Future Classic Women Awards – FCWA 2021 Crossover Winner 270921

Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonti, on the Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. And today, after a year of wonderful interview and meeting so many fantastic artists, I'm gonna reveal the winner for the crossover section of Future Classic Women Awards, third edition. But before I reveal the name, I'd like to nominate again the finalists that were Aliki, uh, and Ellen Williams, Lola G, and Natasha Barbieri. So I let you guess who the winner is by listening to the first track of today that is called Cinema Paradiso. Mettresti la bellezza che ho, piena d'allegria, e ulteriore dentro gli occhi tuoi, e mi arrosseresti. Oh, Rialdo, se tu fossi nel mio cuore per un giorno, potresti aver l'un'idea di ciò che sento io quando abbracci forte a te e petto a petto noi respiriamo insieme. How beautiful! This was Cinema Paradiso, and I guess you all guessed who the winner of Future Classic Women Awards crossover category is for the 2021— Ellen Williams! Good morning, Ellen! Good morning, Stefania. Oh, thank you so much. I'm really, really delighted to have won. I can't quite believe it. There are brilliant artists in the final, so I'm just chuffed. And thank you to everyone who listened to my episode with you and voted. I'm really delighted. Well, congratulations. I mean, this program is really not very much of a competition. It's more about being able to get to know so many wonderful women musicians. And, you know, the pros and the cons of their careers. But then, of course, it's called Future Castle Women Awards, so— and the winner is the one that is shared the most and listened the most. And it was very close, I have to say, because everyone, as you said, is amazing. But I'm very pleased to, to have you today as our winner of the third edition. Where were you when we gave you the news? I was actually in the middle of a building site, not doing anything music related, in a very echoey room where I said, oh my gosh, you know, I've been given this award. But as you say, yes, it's not a competition, and that makes it even more, you know, special because it means that people wanted to listen to what I had to say. And so all the other interviews as well were very interesting. I listened to them and enjoyed listening myself. So yes, it's I'm grateful that people enjoyed listening to what I had to say. And of course, your music— I mean, Cinema Paradiso is one of your best-selling singles, and I mean, the music by Morricone is absolutely fantastic. How, how did you decide to sing this song, to choose this one for the— as the first track of the, of this episode? Well, this was one of the first tracks I released as a single this year, and I released it in time for Valentine's Day in February. Um, so I thought it was a very suitable song. I just love the film so much and the romance in the film, and of course the beautiful music by Ennio Morricone. So, um, it felt like a good piece to put out there as my first kind of classical crossover single as well. Um, so yes, and, and of course my, my new EP coming out in October is titled Cinema, so 'cinema paradiso' had to be included, and it's a selection of songs from the movies. So I really can't wait for people to hear those, and I think you'll be playing some of them today, so it'll be a little preview. Indeed. I mean, how is— how do you think is the relationship between crossover music and the cinema? Well, I think cinema plays a huge role in crossover music. We take so many of our songs from beautiful, you know, some themes themes from film composers and sometimes make them into songs and add lyrics and add meaningful words. And, you know, that's exactly what happened with Cinema Paradiso. The words 'se' were added. The same with 'Nella Fantasia,' a very famous crossover piece where Sarah Brightman sang those words to the music from the film The Mission. So, yes, film music plays a huge role in crossover music, and I guess just lends itself well to be sung in a kind of classical way because it's so expansive. I think indeed there is also this, I think, beautiful relationship between the crossover singing and opera. And opera, normally you are singing in an aria the feelings of the character, um, in that specific moment of the plot of the story. And in the cinema is exactly the same. In the movies you get the music to, um, underline— I mean, to amplify the feelings of that specific scene. And this cinema, Paradiso, is really one of the most beautiful examples of how the music can convey this nostalgia, this longing memory as well, a feeling of the times that were beautiful. And as well, a fantastic celebration of the whole art craft of cinema. Often in classical music, composition for screen, seen as something different than the composition for a symphony, for classical composition, let's say. But they are very much related, and they're really much the same. Yes, of course. And like you say, you have to take a clip or a scene from an entire movie or an entire opera and portray the