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Songwriting Magazine
We chat to a classical singer whose alluring debut album features her own lyrics and a duet with José Carreras
Classical music might not be our forte, but we can spot a rising star when we see one. Such is the case with Carly Paoli whose debut album is currently riding high in the classical charts. Making the achievement even more impressive is the fact that Paoli contributed her own lyrics to the record, writing words to familiar melodies such as Cinema Paradiso and the theme to Legends Of The Fall.
Born in Mansfield but with Italian family, Paoli was able to combine her education at the Royal Northern College of Music with the experience of singing in the piazzas of Puglia as a teenager. Singing My Dreams was recorded at Abbey Road Studios and was largely arranged by Romano Musumarra; it’s an accessible entry point into the world of classical music for pop and theatre fans. We caught up with Carly shortly after the record’s release to discuss her lyric-writing process…
NottsTV IN REVIEW: Notts classical singer Carly Paoli lays bare on debut album ‘Singing My Dreams’
Mansfield classical singer Carly Paoli reflects upon her journey to the stars on her debut album ‘Singing My Dreams’.
While achieving complete immersion throughout with impeccable atmosphere, Carly tells the story of her journey to make her dreams a reality.
However she is not afraid to share her deeper, darker thoughts and experiences she has encountered along the way.
Carly’s incredible control and range is showcased immediately on the opening track ‘Music of Heaven’ which eases into the album.
One of the lead tracks ‘The Mystery of Your Gift’ is the one that sticks in the memory long after the album finishes.
The song focuses on a journey into the unknown but the potential hurdle is tackled with excitement and optimism.
Daily Mail The diva with drive: Opera singer Carly Paoli meets Liz Jones
I’m in a modest, modern house in the suburbs of Mansfield and I’m being offered a Tunnock’s teacake. Of all the stars I’ve interviewed, it’s a first – but this is a hospitable, half-Italian household, the childhood home of 27-year-old mezzo-soprano Carly Paoli, who has just returned from performing at the Forum in Rome with world-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli.
You’d expect an opera singer to be holed up in a palazzo somewhere hot, not in a front room with swirly carpet. There are lots of photos of her elder brother, Dean, a builder, yet I can’t spot one of Carly – not even a memento of her appearance on stage with Spanish tenor José Carreras.
But this is a mega-proud household: Mum and dad (Tina and Paul Hopkinson) positively swell to twice their normal size when Carly – a denim skirt cinching her handspan waist, a pink Karen Millen biker jacket over her shoulders – brings me a cup of coffee.
Andrea Bocelli live at the O2 Arena
Performing with Andrea Bocelli and Nicole Scherzinger at The O2 Arena
