Rebecca Newman

Rebecca Newman (born 1981) is an English soprano singer and songwriter. She came to prominence in the UK music scene in September 2014 when her debut chart album Dare to Dream went to number 1 in the Official UK Classical Artists Album Chart.[1][2]

Rebecca Newman
Background information
Born1981 (age 41–42)
OriginExmouth, Devon, England
GenresClassical-crossover, classical, musicals, folk
Instrument(s)Voice (Lyric soprano)
Years active2005–present
LabelsRambling Rose Records
Websiterebeccanewman.co.uk

Dubbed 'The People's Soprano' by her fans, colleagues and the media,[1][3][4] and following several years as an operatic street performer, she has sung with Aled Jones, Russell Watson, Alfie Boe, Blake, and Joseph Calleja and appeared on UK national television and radio.

Early life

Newman was born and raised in Exmouth, Devon, where she remained until she was 21.[5] She began singing at the age of 13 and twice during her teenage years won a place with the National Youth Music Theatre. In 2002 she moved to London to pursue a career in business, and then moved to York, North Yorkshire in 2004, to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of York, graduating in 2007.[6] During her time there she began busking and accepting professional engagements. She has remained resident in York, UK.[3]

Music career

Career beginnings

Newman released her first CD album in September 2005, which she recorded on location at the University of York's Jack Lyons Concert Hall.[7] She went on to release four more studio albums selling over 15,000 copies[8] before her debut chart-eligible album release in 2014. She also performed at many prestigious venues including Glasgow Royal Concert Hall,[9] The Royal Hall in Harrogate[10] and Headingley Stadium.[9] In 2013, Newman performed with Aled Jones at Truro Cathedral and Russell Watson at the Party in the Park in Burton Agnes,[3] and performed the national anthems live on international television for three Rugby League World Cup matches.[11] Newman also co-wrote and recorded the official song for the Rugby League World Cup Dance Project, Pass It On.[12] In November 2013, she released a charity single version of Wonderful Dream, originally released by the late singer Melanie Thornton.[13] Over the years, Newman built up a loyal following of supporters, who dub themselves The Newmaneers.[14][15]

Dare to Dream 2014–15
The three principals in Prague
Rebecca with Paul Bateman and James Fitzpatrick in Prague

In early 2013 she engaged the services of the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor and arranger Paul Bateman, orchestral producer James Fitzpatrick[16] and producer Gareth Ellis Williams[4] to help create her new album.

The title track, Dare to Dream, was co-written by Newman, Chris Nicolaides and Mike Brayn. The album was released on her own record label, Rambling Rose Records, on 14 September 2014 and it went straight to number one in the Official UK Classical Artists Albums Chart.[1][2] It received rave reviews[17][18] and quickly sold out online and in HMV stores[19] Following the chart success, Newman embarked on a fifty-plus date tour with Russell Watson, as his special guest,[20] performing to over 50,000 people from March to July 2015,[21] followed by a duet with tenor Alfie Boe during the final concert of his summer tour.[22][23]

Television and radio

Since 2005, Newman has appeared extensively on BBC regional radio and commercial radio stations, among them BBC Radio Bristol[24] and BBC Radio Norfolk.[25] She first appeared on BBC One's Songs of Praise in November 2014, performing The Prayer with the vocal group Blake,[26] and again in May 2015 singing Abide with Me as a solo performance in Manchester Cathedral.[27] The broadcast of the final round of the BBC Radio 2 Young Chorister of the Year competition in St Paul's Cathedral featured the special guests, Newman with Blake, in live performance,[28][29] and on the Radio 2 Weekend Wogan show she was interviewed by Sir Terry and performed live on air.[30]

Charity
Rebecca sings with RNLI members
Rebecca with RNLI lifeboatmen

Newman has worked extensively with charities including directly fundraising for ChildLine and for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute,[5][31] whose Coast to Coast tour in 2012[32] earned her the RNLI Award for Outstanding Achievement.[33] She has recently become the patron for Socks and Chocs, a West Midlands based homeless outreach charity.[34]
She has performed for fundraising events for many charities and community organisations, including The Royal British Legion.[35] and Tumaini Jipya.[36] In June 2017 she joined Joseph Calleja in a gala charity evening at the Victoria and Albert Museum in support of the Inle Trust.[37][38]