emotion of the character or the story or everything that's happening in that moment without having seen— you know, you haven't haven't listened to the overture, you haven't seen Act 1, or you haven't watched the first hour of the film, for example, but that song and the emotion and the way you sing it has to convey everything from the film. Yes. Yeah. Now I have a very, you know, funny question. It's something that sometimes comes to mind by just talking with you, for example. What do you think about operas that they are made into movies? It was something that was happening a lot, like in the '40s, in the '50s. You might have seen— I remember there was one specific on Traviata, for example, with Tyrone Power, I think he was. And yeah, I haven't seen that one, but I think, I think it's a great idea. I know they did, they did Romeo and Juliet, didn't they? But I guess that, you know, that is known as a play as well. It's not just the opera. But I think it's interesting. I think it's great to see opera opera being kind of modernized, and I don't mean modernized in terms of how it's portrayed, but just that it's brought into film and that people can access it at home or on their computers, on television. Of course, it can be portrayed from any period then, but I think it's great. It just makes it more accessible and easier to digest for some people who might not want to go to the opera, or they find it that it's still, it is kind of still considered this elitist form, sadly, which it shouldn't be. But it gives more people access to it and to enjoy it in the comfort of their own homes. And then if they want, if they fell in love with the music, you know, as well as the filmography and everything, they might go to the opera then. So who knows? It opens up possibilities to people. Well, I'm sure you've seen the beautiful version of Otello, for example, or Tosca made by Zeffirelli, and that's the proper opera. Have you seen those? I think I did see those when I was in college studying opera, yes. With Plácido Domingo, so beautiful. And I thought the cinema was giving you, the filming actually was giving you some extra tools to the, you know, when you go to the opera you can have an incredible set design and an incredible direction of the singers and acting and everything, but still you can't see the sea, the storm, and I I remember in Othello there is this moment when Othello discovers that Iago has lied, and so he killed— Othello killed his wife Desdemona out of a lie. So Desdemona was actually faithful to him, and so he says, "Val ciel non ha più fulmini," so the sky doesn't have lightning anymore. And so he through the spire against Iago, and he gets him at the end exactly of this moment. And that's so powerful as an image that you can't really do on stage like that, to have your— I think the cinema is a way of really having the eyes of the spectator to look exactly where the film director, the theater director, want you to look. Because when you are at the Royal Opera House, yes, the singer could be singing something, but you could be looking something else happening on stage. And instead, like that, you're really— it's so dynamic. And then of course the singer has to work even harder to keep the attention. Indeed. But there is such a celebration of the whole. So I definitely recommend people to look for those beautiful movies. And also, I don't know if you had the opportunity to go to the cinema to see the opera when they were in live streaming from the Metropolitan, for example, or from the Royal Opera House. Have you ever seen those? Yes, that's brilliant, isn't it? I have— have I been? Oh, I knew I'd planned to go just before the pandemic, and I haven't actually been. It feels like it's been such a long time. I saw something streamed with Renée Fleming, I think, the last time. It was brilliant just to get to watch her sort of live, but Yeah, of course it would be without flying to wherever she was performing. Yeah, exactly. And also, of course, you don't get that live sound that is in the same— when you are in the same room. I mean, there is a power that the audience, the energy that the audience give you when you are inside the Royal Opera House, for example, or the English, uh, the Palladium, you know, the English National Opera, um, that is not the same as when you are in the cinema. But then you get the extra that you can have drinks, you can have popcorns. Yeah, it's a different experience, isn't it? Because if you went to watch an opera in the Royal Opera House, I'd probably, you know, put on a nice dress, make the most of it, maybe have a glass of something fizz, some fizz before going in. But you go to the cinema in your jeans and a t-shirt and enjoy it differently. Absolutely. Well, the next song we're gonna listen to is No Time to Die, and then we're gonna talk about this song. I'd live alone. Just goes to show that the blood you bleed is just the blood you owe. Who you are, a pest. But I saw you there. Too much to bear. You are my life, but life is far away from fair. Was I stupid to love you? Was