JANE McDONALD
It is rare indeed that an entertainer comes along and captivates an audience in the spectacular fashion Jane McDonald has. Jane's big break came last year when she was called by her agent and asked to perform as top of the bill on the cruise ship ‘The Galaxy’. Ten months earlier Jane had retired from her career as a singer to focus her energies on cookery lessons, learning to speak Danish and working out with a personal trainer as she prepared herself for life as a wife with her fiancé Henrik Brixen. However Jane realised she had to seize the opportunity to be top of the bill, just once, so took a deep breath and accepted.
It just so happened that BBC Television was making a documentary on board ‘The Galaxy’. Jane immediately came to their attention and became one of the main focal points of the BBC1 programme ‘The Cruise’. The series was so popular that it finished its twice weekly airing with an audience of 12 million viewers an episode and Jane McDonald emerged a star.
Born 35 years ago in a mining community in Wakefield, Jane McDonald had spent the previous twelve years honing her craft, travelling and performing around the northern clubs of England and performing as part of the chorus on various cruise ships, gaining along the way a loyal fan base. Chris Terrill, ‘The Cruise’ producer, was quick to pick up on Jane's down to earth humour and huge personality, but few were prepared for the powerful singing voice that accompanied her.
Having signed to Focus Music International, Jane has been recording a selection of songs, some of which were featured on ‘The Cruise’ including: “I Will Always Love You”, “One Moment In Time”, “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and a re-working of Cilla Black's 1964 No.1 hit “You're My World”. Jane's eponymous debut album was produced by The Music Sculptors (producers of the 1997 BBC Children In Need “Perfect Day” single) and Don Reedman, Jeff Jarratt and Robyn Smith (who have been associated with the careers of Michael Crawford, Dina Carroll, Kenny Rogers and Elaine Paige, among others). The album fully demonstrates Jane's incredible vocal range, from country to soul, with a stunning collection of classic songs from the 1940’s to the 1990’s.
And, as if this fairy tale was not happy enough, Jane finally married her fiancé Henrik this year. The wedding, of course, was captured by BBC Television for a 45 minute docu-update, which included footage shot while Jane was recording the album, preparing for her presenting debut on the BBC National Lottery and performing live in Blackpool.
