The blonde bombshell of British popera takes on the world
As she sets her sights on the world stage, the golden girl of British classical music and self-confessed ‘diva’ Katherine Jenkins tells it like it is – and says she’ll never let the critics hold her back.
Katherine Jenkins and I are deep in dictionary corner, trying to work out whatever happened to the true meaning of the word ‘diva’. Because, although it meant ‘goddess’ in Latin – the sort of thing a girl would probably want to be called – these days it seems to mean ‘demanding flibbertigibbet who, frankly, could do with a good talking-to’.
Yet the show in which Katherine jointly starred with Darcey Bussell in 2008 was called Viva La Diva, and we presume that neither of them was asking us to come and watch a pair of stroppy little madams.
The dictionary session has arisen because, days before we meet, Katherine’s rider for her recent arena tour was leaked, and suddenly she is being accused in the press of ‘diva-ish demands’. On closer inspection, her demands were so undemanding that they could have been a weekly shop: a loaf of brown bread, a few cans of Coke, a bar of soap.
But because she is beautiful, blonde, female, sings for a living, and – crime of all crimes – is successful (four million albums sold and counting, and an estimated wealth of £11 million) – she is labelled a diva. Of the bad sort.
‘It’s a shame isn’t it? Because when I think “diva” I think of all these amazing women – very talented, strong and secure – who know what they want artistically.’
Katherine Jenkins knows how to behave herself – her mum makes sure of it. ‘She’s a strong Welsh woman, she says it as it is. Trust me, she would never let me get to that point where I’d start demanding this and that or behaving badly. She berates me enough when I don’t empty the dishwasher at home! There’s no star treatment in Neath.’
There may well not be – but, increasingly, Katherine is getting star treatment further afield. In the past few months she has been promoting her album Believe in France, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Canada, America, Australia, Brazil and Argentina – making her, she says, ‘the Air Miles Queen’.
This is all part of Katherine Jenkins Mark II. Since changing record company from Universal to Warner in late 2008 for a reported £5.8 million deal, her new paymasters want to take her to what men in suits might call ‘the next level’ – from nation’s sweetheart to global superstar.
‘I went to Argentina for a record signing,’ she says, ‘and I honestly thought, “Who knows me in Argentina? Who’s going to come and see me?” There were thousands of people there. I was gobsmacked.’
The downside of all this is being away from her partner, TV presenter Gethin Jones, and her friends and family. She says that Skype is her lifeline. ‘I pick up the laptop and show my mum my hotel room. She brings the dog in for me to see. It can be lonely, but it’s something I’m getting better at dealing with.’
Not every country knows quite what to make of a Welsh mezzo-soprano singing classical crossover. ‘I remember being in Brazil and doing their equivalent of Oprah through a translator. The translator wasn’t very good – I’d just sung, and the host came on and said through the translator, “I want to kiss her neck.” So I kind of went, “Er, OK”, and she kissed me there. The whole audience erupted. I didn’t get it until afterwards when they told me she wanted to kiss my voice. So it was actually really sweet, but at the time it was one of those moments when you just think, “What is going on?”’
Many a strange thing has happened to the archetypal girl-from-the-valleys-done-good this year. She’s done her first acting gig, for starters. Just a small one, mind – as the female lead in the upcoming Christmas episode of Doctor Who.
‘First, I should say that I don’t count myself as an actress and I have never had any training. When they approached me I asked if I could go in and read to them because I thought, “Well, if they think I’m rubbish then they won’t give it to me.”’ Evidently they thought she was anything but rubbish. The next day, which happened to be her 30th birthday, the producers gave her the part, opposite Matt Smith and Michael Gambon.
Doctor Who storylines are more carefully guarded secrets than the formula for Coca-Cola. I manage to squeeze out of her, though, that a) she plays a girl, b) she isn’t a Dalek, c) the role is a one-off, and d) the episode is going to be the most Christmassy thing since a Robin landed on a snow-capped mince pie trilling ‘The First Noël’.
But extracting any more than that is like trying to get her to be rude about Charlotte Church, or disgorge details of her love life with Gethin – no chance. She ‘can’t tell me’ whether or not she sings on the programme. She does reveal, however, that the acting bug may have bitten. ‘I really loved it, and it’s been a shock to me because I thought I would struggle, but I came out of there thinking, “Wow, maybe that’s something I want to do more of.”’