I reckless to help? Was it obvious to everybody else? Let it fall, fall in line. You are never on my side. For yours were me twice. By your death, O Paradise, now you'll never see me cry. There's just no time to die. I let it go. You're no longer my concern. Faces from my past return. Another lesson yet to learn. That I fought for a lie. You were never home, my son. From your arms fooled me twice. I, your daughter, How beautiful! This was No Time to Die, sung by the winner of the crossover category of Future Classical Women Awards, Ellen Williams. Ellen, how did you choose this song? Apart that it's beautiful, of course, but— Well, that was very exciting. That would have been one of the first times it would have been heard on the radio, so that was exciting to hear. But I chose this song for the ep, which is out in October, because, um, because of the huge hype there's been around the James Bond film coming out at the end of September. It's been delayed almost— is it 2 years almost? Because yeah, so I think the hype around it has just grown and grown, and I can't wait to see it. And you know, even when Billie Eilish released this song all that time ago now, I thought it was such a powerful piece and such a classic James Bond sounding song. So you know, Over the years, I've really enjoyed watching the James Bond films and equally enjoyed listening to the theme tunes. I think probably being Welsh, you know, I love the ones that Shirley Bassey sang. Ah, of course. 'I'll Be Forever,' you know. And funnily enough, I think those films are probably possibly my favourite with Sean Connery playing Bond. Ah, you tell me. But I do like Daniel Craig as well, and I'm really looking forward to seeing this next film. You know, the Shirley Bassey tune from W07 is on my playlist, so I always listen to that. When she has such an operatic voice when she's pushing out, it's incredible. I've seen a concert— what was that, 2 years ago now? Because with the pandemic, it's more than a year I don't— I didn't see concerts. Um, and I think it was her 80s birthday or something like that, and she was just phenomenal. I mean, Yeah, to have that voice and that power. It was at the Roundhouse in Camden Town and they filmed it, so it was on television as well. And it was just magical, like the W7 movies. I'm a super fan. My dad told me it was the first movie he watched when he was a kid with Sean Connery, actually. Yes, at the cinema. Yeah. And so I've seen them all since I was little and funny enough. That's how I— it was a very special, uh, my first date with my future husband. We went to see Daniel Craig with his, uh, Casino Royale, and I was, I was loving it. So I didn't think I would like Daniel Craig because, you know, you're so used to the dark beauty of Sean Connery, but Daniel was just as phenomenal, really. More similar really to Pierce Brosnan. Piers Brosnan? No, I don't. Yeah, yeah, Piers Brosnan. I think he did it once. Yeah, yeah, right. Played Bond. Yes, but as you say, yeah, I grew up watching the Bond films as well with the family and being introduced to all the ones that were released before I was born. So it's become an institution, hasn't it? So, but I— oh, I'm so— you know, it's fantastic you went to see Shirley Bassey in concert. I did meet her once. Really? At Buckingham Palace and Prince of Wales was there as well, but I had a quick conversation with Shirley Bassey and she just spoke about my dress and complimented my ball gown. And, you know, I was on cloud nine speaking to her about dresses because she's had some fantastic sort of feathery ones, sequins. I know. Hasn't she? I know. I like them all, her dresses. It was just phenomenal. But tell me, tell me, were you singing at Buckingham I was, yes. There was a gala concert for, yes, the Prince of Wales, and it was, yeah, it was the only time I've sang in the palace actually so far. I would love to do so again, but yes, it was a very memorable experience. There was lots of security and lots of checks to go through, but then once we were in, it was wonderful. Oh, fantastic. Well, did you have any family member to come and watch you singing there? Oh no, no, not that time, no. Oh no, plus ones or family members? No, that's so terrible. I mean, I don't know about you, but me, I, I suffer. I mean, when I have to perform and I know that no one of my close family members, particularly for example my dad is one of the biggest fan of mine, but even my husband, and I have concerts coming up, I'm very, uh, you know, grateful to be able to perform again on stage but it's not the same than when you have one of your, uh, you know, family members are like a piece of your heart and they are there. So somehow you, you can really enjoy it all around and not just from the stage. What do you think? Yeah, no, I, I completely know what you mean and I, I completely agree. It's lovely that my, my mother is one of my biggest fans, you know, my biggest supporters, and she's been there through my whole career so far. And I'm sure, you know, I look to her for a lot of advice in, in the music