The smart set’s talking about... Lorry driver’s lilting lass Carly

CELEBRATED tenor Alfie Boe sang and Hollywood star Tom Hardy gave a reading at a charity carol concert in St James’s this week, but the audience was left captivated by the daughter of a Nottinghamshire lorry driver.

She is Carly Paoli, a 29-year-old soprano who performed a sublime rendition of Dvorak’s Rusalka (Song To The Moon) at the London concert held by the Quintessentially Foundation for The Felix Project food charity.

Born in Mansfield to Paul Hopkinson and former travel agent Tina Paoli, Carly is now singing for royalty and credits her success to her humble upbringing.

‘Their full-time jobs make me ever more grateful that they made time for me,’ she tells me. ‘After school, they’d whisk me to dance class and singing lessons. Afterwards, I’d find them in the car park fast asleep.’ They now work for their daughter. ‘In a way, my dream became their dream. I couldn’t be in better hands than my dad’s, driving me all over the country. My mum’s pretty much my manager.’

Her hard work has paid off. ‘It’s not unusual for me to earn more than £10,000 for a 60 to 90-minute concert,’ says Carly, who doesn’t have time for a boyfriend and lives with her parents in a ten-bedroom house she bought in Wiltshire.

She’s sung with Andrea Bocelli and Jose Carreras, but one of her most thrilling experiences was performing for Prince Charles.

‘ The first occasion was at Windsor Castle. I felt incredibly honoured that he then invited me back to perform on behalf of his foundation.

‘That was really special. He said he loved the songs. And the Duchess of Cornwall asked for my debut album, Singing My Dreams.’