Aled’s bringing things Full Circle as he celebrates his 40 years in music
He’s been ever-present in our lives for more than 40 years. Aled Jones burst onto the scene and enjoyed remarkable success as a boy singer, finding a permanent place in our Christmases with his smash hit, Walking In The Air.
He was the boy treble who captivated the world with his angelic voice.
Selling over 7m albums,
Aled was the original, classical crossover star. His recording from the animated film The Snowman, firmly established him as a household name.
Equally at home on the classical stage, or starring in musical theatre productions in London West End, his credits include lead roles in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. As a singer, Aled is in demand globally and has performed everywhere from London’s Royal Albert Hall to the Sydney Opera House.
A favourite with the Royal Family, he even gave a private performance to King Charles III in Kensington Palace. He heads up BBC’s Songs of Praise and his own Saturday and Sunday morning shows on Classic FM. Now, after 40 years in the business, he’s looking back on a remarkable career with a one-man show, that will feature never-before-heard music, tales from the decades and for the first time, his story told in his own words. It’s time to come Full Circle.
Full Circle is the title of both his new book, out in March, and his new tour, which will celebrate his life.
“I’ve always felt lucky, having the career I have,” says Aled, “but as I get older, I feel that I am so honoured to be living this life. I love what I do for a living. I have been so fortunate to be a part of people’s lives for so many years.”
The fun part came when he was hanging out with Royalty and singing in the Royal Albert Hall, year after year, as a boy.
“It felt like being the heavyweight boxing champion of the world and until you get knocked out it’s great. I knew that my boyhood was to be shortlived but for those four years I crammed in as much as I could. Maximum singing and maximum fun!”
His relationship with the Royal Family has endured over many years. He shared the same hairdresser as Princess Diana and was invited to sing for Charles and Di while still a boy.
“The highlight was the private performance for Prince Charles and Princess Diana in their home in Kensington Palace. The Palace rang my dad at work and my dad put the phone down thinking it was someone from his work playing a practical joke. Then an equerry rang back and said the call was for real!”
And then there was the performance at the wedding of Bob Geldof to Paula Yates and rock royalty descended en masse.
“The wedding was utterly beautiful. I remember standing with Bob before he went into the church. He wanted everything to be just perfect. I sang my songs, and I remember looking into the congregation and seeing a sea of famous faces all smiling enjoying the music.”
He also sang for Leonard Bernstein, and became great friends with Judy Dench.
He played alongside
Julie Andrews, and won an Ivor Novello, an Emmy, and an MBE – not that he can remember where any of those are.
And now he’s at New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth on Saturday. For tickets go to newtheatreroyal.com.