industry as well, as she's sort sort of been there in a different kind of realm because she was a harpist, um, but she's a concert harpist and she played all over the world. So it's been— yeah, it's been great to get some advice and, and as you say, just to have that support when somebody, um, who's rooting for you is there in the audience as well. Yeah, but even when you have a friend, I think, uh, um, did they have it happen to you? For example, I had I'm a pianist, so you have other pianist friends and they come and watch you. Some of my friends, they would say, oh no, don't come because then I get too nervous because I know you're there and you know, if I do wrong notes, you know what I mean? You will know. Yes. Yeah. But to me, you know that anyway, they're friends and they're there just, you know, praying that nothing goes wrong all the way till the end and that you're going to be fantastic. And then their joy is even more than your joy, isn't it? Yes, exactly. And you're all, you know, also supportive and so different anyway, and you probably play different repertoire. Certainly with singers, we all have very different voices, and some of my closest friends who are singers, I would never, you know, they'd always be supportive. And you all have a different, especially with your voice, you have a completely different instrument. So if you're singing the same aria that, say, another soprano sings all the time as well, then of course they're going to know if you say the wrong words. That's one of the problems. I mean, um, I remember when I was little, I thought, oh, it's easier to sing a song because you just need to remember the words. It's not that easy at all, isn't it? Because the words are so many as well, particularly with singing. You know, piano, for example, you do a piece and it's long, 10 minutes. So you put together 3 pieces, you already have done half of the program, if you like, right? But you have to play 10 different songs, to sing 10 different songs, for example, if you're doing a recital. So it's a lot of words and a lot of exposed technique and, you know, trouble to happen. Sorry? Memory capacity. It makes me think of— I think we kind of remember the words as muscle memory, especially if they're songs that we many times. I know I was singing in Washington a few years ago and I was really jet-lagged when I did my first performance and the first thing that kind of went from my mind was the words of a song that I've sang so many times. It was, I think it was a Welsh song actually, so I've known it since I was a little girl and the words just, they felt like they weren't there and I remember thinking, right, just rely on autopilot, switch on memory mode, you know, And of course they were there. I was just so tired I couldn't think about them, but they were there in muscle memory, or, you know, it's some long— what did— where do they call it? When— where they store long memories in your mind. Yes, in there somewhere. Wow. It's a bit like actors as well. You go see them, actors, particularly in the theater when they are doing a play. There is no, uh, cut scene 2, scene 3, where you can repeat over and over. It's just one, and often no music to jog memories. They just have line after line after line, so they have to latch on to certain things, which makes them remember what comes next. Well, yeah, let's say it's not easy to be on stage anyway, anything you're doing. Well, the next song we're gonna listen to is "Now We Are Free." How did you choose this song? This is— I wouldn't say that Gladiator is one of my all-time favorite films, but the song certainly is. So, sang by Lisa Gerrard, wasn't it? And I've always loved the music of Hans Zimmer, you know, in every film. Yeah. So even going back to childhood, he scored the music for The Lion King with Elton John. Um, but you know, those big sort of epic scenes from The Lion King, just the instrumental music is and it's incredible. It always gives me goosebumps now as well. And, you know, more recent films like Dunkirk and things like that, which Hans Zimmer has scored. So certainly the music is— and Now We Are Free is just, it's a super theme, isn't it? And it's a song that everybody knows. I'm sure it's been on lots of adverts as well. So even if you're not a film buff or you don't like, I don't know, filmic music, you will have heard it somewhere. It's one of those pieces and it's just so uplifting and powerful all at once. Once, and it was one I just really wanted to give a classical take on and to include on the EP. Yeah, well, somehow it makes me think this is the perfect moment to play these. It's a kind of, you know, not restriction. We're starting a new year, you know, for academically speaking, it starts from September and then it goes to the summer, and now we're free finally to get back our lives, go back to performing, and go back to the office. And, uh, it couldn't be a better moment to play this song. So let's listen. Now We're Free, sung by Ellen Williams. With his long mane, poor Devonshire Knight, he went, and tore apart his