000•0216_COVERSTORY

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CH CAROLINA HERRERA FALLING JASMINE CHOKER
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000-000•0216_COVERSTORY.indd 120 1/13/16 11:31 AM

FEBRUARY2016 PRESTIGE 121
PHOTOGRAPHER FELINA HUNG/LENSWORK STUDIO | WORDS JULIE YIM | STYLING SARAH SAW
MAKE-UP ARTIST JOEY YAP | HAIR STYLIST ANGELINE LOW
DREAMING
OUT LOUDHaving shared the stage with legendary tenors José Carreras and Andrea Bocelli,
classical singer CARLY PAOLI talks about her phenomenal journey to stardom and an
upcoming debut album

PHOTOBY:FABRIZIODEBLASIO.
“It was incredible, electric actually because we
did have a standing ovation and we were
singing an Italian anthem song which
prompted 4,000 Romans to go wild”

It’s been an absolute whirlwind of a year
actually,” Carly Paoli enthuses, her ocean blue
eyes glinting with a hint of elation as we make
ourselves comfortable at the majestic dining
hall to talk about the incredible year she’s had.
We’re inside one of the regal residences at The Ritz-
Carlton KL where Paoli is currently residing with her family
and entourage as she is scheduled to perform at the ninth
edition of A Journey Through Time (AJJT) in Starhill
Gallery. On camera, the British mezzo-soprano singer
morphs into the feminine yet graceful vocal prowess
persona she embodies on stage, exuding a 1940s Hollywood
glamour vibe. Off camera, she’s changed out of the ethereal
CH Carolina Herrera floral black gown that she absolutely
must get her hands on when she returns to the UK and is
dressed down in a white fluffy bathrobe, reaching for a bowl
of fruits while humming a tune to herself.
It’s hard to believe that over a year ago, Paoli was just
another fan waiting in line to catch one of her favourite
singers José Carreras perform live in Marbella. But as fate
would have it, the 26-year-old classical singer from
Midlands is a living testament that fairytale dreams do
come true as she has shared the stage with some of the
biggest names in opera music.
Her journey to opera stardom began in 2014 when she
flew out to Canada and made her international debut at The
David Foster Foundation Miracle Gala, performing
alongside globally renowned artists including Oscar-
winner Jennifer Hudson and Aerosmith’s lead singer Steven
Tyler. Paoli wasn’t one to be easily rattled by stage fright as
she seized the moment she had been waiting for her entire
life. “I wouldn’t say I was thrown into the deep end because
I’ve studied music my whole life and I’ve always performed
since I was a child,” she says in a melodic voice, her British
accent ringing in the air.
In November 2014, Paoli took to the stage once again as
she performed at The International Women’s Media
Foundation (IWMF) Awards in Los Angeles, paying tribute to
photojournalist Anja Niedringhaus who was killed in
Afghanistan. “That was a poignant stage to perform on and
quite a responsibility because Niedringhaus’s family was
present at the venue but it was nevertheless a wonderful event
to be a part of,” she reminisces. Her enthralling vocals swayed
the audience that night and captured more than just the
attention of music critics, securing her an ambassadorship
with Swiss luxury watch brand Bedat & Co. “One of the most
wonderful things about the luxury timepiece brand was the
legacy that their founder Madame Simone Bédat left behind.
She was an incredible woman and the first female within the
Swiss watch industry who created a brand designed
exclusively for women. My job as a performer really echoed
her legacy and it’s an inspiring story for me because she was a
woman who tried to break the glass ceiling just as what I’m
trying to do with my career today,” Paoli emphasises.
“There have been many times when I came out of
a dance class or singing lesson and they’ll both
be fast asleep in the car waiting for me”