Discography

Albums
2005: Music Box
2008: Cantare
2009: Memory
2010: O Holy Night
2011: Fields of Gold
2014: Dare to Dream (UK Classical Artist Albums Chart No.1)

Singles
2012: "Il Mio Cuore Va"
2013: "Pass It On"
2013: "Heroes to the World"
2013: "Holidays Are Coming (Wonderful Dream)"
2014: "Heroes to the World – The People's Anthem"

References
  1. "The Classic FM Chart - 28 September 2014, 5pm". Classic FM.
  2. "Official Classical Artist Albums Chart Top 50 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  3. "York's Rebecca Newman to support Russell Watson at Party In The Park". York Press.
  4. October 2013, Daniel Falconer | 22. "Rebecca Newman 'The People's Soprano' - Exclusive Interview". Femalefirst.co.uk.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. "Rebecca and Exmouth". Exeter Express and Echo. 6 August 2015.
  6. York Alumni list
  7. "Concerts - Concerts, The University of York". Yorkconcerts.co.uk.
  8. "Rebecca Newman". Classical-crossover.co.uk.
  9. "York Press 12/10/2009 Help for Heroes Concert". York Press.
  10. "Royal Hall - Harrogate Convention Centre". Harrogateconventioncentre.co.uk.
  11. "Rebecca Newman - Dare to Dream". Rebeccanewman.co.uk.
  12. "Rebecca Newman releases official 2013 Rugby League World Cup song". York Press.
  13. "Rebecca Newman's video a Youtube hit". York Press.
  14. "Disabled forum". Rebeccanewmansoprano.forumchitchat.com.
  15. "Congratulations Rebecca Newman!". Mary-Jess.com.
  16. "Soprano Rebecca Newman releases ambitious new album". York Press.
  17. "Album review – Rebecca Newman 'Dare to Dream' album out now | The Music News Site". 13 May 2015. Archived from the original on 13 May 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  18. "Rebecca Newman and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra – 'Dare to Dream'". Unfashionablemale.co.uk. 13 November 2014.
  19. "Bath Chronicle 16/4/2015 Dare to Dream". bathchronicle.co.uk.
  20. "York's Rebecca Newman is special guest on Russell Watson's Tour from March to July". York Press.
  21. "York soprano Rebecca Newman will talk the talk and sing the sing on Sir Terry Wogan's BBC Radio 2 show on Sunday". York Press.
  22. "Watch: York soprano Rebecca Newman duets with Alfie Boe in Leeds". Yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk. 26 July 2015.
  23. "The duet on YouTube". YouTube.
  24. BBC Bristol, Twitter.com, 14 April 2015
  25. "BBC Radio Norfolk - Stephen Bumfrey, Rebecca Newman: 'The people's soprano'". BBC.
  26. "BBC One - Songs of Praise, 16/11/2014, The Prayer - Blake and Rebecca Newman". BBC.
  27. "BBC One - Songs of Praise, 24/05/2015". BBC.
  28. October 2014, Daniel Falconer | 23. "Rebecca Newman storming the charts with her eyes set on Christmas number one spot". Femalefirst.co.uk.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  29. "BBC Radio 2 - Radio 2 Young Choristers of the Year, 2014". BBC.
  30. "BBC Radio 2 - Weekend Wogan, Andrea Faustini and Rebecca Newman, Rebecca Newman live in session". BBC.
  31. "Classical Crossover Magazine, Spring 2014". Issuu.com.
  32. "RNLI News Articles, Videos and Media from the UK and Ireland". Rnli.org.
  33. "Award: RLWC: pre-penultimate para". Nothingbutleague.com.
  34. "Socks and Chocs patron sings for support". Bromsgrovestandard.co.uk.
  35. "Rebecca Newman to sing at Festival of Remembrance in York". York Press.
  36. "Charity Details". Beta.charitycommission.gov.uk.
  37. "Inle Trust | Children of the Revolution... A True story that had to be told". Ibletrust.org.uk.
  38. "Inle Trust Evening of Opera on YouTube". YouTube.
Rebecca Newman official website
BBC1 Songs of Praise: The Prayer 16/11/2014
BBC1 Songs of Praise: Abide with Me 24/5/2015
BBC Radio 2: Weekend Wogan, 19/7/2015
Ad-lib duet with Alfie Boe – Leeds Millenium Square 24/7/2015
Rebecca Newman's YouTube channel
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