line for the England Lads. Wow, and this was "Now We Are Free" by Hans Zimmer, played, sung by Ellen Williams, the winner of Future Classical Women Awards crossover category. Helen, very beautiful, so peaceful, I was about to forget to talk. Oh, thank you. You get lost in that music. The music is so incredible, it's really bringing you to a different level. And that's— Absolutely, especially with the words which were kind of made up by Lisa Gerrard when she sang the theme. And she said they were the language of her heart and what she felt should be sung. I think there was a language that she spoke when she was little, and then she wrote this piece with Hans Zimmer. With the language of her heart. So it's, yeah, it was quite a challenge learning all the sounds, and I wanted to get them right. So I listened to her singing it so many times. Yes, it is very peaceful and very calming, isn't it? Especially with those, the words really help that feeling. Absolutely. Well, now we are at the last part of our interview. And I wanted to ask you, so we have this fantastic EP coming out in— when is it coming out? In October, you said? Yes, it's October 8th, so it's just under 3 weeks away, and I'm very excited for people to hear these new tracks again, which you've played today. Yes. Ah, fantastic, fantastic. So when did you record these tracks? Was it during the lockdown? Yes, during— well, we're not so much in lockdown anymore. But they have been done, yes, in the past few months, so that's had its challenges in itself, but managing to get by, and it's— I'm thrilled to be able to produce something. You know, my producer is fantastic. I'm working with a really special musical team, and I think the sound that we're coming up together is something that I'm really proud of and really happy to share and put my name to it. I just feel very, very, very happy with how it's turned out, and I hope people enjoy Beautiful. And do you have any performance coming up where people can come and see you live? Yes, well, I'm starting to put performances on my website and social media for later in the year. So recently I posted that I'm singing a Messiah this December in Wales, which I'm very much looking forward to. But there's other concerts which are in the process of being finalized, and they're just— I will be sharing those soon. I'm hoping to be able to put on my own concert this year. Um, I'm currently working on an album of Christmas songs as well. So that's the first time I've shared that with anybody. Um, but it's, it's full-on Christmas in my house at the moment. I'm singing these songs for his— ready to go into the studio and record them. And I'm being sent all the arrangements. And even though it's sunny and it's still very much September weather outside, I, I have gone full-on Christmas. So I'm hoping there'll be a concert that I can be announced very soon. Well, I have to say, it's never too early to sing a Christmas song. No, well, actually, Christmas songs tend to be recorded in August. I know. I'm sort of late to the party, but we'll get there. It's coming together and it's almost there, really. So it's been Christmas for a while here. Well, you know, we're gonna wait to be able to listen to those ones for our special Christmas episode in December. That is normally the last that we do before the Christmas holidays. So please share that with us. We're really looking forward to it. Wonderful, really looking forward to it. And how was your summer? So apart from recording a Christmas song, were you able to travel? I haven't traveled, no. It's been very busy. I was supposed to go somewhere a few weeks ago, but unfortunately we're still on the red list, so it's not, it's not been worth it. But I've been pretty busy with the new recordings and also having a lot of fun making music videos for these recordings. So the video for 'Now We Are Free' is already released on YouTube if people would like to have a look, and there'll be another new video on the way to coincide with the release of James Bond. So I had a lot of fun recently pretending to be a Bond girl. Oh gosh! Yes, recording 'No Time to Die,' and you know, my dress had sequins and I had a quiff in my hair. So, um, it's been, yes, busy but a lot of fun. And I'm looking forward to sharing that video as well. I can't wait to see it. Oh my gosh. So I mean, it's beautiful because basically you get to act in a movie. Yes, yes. While singing your favorite song. Yeah, that's just perfect. Oh, fantastic. Well, the next song that we're gonna listen today, uh, before we end is You'll Be My Heart. Would you like to talk about this song? Yes, well, this was one of the songs I felt that I had to include on my first collection of cinematic pieces because it's a song that every time I hear it, not only does it make me think of the film Tarzan, of course, and the scene where the mummy gorilla has to say goodbye to Tarzan and it breaks my heart, but it's every time I hear it I can't help getting a lump in my throat if not crying, you know. It's so beautiful. So Phil Collins wrote this song