UK: Mary-Jess Leaverland, winner of Chinese X Factor, signs record deal in Britain

Record ID: 384177

  • Title: UK: Mary-Jess Leaverland, winner of Chinese X Factor, signs record deal in Britain
  • Date: 4th May 2011
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 3, 2011) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARY-JESS LEAVERLAND, SINGER, SAYING: "Yeah, it was difficult at first, especially cause I had only been in China for a short time. I'd been there for about a month and so my listening and speaking skills were not quite as advanced as they possibly could have been. But hardly anybody in the crew and in the show spoke English so I got so much practice and it was really beneficial. My speaking and listening really improved so while I was on the show and speaking to the presenters it got easier and easier as time went by."
  • Embargoed: 19th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVAB2DEAALASE0J5DA6W1QQKOUPC
  • Story Text: Although it wasn't on her list of things to do when going to China as part of her university studies, winning the talent show and launching a singing career is a dream come true for 21-year-old Mary-Jess from Gloucester.
    She was enrolled at Sheffield University when she decided to go to Nanjing to improve her Mandarin. It was pure coincidence she came across auditions for Min Xing Chang Fan Tan by chance, which translates as 'I Want To Sing To The Stars'.
    "While I was over there I went to the TV studios with a friend, cause he was taking part in a sort of Takeshi Castle-styled style show, which was hilarious", she told Reuters ahead of her premiere performance at the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday (May 3), saying "And while I was there I walked around and saw the auditions and signed myself up."
    Mary-Jess was voted the winner of the live TV contest which was watched by an audience of 70 million, which easily outnumbers the number of viewers who watched last year's X Factor final.
    One of the challenges for the British student proved to be her language skills at first, as she had only arrived in China shortly before the auditions and the show commenced.
    "I'd been there for about a month and so my listening and speaking skills were not quite as advanced as they possibly could have been", Mary-Jess remembers her experience on the show. "But hardly anybody in the crew and in the show spoke English so I got so much practice and it was really beneficial. My speaking and listening really improved so while I was on the show and speaking to the presenters it got easier and easier as time went by."
    Winning the show, however, did not immediately result into Mary-Jess signing a contract. Although the British student became a famous face in China, little knew the people in Britain of her success, because the show was only broadcast in China.
    When a local newspaper picked up on her success story, news made round that eventually lead to her signing her first record deal with classic label Decca Records. Dickon Stainer, President of Decca Records says he thinks Mary-Jess has a bright and successful future ahead of her.
    "I think she's got a great chance. I mean I think she has a poise. She got a great poise in front of the camera and she has -- a wonderfully controlled voice. And more than anything else she's got a confidence. So she's got this in-build talent to being a beautiful singer -- but also a great personality. I think that's what people will see over the coming months."
    Mary-Jess has spent the last months working on her debut album. Due out for release on 8th August, the album shows both influences of Western and Chinese music and the singer has even penned down some of her own songs.
    It was produced by Ross Cullum, who has previously worked with the likes of Tori Amos, Clannad and Enya. Speaking about her experience during the recording process, Mary-Jess said:
    "I did have quite a lot of help and we had so many things that were absolutely amazing when we were recording. For example, we went to Beijing and we recorded some native Chinese instruments there which was incredible to see. And the sounds are just amazing. They add a different edge to the art to the album. We've mixed them in with Western instruments, and it adds such an interesting edge. But also we recorded the Royal Philaharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road. We recorded the string section and that was the most amazing experience. Once again it was really surreal because everybody dreams of going to Abbey Road and recording there and it actually happened for me. It was just, it was the most amazing day."
    As a crossover artist she hopes to be able to team up with other artists as well, also from other genres.
    "I absolutely love Bon Jovi", she laughs. "I love 80s rock music -- and I love Muse as well from that sort of genre. But then there's other people who have inspired me like Maria Callas. She's just absolutely phenomenal voice. So I've been inspired from many places. My grandmother was a semi-professional classical singer. And so I've got my classical influences from her. But my mum sings pop and rock music. So I've got both sort of influences and it's, it's great cause it means I can take all the things I love from classical and all the things I love from popular music and put them together to create something new and really interesting and unique."
    Mary-Jess Leaverland is currently on tour supporting British opera singer Russell Watson.
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