'There's pressure to show more flesh': Soprano Laura Wright says classical music world wants to add wow factor by using risque outfits
By CHLOE THOMAS
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Her stunning voice saw her hand-picked by The Queen to record a song.
But the royal seal of approval is apparently not enough for rising soprano Laura Wright.
She has been told she must bring the 'wow' factor to her performances and flash flesh to ensure popularity.
For England: Soprano Laura Wright has been given the royal seal of approval to perform in front of the Queen
The 22-year-old classical music star has already sold more than 2.5 million copies of her debut album The Last Rose and is fast becoming a household name.
But on the day she is officially unveiled as England Rugby's first anthem singer, Miss Wright has spoken of the pressure female classical singers are now under to look raunchy in order to sell their music.
A former choir girl, Miss Wright said her voice alone is no longer enough.
She said: 'The world of classical music has become more commercial and more Hollywood in a way. There is a pressure on female musicians to show more flesh during live performances because it creates the "wow" factor which helps to sell records.'
Miss Wright claims that the once conservative world of the classics is starting to mirror that of popular music.
She said: 'When you're singing classical arias, you're not really moving around or dancing so there's the pressure for the artist to wear an amazing dress which shows legs or cleavage so that the performance is remembered.'
Former choir girl Miss Wright says classical singers are now under to look raunchy in order to sell their music
Honoured: Miss Wright will perform at Twickenham today as England Rugby's anthem singer
Flashing the flesh: The soprano caused a flashbulb frenzy as she posed on the red carpet at the Silver Clef Awards in June
Miss Wright, who was chosen by The Queen to record a song for the Diamond Jubilee, will perform at Twickenham stadium today in her specially-created role as England Rugby's anthem singer.
She has performed at the stadium twice before, but this weekend she will sing both the English and the South African national anthems for the England vs. South Africa Rugby match.
The Suffolk-born star's road to fame began as a teenager when aged 15 she won the BBC 2 Radio 2's Chorister of the Year competition.
While studying at the £16,000 a-year Framlingham College, where she was on a scholarship, she was then chosen to join the classical girl band: All Angels.
'I really admire Katherine and obviously it's a massive compliment to be compared to someone as successful as her but I really want to stand alone.'
Laura Wright
Performing a repertoire of popular classical songs, the vocal quartet achieved considerable success, recording three albums and being twice nominated for a classical Brit award.
While still only teenagers, they also supported the Welsh soprano Katherine Jenkins on her UK tour in 2009.
But despite her meteoric rise and the obvious parallels between her and Miss Jenkins, Miss Wright says she is keen to be known in her own right.
She said: 'I really admire Katherine and obviously it's a massive compliment to be compared to someone as successful as her but I really want to stand alone.
'People call Katherine an opera singer but she has never actually performed at the Royal Opera House. She is a crossover artist and has made that her thing but I want to find my niche. I want to be the new me, not the new someone else.'
Since leaving All Angels in 2010, Miss Wright signed a record deal and enrolled at the prestigious Royal College of Music where she is in her final year.
But the last twelve months have been far removed from the normal student experience for the young star.
As well as completing a UK tour with the acclaimed tenor Alfie Boe, she also became the first soprano to perform at the Olympic Stadium in March.
She was then selected by the Queen to record the Diamond Jubilee song 'Stronger As One' which she performed for the monarch at a special ceremony at Westminster Abbey in March.
And in May she released her second album: Glorious, a selection of popular classical songs.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2237739/Theres-pressure-flesh-Soprano-Laura-Wright-says-classical-music-world-wants-add-wow-factor-using-risque-outfits.html#ixzz2DAsXeixB
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