with his daughter Lily in mind and it just tells that message of unconditional love. And, you know, even if people aren't together, that they'll still be in your heart. And it's such a beautiful song in both the melody and the lyrics. I had to include it. I managed not to record— not to cry whilst I did my recording. That's exactly what I was about to ask. I mean, how do you do that? When I, when I chose it and I was listening to the Phil Collins soundtrack Yeah, of course I cried. I just, I always do. I don't know, this is the song for me that always sets me off. But yes, managed to hold it together whilst recording myself. But I'm hoping that some of the emotion that obviously affects me when I hear it being sung comes across in my version. Sometimes it's so hard. Did it ever happen to you to cry on stage singing one song? I know it's more difficult for singers. I mean, for pianists it's a bit easier because you cry, but you can keep having your fingers of working around the keyboard. But for a singer— have you, have you cried whilst, whilst playing? I did, and I tried to mask the, the tears, but sometimes, you know, you are in, in the zone, because when you're playing, basically you go in the zone. And, and it was, I don't know, maybe it was the energy from the audience as well. I don't know what it was, but just, I just could not do it. And of course, the This was absolutely beautiful. It's also very dangerous because the moment you're crying, you lose your concentration and you risk then to choke with the fingers in the same way, so then maybe you forget the passage afterwards. Oh wow, but I'm sure it added to the emotion of the piece as well. I've certainly felt strong emotion in pieces, but I think I've always told myself to to detach in a way from the performance and from the music if you need to, which is a shame. Maybe, you know, I'd love to be able to let myself indulge in the music and feel all the emotions when I'm performing as well, but so far I feel sometimes it's your responsibility as a performer to give the best performance as well. Although, you know, that might be one that includes choking up, as you say, but obviously with the voice, if you get emotional, it goes straight to the larynx. So it's to be able to carry on and be completely honest with the emotions at the same time. There is this way of singing, and Pavarotti was a master on this, when he would have the voice that would sound like he was crying, but he wasn't. So it was part of the— I can't remember exactly which aria it was, but a few arias. So there is this way way of, of going in. Um, that was— he— I mean, Pavarotti was just a master of the voice. He could do whatever he wanted, really. Sort of an acting technique to convey the emotion across. Yeah. Another one, another one incredible was Mario Lanza. Um, that was so— that became so famous. It was one of the first, if you want, crossover. He was a proper opera singer, but also becoming the first to bring the opera to cross over through the movies in the '40s and the '50s. So, so yeah, I mean, there is so much beautiful music with operatic singing in it. And I was even watching my daughter's movies, and you get that in the children's music. It's incredible. Yes, well, absolutely. This, this song, You'll Be in My Heart, is featured in the Tarzan film, isn't it? So I associate it with Tarzan as well, but it's still just as beautiful. I mean, that's something amazing that film music can do, is open you up to the emotions of the story, and the music takes you straight into the world of the scriptwriter and makes you feel everything all at once. So the music brings so much to a film. Well, let's listen then. You'll Be My Heart. I will protect you from all around you. I will be— don't you cry. For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm. This bond between us can't be broken. I will be here, don't you cry, 'cause you're within my heart. Yes, you're within my heart, from this day on, now and forevermore. Why can't they understand the way we feel? They just don't trust what they can't explain. I know we're different, but deep inside us, we're not that different at all. And you will bleed, Moriarty. Is you within my heart from this day on, now and forevermore. Don't listen to them, 'cause what do they know? We need each other to You have to hold. They see it all. I know. When destiny calls you, you must be strong. It may not believe you, but you've got to hold on. They see it all. Always. I'll be with you. I'll be there for you always, always and always. Just look over your shoulder. Just look over your shoulder. Just look over your shoulder. I'll be there. Always. How beautiful this was. You'll Be My Heart, sung by the winner of Future Classic Women Awards, Ellen Williams. Really beautiful, Ellen. Um, so now we are gonna do, uh, the very last part. And because we talked about this beautiful, um, idea of making the movies for, for the videos of the, uh, of these, uh, EP that you're releasing in October, I wanted to ask you, is there any funny episode that happened while