Believe

[Dave]

Hi Jillian and Nordly and everyone,

I have no doubt that the streaming is deliberate and I think it's a great idea... I also think they will know that some people will know how to download all the tracks but are relying on most people not being able to do this, or wanting a physical CD anyway.

So let's all listen to the entire album on the Daily Mail website

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1220919/Katherine-Jenkins-unveils-brand-new-album-Believe.html

and say what we think about it. But let's have no further discussion about how to download the tracks, thanks!

I think it's not at all bad, some of the tracks are very nice; a few of them I am not at all interested in. Throughout, the backing is lush and well recorded, I am just not too keen on all the actual songs and in a few cases, Katherine's voice doesn't seem to suit them.

Overall, it's not bad and I think it will do very well in the UK - but in the US, I don't know. Having Josh on there will help though, in the US. It is a middle of the road pop ballads album as far as I am concerned.

Cheers, Dave

[graemek]

Hi All
Just a further comment from me.

One of our members posted me a free CD made under The Daily Mail's supervision & distributed with their newspaper.
Mail on Sunday-Classical Brits was the approx. title & the Itunes titling was identical to Katherine's CD 'I Believe'.
Katherine had one track on it.

Whatever their reasons...there it is !!
It's a bit like the guy who stood on the corner all day trying to give away a $10 note & nobody would accept one.
Maybe it doesn't bite.
Graeme

[Jillian]

Here's the new film clip to 'Bring Me to Life' -- Wow.

link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid26618331001?bctid=45892150001

[nicola]

Review of this album is now up on my website if anyone is interested.

'Believe' by Katherine Jenkins

[Dave]

Believe (a pop album on her new record label Warner) has entered the UK album chart at no. 6 this week, with weekly sales of 30572. Last year, Sacred Arias (a classical album with UCJ/Decca) first entered the album chart at no. 5 on 26 October, with weekly sales of 34799. Her previous pop album, Rejoice, first entered the UK album chart on 25 Nov 2007 at no. 3 with weekly sales of 50753.

Dave

[nicola]

I'm surprised. Really surprised at the first week sales. After all that exposure, she couldn't repeat sell more than her previous albums?

I can only assume that her new direction has alienated her usual fans. Though I suppose the Rejoice release is mainly due to its closeness to Christmas.

Anyway, number six on the pop chart is a very big acheivement. Congratulations to her.

[Jillian]

Hi Nicola,

That might have something to do with the recession. Perhaps people have less disposable income to spend on CDs than they had in previous years?

But the chart position is very good indeed -- shows how well she is selling relative to other artists.

[martindn]

Hi Jillian,

I would think that the recession would affect other artists sales too, so the chart position can't be blamed on that I think. And i actually think it is a good album, perhaps better than her pervious two.

But it is possible that some of the bad publicity she has had might have affected sales.

Martin

[nicola]

I think many of her loyal fans have been turned off. If I didn't run my website, I would have been included in that group, and not have bought her album. But new album = review. I'm glad I did anyway. I love her versions of 'Bring Me To Life' and 'Who Wants To Live Forever'.

I dread a new Paul Potts/Il Divo release.

[Martin]

Katherine will be singing songs from this album on BBC Radio 2 "Friday Night is Music Night" this Friday at 7.30pm. The show is live.

How do I know? Cause I'm going. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Martin

[Martin]

Hi All
I attended the live Radio 2 performance last night with a very open mind about Katherine since I have not exactly been a fan do date.

Katherine sang five songs from the album and one more after the live programme had finished just for the audience. There is no doubt that she has a fine mezzo soprano voice but in my opinion it is more suited to classical than crossover music. Maybe this is due to her classical training.

However, we all felt very sorry for Katherine during the first three songs because her three microphones (yes, three were tried by the BBC) failed to work. Being a live broadcast you can't really stop and try later!! Funnily enough the least person affected by this problem was Katherine herself and I was very impressed by her professionalism and the way she handled the situation. She came over as a very amiable and down to earth person which tended to dispel the media "diva" hype surrounding her.

The highlight of the evening for me was in fact not Katherine but the singing of guest choir "All Men Aloud" whom I had not really paid much attention to when they participated in, and finally won the "last choir standing" competition last year. I was very impressed by their performance and quality.

Martin

ps to Ben - another guest last night was jazz guitarist, Martin Taylor. I had never heard of him before but he was superb if you like that kind of music.

[Dave]

Nov 2, 2009 17:10:11 GMT Dave said:

Believe (a pop album on her new record label Warner) has entered the UK album chart at no. 6 this week, with weekly sales of 30572. Last year, Sacred Arias (a classical album with UCJ/Decca) first entered the album chart at no. 5 on 26 October, with weekly sales of 34799. Her previous pop album, Rejoice, first entered the UK album chart on 25 Nov 2007 at no. 3 with weekly sales of 50753.Dave

Hi everyone,

While we all sit here envying those who are at Hayley's Buxton concert and waiting for the first reports, I was cruising the new charts (as you do lol) and wondered how well Katherine's "Believe" did on its recent release (15 June) in the US. The answer is: not very well at all.

Believe failed to enter the Billboard 200 top albums and instead, entered the Classical chart at no. 5. After 5 weeks, it's currently sitting at no. 12 in the Billboard classical chart. The no. 200 album usually sells 5,000 to 7,000 copies so it was selling less than that at its peak.

No US breakthrough for Katherine then; it's a hard thing for foreigners to achieve, much harder than many of them (and some record companies) realise. I've always thought that Warner Music were taking a big risk when they signed Katherine from Universal.

Dave

[nicola]

Jackie got to number 124 in the charts and she sold 4,000 - so it's not high selling time in the US anyway.

I don't think Warner have lost any money. She had big success here and she's having great success elsewhere - namely Argentina. But yes, I'm sure they were hoping for Katherine to take Brightman's crown in the US. KJ doesn't suit the American audience. They need someone with more... chaka chaka chaka?