“Keep Smiling”) and raise funds for the Topsy Foundation (South African HIV/AIDS charity of which Charlotte is patron). In September 2007, Charlotte gave birth to a baby girl, Ruby Megan Henson, at her and Gavin’s home in South Wales.

In June 2008, Charlotte became pregnant with her second child and gave birth to her son Dexter at the turn of 2009. 2008 also saw the third series of The Charlotte Church Show on Channel 4, which finished up with a Christmas Special.

In 2009 Charlotte kept herself busy bringing up her two children and gave her undivided attention to family life out of the limelight

Hurtling into the here and now, Charlotte is ready to stamp her indelible mark over the music and television arenas yet again. She has signed a new record deal and is set to release her sixth studio album in the autumn with a tour to follow.

Still in television mode Charlotte will judge on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s BBC One series ‘Over The Rainbow’ in the search for a new musical performer. It’s the first of several exciting projects Charlotte has lined up with the BBC for 2010 and beyond.

Discography

* Voice of an Angel (1998) (1,924,323 scanned to date/Certified 2x Platinum)

* Charlotte Church (1999) (1,134,879 scanned to date/Certified Platinum)

* Dream a Dream (2000) (1,632,358 scanned to date/Certified Platinum)

* Enchantment (2001) (941,642 scanned to date/Certified Platinum)

* Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church (2002) (408,701 scanned to date)

* Tissues and Issues (2005) (UK Release ONLY)

Media Highlights

Appeared on countless television shows including Oprah, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman, Last Call with Carson Daly, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, Live with Regis and Kelly, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, MTV Total Request Live.

Has also appeared on the Closing Ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics, MTV Video Music Awards, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Martha Stewart’s Christmas Special , the Rockefeller Centre Tree Lighting and the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington DC.

Features in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, New York Post, Billboard, Rolling Stone, People, Entertainment Weekly to name a few and was voted one of Teen People’s 25 Hottest Stars Under 25 when she was 15.