2016 is set to be another exciting year for her career as
she will be releasing her debut album comprising 16 new
songs. “I’d like to think the album contains a little bit of me.
It captures the process of me learning and developing
along the way,” she says excitedly. Born in Nottinghamshire
to a British father and Italian mother with deep roots, Paoli
was raised bi-lingual and developed an early interest in
music since she was two-years-old. “My mother would put
on the Disney films and I would sit mesmerised by the
television, reciting every word. By the time I turned seven,
she was buying me the old MGM musicals starring Gene
Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. It just became a part of me and
I knew straightaway that’s what I wanted to do,” she
reveals. Her outstanding talent during her youth did not
slip under the radar as Paoli’s vocal coach alerted her
parents about tapping into her full potential to pursue a
career in music and dance. As both her parents held full
time jobs at that time – her father was a lorry driver and her
mum was working at a travel store - sacrifices had to be
made to send her to music school. “There have been many
times when I came out of a dance class or singing lesson
and they’ll both be fast asleep in the car waiting for me.
That’s what it takes to pursue your dream and that’s what
great parents do.”
At the age of 16, she won a scholarship at the respected
Arts Educational School in Hertfordshire where she
studied musical theatre. This enabled her to immerse
herself into the realm of dance and music that she loves
with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland. “That’s an element that’s
definitely featured in my album because it’s the art of
storytelling and using great lyrics to convey an emotion to
become something really magical,” she explains. Paoli went
on to pursue her musical training through a BA Honours
Degree in Vocal Studies at the prestigious The Royal
Northern College of Music under a scholarship where she
studied opera for five years. This is another element
reflected in her album as she features the drama that is
closely associated with opera music. “The high notes, the
glamour, the vibrato in the right places – these elements
present has shaped my album,” she says earnestly.
Her high-profile performances have also caught the
attention of world-renowned Italian producer and
composer Romano Musumarra whose repertoire include
Moulin Rouge and Il Canto. This led Paoli to collaborate
with Musumarra on her debut album as they work very well
together for “he believes in all the same things that I do.”
She has also contributed to the lyrics for two songs in her
album and one of the pieces has actually been written by
multi award-winning English lyricist Don Black who co-
wrote “Ben” sung by Michael Jackson and Shirley Bassey’s
“Diamonds Are Forever”.
Paoli’s album wouldn’t be complete without a duet with
José Carreras, who is part of the iconic Three Tenors, a
legend she grew up listening to her whole life. “It was
amazing, I flew out to Barcelona to record the duet with Mr.
Carreras and it went extremely well. From there, I was
scheduled to perform at the Windsor Castle for His Royal
Highness The Prince of Wales. At the very end of the
performance, I invited Mr. Carreras on stage to perform our
duet together. It was a memorable moment for me,” she
smiles. “One little tip he shared with me while we were
backstage was how he would always consume plain pasta
with a little bit of olive oil and parmesan before every
performance. He says it’s good for his stamina and to keep
up the momentum but I’ve always heard that the number one
no-no is cheese or dairy before a performance. But if it’s
worked for José Carreras then who am I to contradict it,” she
chuckles with delight.
Mid last year, Carreras joined Paoli again on stage to
perform at a grand concert in conjunction with the Teatro
Dell’Opera Di Roma and UNICEF at the historic Terme Di
Caracalla in Rome. The exceptional event was hosted by
Paoli who was also joined by other special guests including
Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli, and British tenor, Russell
Watson.“ It was incredible, electric actually because we did
have a standing ovation and we were singing an Italian
COVER
“The high notes, the glamour, the vibrato in the right
places – these elements present has shaped my album”

“I love to take
people on a
journey and
give them a
story so they
can really
imagine what
I’m singing
about”

anthem song which caused 4,000 Romans to go wild,” she
shares. The spectacular event was also the first step for
Paoli to take on the role as an ambassador for UNICEF as
she was awarded a testimonial that very evening.
One of the reasons why Paoli fell in love with classical
music was its ability to bring to life the most emotional
stories told through beautiful lyrics. “I love to take people
on a journey and give them a story so they can really
imagine what I’m singing about,” she explains. As for the
message she aims to convey to her audience when she
sings, Paoli states that each song has a different story. One
of the songs she has written for her album is called
‘Memory of You’ and she wrote that with the passing of her
beloved grandmother in mind. “But you have to be
intelligent to think how can you make this song mean
something to everybody else? It’s nice if the words can
sound current so it can be almost conversational. That’s
what I always believe opera and musical theatre are, its
emotions amplified to the maximum and everybody should
be able to connect,” she elaborates.
Though Paoli trained as an opera singer, she had initially
envisioned herself on the West End or Broadway stage
because of her love for dance. “But fundamentally my voice
is classical. So when someone heard me sing at my previous
college and said I should really study opera as I’ll be a great
opera singer, it was an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down
but actually changed my path completely,” she reveals. Her
summers were always spent performing around the piazzas
in Southern Italy where her uncle was a known folk singer. “It
was a wonderful place to learn. One of the things about
opera is you’re always playing a role. I don’t like to think that
I’m just standing up on stage singing and delivering in an
accurate way, I’d like to become a part of the song and bring
some of the acting that I’ve learned along the way.”
I bring up the subject of Olga Borodina, a Grammy-
award winning mezzo-soprano whose album was lying on
Paoli’s speakers in her room. “I think she’s an incredible
mezzo-soprano and also Frederica von Stade,” she
responses, her eyes lighting up at the mere mention of her
favourite singers. As a young music student, Paoli would
often refer to the mezzo-sopranos when she was preparing
for a musical recital as she believes it’s important to find an
artist to relate to. One of her biggest music influences was
Judy Garland whom she used to listen to so much that her
singing teachers had trouble getting rid of the American
accent she adopted. Classic videos of ‘Singing In The Rain’,
‘Anchors Aweigh’ and ‘West Side Story’ were also worn out
by a young Paoli who had them on repeat.
Prior to her big break on stage, Paoli was coaching young
kids as a singing teacher. Working with kids has always
been a natural inclination for her as she used to spend time
with the children from When You Wish Upon A Star charity
in the UK. This led to her recent appointment as patron of
the charity who grants wishes for children with life
threatening illnesses, a cause that has been close to her
heart since she was a teenager.
Though Paoli has not gotten round to testing out
Carreras’ plain pasta advice yet, she has developed her
own pre-performance ritual. “I give everybody the silent
treatment on the day itself. You often find that when you
warm up your voice, speaking becomes more tiring than
singing because when you’re singing, you sing with the
correct technique and support,” she divulges. “I warm my
voice up and it takes me a good hour to feel the energy and
achieve the exact sound I want. On top of that, I always
make sure I have time to rehearse everyday by going
through my repertoire and vocal scales. I think preparation
is key, if you feel completely prepared then you can go out
there and enjoy your performance.”

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