filming? Oh, probably, my gosh. Well, how do we start? I've been working with a brilliant videographer and his team, Nathan Lowe, and how we start is we have a phone call and chat through what I think I would like for a video, and then we come up with a shot list which he sends to me and he decides on, you know, lighting and all of these things to think about. A lot goes into the thought process, but then actually when it comes to shooting, you've got a lot of things up against you as well. So I know with the 'Now We Are Free' music video, all of this was shot outdoors. So then of course you have to contend with the sunrise and sunset. So on the first day of our shooting, We went up to a beautiful clifftop on the Welsh coastline, and it was very, you know, cinematic and epic, and we had to hike up there. So I had my ball gown on, big white dress, but with trainers on the bottom. Oh no way! And I— there's a clip of me on the way up, I think, whereas I just think I look like a little muffin because I've gathered it around my waist and I'm hiking up. But, you know, I love walking. So one of the first conversations Nathan and I had was, um, are you happy 'Happy to get to these locations?' And I said, 'Yes, absolutely. I'll just lift my dress up or tuck it inside my coat,' or, you know, and then get up there. But yes, so once we got up there, the sun— we had to wait for the sun to be just in the right place, and then you only have kind of 10 minutes or so where the sun is perfect to get the right shots. And I know on the second day when we were hoping to film the last very calming part of the 'Now We Are Free' song on the very open beach. It happened to be one of the hottest days we've had, we'd had over the summer. And so of course everybody was on the beach, all families, surfers, groups of friends, everybody. So we had to make a last minute decision to go to a more secluded beach, which would mean walking to it through a woods, through some fields, past a castle, all the way down to the beach. You know, it wasn't an easy walk to get to and we were practically running so we didn't miss the sunset. But yeah, I don't know, there are always funny moments. But oh wow, well, those are the challenges really of filming, isn't it? You wouldn't think when you decided to become a singer that you also had to go and climb a mountain. No, well, actually shooting these music videos is something that I've only started doing since lockdown and deciding to— I wanted to record more classical crossover repertoire. So it's all been new for me and a learning curve, but I've really enjoyed it and it's so much fun. And you know, I mentioned getting to pretend to be a Bond girl, for example. For example. So I had my hair and makeup done for that shoot in a way that— but when you see it, I think it looks very different to how I normally look. And the makeup is quite striking with a dark, dark purple lip, you know. So it was fun to dress up, very different. Um, yes, I'm sure there'll be many more, so I'm learning a lot as we go. Beautiful. Well, this is something that you don't really do with the crossover when you do a concert, isn't it? It's not like an opera where you have to be dressed up for the characters that you're because you're doing many different characters in the same concert, isn't it? So, and then as well with the Messiah, that's gonna be in concert, a concert performance, isn't it? It is, yes, but actually it's been interesting how many of kind of fans of my crossover music have expressed that they love the Messiah and they're really looking forward to seeing it. So it's not, you know, classical music and crossover isn't completely separate, even though I'm singing more film music and definitely Christmas music at the moment. I haven't completely said, you know, I haven't closed the door or anything to singing oratorio and the Messiah and these pieces. And obviously I'll always include one or two operatic arias in concerts as well, as I'm often asked to sing 'O mio bambino caro,' which people love, or other Puccini arias. So, absolutely. Well, which one is your favourite classical opera? Opera to sing? Just as the aria rather than the whole opera, I very much like singing 'Quand un mendiant' from Bohème. I think it's just a beautiful expansive piece and you can really let your voice sing and soar with that aria. Oh gosh, what else do I like? I love singing 'Song to the Moon' as well, Rusalka. Um, there are many, many. Well, if you had to, to adapt an opera into a movie, which one do you think it would be the one that you would choose? Because in a way, when you're choosing a program for an EP or for an album or for a concert as well, you're kind of like the music director for it. Uh, that is very similar to the film director of a movie when he's choosing, you know, the scene and the setting and everything, because you decide the mood mood, basically, of the concert. So if you had to make an opera into a movie, which one would that be? Oh, my mind's gone straight to The Little Mermaid because we talked about Rusalka, but