Watch ‘The People’s Tenor’ Russell Watson, ahead of Suffolk concert, talk about the Royal Albert Hall, Whitney Houston and his South African ostrich
This world-famous singer's unique voice has captivated audiences around the globe, earning him numerous awards and accolades including four Classical Brit awards
But now Russell Watson, regarded as The People’s Tenor, is on a ‘Magnificent Buildings Tour’ including some of the UK's most beautiful abbeys, churches and cathedrals, with a Suffolk date at Lavenham Church on December 9.
You can see the full Six of the Best Podcast video here or you can read one of the answers Russell gave below:
With this tour, do you sometimes prefer performing at these smaller intimate venues rather than world class places?
“No, not necessarily, they are all different and I just enjoy performing. It doesn’t matter where I am – recently I have done everything from singing in a stadium to singing for a handful of people at a retirement home.
“I get the same buzz and the same feeling regardless whether it is 10,000 or 10, I get a wonderful feeling.
“It is a scientific fact that singing releases endorphins in us and makes us feel good, so I like to sing as often as I can because I like to feel good.”
But do you still get nerves though from performing at places, such as the Royal Albert Hall, or at these gigs on the tour?
“I did the Royal Albert Hall a couple of months ago and there were no nerves, I literally couldn’t wait to get out there.
“I have been very fortunate, since 1997, to have performed at the Royal Albert Hall on lots of lots of occasions – too many to recall actually.
“But I remember the first time I walked out on the stage there. It was with this real sense of trepidation, I felt overwhelmed by the whole occasion in this magnificent building in the centre of London and just feeling quite intimidated by the whole thing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra waiting for me
“Spin on about 26 years later and I am walking out on the stage and it is a different feeling because I have kind of grown into what I do, I don’t go out with that trepidation or nerves or fear, I now walk out there with confidence and a sense of wanting to deliver the best performance that I can, because this is what I do and I always want to deliver my best.”
