Tony Cowell
After his brain tumour hell, Russell Watson tells all about learning to sing again and how his kids gave him a reason to live...
Russell Watson, 50, took the classical music world by storm in the Noughties, but in 2006 he was diagnosed with the first of two brain tumours. Here, the tenor opens up about how he got his life back on track… Did you enjoy singing at Dame Vera Lynn’s 100th birthday event? It was a great honour to be invited to sing. It was a piece of history, really. There was some added pressure with Dame Vera and the Queen being in the audience – but it was a very moving evening.
Was it your grandmother who first inspired your love of music?
Yes, she was a working-class lass who had this love of classical music. She had an old radiogram, on which she would play Chopin and Mario Lanza songs, which helped me to become familiar with singing in Italian.
You first started singing in working men’s clubs, how do you look back on that time?
That was my apprenticeship, it was where I learned to communicate with an audience. I did it for 10 years. The first five years were very hard. I wasn’t getting anywhere. There were many times when I thought I was going to give up. In the end, I got my big break, so I do look back fondly on that period.
When was your big break?
It was 1999, in front of 90,000 people at Old Trafford in Manchester. I sang Nessun Dorma, and got my first standing ovation. It was a special night. A year later, I had a No.1 album [ The Voice], which became the most successful classical release of all time.
How hard was it to sing after two tumours and life-saving surgery?
In 2006, I started to get this terrible headache on a flight to Los Angeles. As soon as I landed, I went to hospital and they found this huge tumour. After the first operation, we thought it had gone. But it came back again, and this time it nearly killed me. Getting my voice back on track has been a long road. I’ve had to start over. But I’m back now, and I’m ready.
How important was your family during that period?
Absolutely crucial. I wouldn’t have made it through without them. The bond between me and my children was intensified. They saw me go from a 6ft lump to a broken
man. So they became my protectors. Whenever we went out and people approached me, the kids would move in straight away and say, ‘ What do you want with my dad?’ Hannah was six and Rebecca was 12 at the time – so they were quite young then. Honestly, they were incredible, and it’s something that will stay with me forever.
How did the health problems change your outlook on life?
For two years after the illness, I had a really bad traumatic disorder, where I had this horrible feeling each evening when I went to bed that I was going to die. It took a long time to overcome. I’d feel panicky and had palpitations. I wasn’t sleeping, and got hooked on prescription sleeping pills for a while. I have changed a lot, I realise that. Now, I treasure every day, and I just want my family around me.
Are you still as competitive and ambitious as you were when you first started?
I’m worse! I’m even more competitive. I play tennis now, because it’s not too strenuous for me – but if I lose, I sulk! I’m like a little boy. In my work, I’m still very ambitious. I want to be the best at everything. It was that drive, that competitive streak, that got me from the working men’s clubs to becoming a famous tenor.
The music business has changed a lot since you came into the spotlight in 1999. Which artists inspire you today?
Adele is the obvious choice. I’m a big fan. But I’ve started listening to BBC Radio 1 again, and found I like some of the new artists like Jonas Blue and The Chainsmokers. There are some good artists out there. But my daughters laugh at me if they catch me singing them in the car!
You have a huge range of styles on your new album, True Stories. Why is that?
Well, I wanted to experiment again. I got sick and tired of record companies wanting me to release a record every year. It became like fast food. I didn’t want to do it any more. So this album represents me – the songs I want to sing and the sort of production I prefer.
What can your fans expect from your upcoming tour?
It will be like a classical concert. I will have my own orchestra behind me, and I think this is what my UK fans prefer. When I go to the US, it will be a different repertoire. I’m excited to be back and touring. It’s a new lease of life for me.
True Stories
is available now. To buy tickets for Russell Watson and his orchestra on tour, visit russellwatson.com