I think possibly maybe Don Giovanni, Mozart, would be an interesting movie just because there are so many interesting and very different characters in that opera. I've sang the role of Zerlina, but I've also sang the arias of, you know, Donna Anna as well and had a look at those. And yes, there's just so many— there's a lot more, there's a lot of possibilities within that opera to be an interesting film. Absolutely. Well, so we can't wait to have you back again with the wonderful opera songs. So thank you so much for sharing these wonderful new singles. No, they're not singles because they're coming out with the EP, these new tracks from your upcoming album. Is that going to be an opportunity to have it physical as well, or is it just going to be digital? Yes, there is. So this EP will be coming out, there'll be physical copies. I know that a lot of people have asked for physical copies and some of my previous singles will also be included on it. So Paradiso, Danny Boy, and May It Be from The Lord of the Rings. People had asked for physical copies of those, so they'll be included on this disc as well. So yes, well, you know, it's very important. I mean, people sometimes forget it's so everything about streaming and digital and YouTube, but the truth is still the physical is very much in demand because it's always nice to open the case of a CD or having a vinyl, for example, and look at the beautiful artwork that is on it, the pictures, you know, the design. It's all part of the Yes, and it's important that all the credits are also included on the inlay as well, and you can thank everybody who worked with you. And also, you get, you know, it's a chance to share with your listeners a little something about how you feel about the collection of songs with a little bit paragraph of writing about the collection that comes from the artist. Well, you know, very soon is going to be National Album Day, so your album will be out just in time. So it's a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the National Album Day and your first EP. I wanted to ask you actually, do you remember which one was the first album you ever bought? Oh, let me think. The first album I was ever given as a child was a Hayley Westenra's album Pure. My father bought it for me and I I kind of— that's the moment I fell in love with classical singing. And I suppose thinking back, it was more crossover singing, and she sang sort of folk songs on there as well. But I loved Hayley Westenra's voice and all the songs she sang and the way she sang them. So I'm sure, yeah, that CD would have played a huge, a huge role in me going into singing myself. But the first one that you spent your own money to buy? Oh, I can't remember actually. Oh really? Yeah, pocket money. It's probably a Britney Spears CD, who knows. Oh gosh, yes, I do remember watching her video when it came out, the first video. I was like, who is she? What is this? It was so— what was it? It was, um, Love Me Baby One More Time, wasn't it? That one? Yeah, she was dressed in school clothes and it was very different, wasn't it? I think I might I've had the album that came out just before then when she was more, you know, she was more of girl next door sort of thing, just before she did that song. Okay. I know, but you know, I was already too much invested in classical music, so I was spending the money only for classical piano album. And then, yeah, so I remember my very first one was Horowitz. It was a collection of encore pieces, and he was playing of the pieces that I had to perform in concert. So he was, in a way, my very first great idol. Yeah. Vladimir Horowitz. Which one was your very first idol for classical, for opera? It was probably Renee Fleming. You know, I've always had a love for her, and I had all of her books and biographies and autobiographies. Is it— there's definitely a biography that I have, and I often go back and read it. This is interesting because and she didn't have the easiest start to her career. So she, you know, there was— she did a lot of auditions for which she wasn't successful and had a lot of knockbacks, but then look where she is now. So yes, it's interesting to read things like that from kind of your idols. Yeah, indeed. Well, it was a great pleasure talking with you today, and congratulations again for winning the third edition of Future Classic Women Awards. So to the audience, if you would like to, um, have some nomination for the 4th edition of Future Classic Women Awards, or you have questions that you would like to ask to our guests, please email presenters@womensradiostation.com or tweet us @WomensRadioSTN. Again, congratulations to Ellen Williams, and you have been listening to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, live every day, 10 AM and 10 PM London time. And if you would like to listen to Ellen or the other winner or nominees or Future Classic Women Awards of the previous edition, you can, uh, head to my presenter's page, Stefania Passamonte/Future Classic Men Awards on womensfictionstation.com. Thank you for listening.