Her appearance on Doctor Who will delight her younger fans, but it will provide more ammunition to the classical music lovers who have never quite taken Katherine to their hearts. The charge is simple: because she is sexy, sings both pop and classical, and fills big venues (such as London’s Royal Albert Hall next month) with lavish shows, she is not a ‘real’ musician.
This is the one slight that gets a girl who is otherwise permanently gleaming a little bit riled. In fact, more than a little bit… ‘It really winds me up. I think back to when I was studying (she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London at 17) and I’d go to parties and tell people I was training to be an opera singer. They’d say, “I don’t believe you. You don’t look like an opera singer.” And I would think, “Well, why not? It doesn’t have to be like that.” People have serious misconceptions about what opera or classical music is about. They think it’s for an older audience. There’s so much snobbery involved
Katherine hates the snobbery because it puts people off the music that has given her so much. She comes from what she calls ‘a very normal background. I didn’t hear classical music at home, I didn’t have that privileged upbringing – but I loved singing. When I finally had singing lessons at 14, my teacher introduced me to classical music because he thought it would suit me and I fell in love with it. My point is I don’t think it should be something that’s kept for a small amount of people. It was the pop music
of its day. It was written for the masses, so let’s not make it an elitist thing.’
She isn’t one to let the naysayers deter her, though: ‘I still want to do an opera, maybe in the next 18 months, but when I do it I know I’ll get slated. I’m quite sensitive and I have definitely had to develop a thicker skin to deal with all of this. But I don’t think a few people should put me off.’
She has the same attitude to those who carp at her image on the album covers – all flowing ballgowns and monochrome glamour. ‘I feel as though some people think, “Oh, she’s not really like that. The record company made this image to sell the classical music, all the long dresses.” But I have always been a girlie girl. That look would have been my dream when I was little. One of my idols was Marilyn Monroe – I couldn’t get enough of her. So when I’m doing this, it’s me. This is how I am.’
Katherine wears a lot of Victoria Beckham, Dolce & Gabbana and Alexander McQueen, but mixes her designer dresses with high-street buys from French Connection, Topshop and Reiss. Then it’s Marks & Spencer for essentials, such as vest tops, and to finish, a pair of fancy heels by McQueen, Louis Vuitton or Jimmy Choo: ‘As long as you’ve got a good shoe, you’re set!’
Posh frocks are all very well, but what if we popped round to her North London home to borrow some sugar? ‘You’d probably find me in a pair of Victoria’s Secret pyjamas and a fleece, no make-up and hair tied back. It’s lovely to be dolled up and do all the glam stuff for photo shoots like this – and I do love this 50s look – but it’s also nice to be natural at home.’
Her skincare routine involves using La Prairie Cellular Energizing Mask whenever she gets off a plane, as well as Eve Lom cleanser and regular Intraceuticals oxygen facials. Sounds a little Michael Jackson, Katherine… ‘It’s a machine that pumps oxygen and vitamins into the skin – apparently Madonna has one, too. It’s not a surgical thing; it’s very natural, but it’s good for keeping the skin healthy.’
Running is Katherine’s health kick: ‘When I’m travelling I can’t rely on a gym or a trainer or a yoga class. But I can run wherever I am in the world and hopefully see a bit of the city.’
She is a big Tweeter as a means of contact with her fans, but some things are off limits. ‘I won’t talk about spending time with my boyfriend. We have the same agreement when it comes to all press. We want to keep some things for ourselves – I’ve always been private about my personal life, so even though I Tweet about what I’m doing work-wise, I’m also careful not to give too much away.’
In terms of career ambitions, her eyes now turn to America. ‘I don’t think you can be complacent and just say, “Oh, I’ve done it all now.” I haven’t. I want to work in America. I’d love to be nominated for a Grammy.’
And there are personal ambitions, too. ‘I’d like to have children one day. I’ve got a strong maternal instinct – I’m a mother hen! I’ve made a conscious decision that I will do a few more years of the concerts and travelling and singing – I always want to sing but I also don’t want to be the mum who drags her kids around on tour. I want to be around to enjoy motherhood, so I think I will take a little bit of a break and then hopefully come back after that. But I’m only 30 – I’ve still got time.’
Katherine’s album Believe is released by Warner
