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When you think of an opera singer, Summer Watson is not the first image that comes to mind. She is too slim and too “L.A.” in appearance, as opposed to the stereotypical zaftig physique of a more traditional operatic diva. Once you hear her at full song, however, there’s no mistaking what she does for a living. “People have a certain stereotype of what sopranos should look like and there I was – skinny and in my twenties and people were kind of confused by that. I love to live life and being in nature, hiking, swimming, horse-riding is all part of it. It’s important to be fit and healthy to feel at your best.
A British operatic soprano, Watson burst onto the international music scene in 2003 when signed to a £1million recording contract with Sony Classical. She has since performed worldwide for celebrities, royalty and everyone in between. Ms. Watson visited the Entity loft in Downtown L.A. to speak with us about inspiration, social responsibility as a musician and her path to music success.
Entity: You mentioned that your mother used to sing you lullabies as a child. Was this the impetus for your pursuit of a singing career?
Summer Watson: I think whatever or whomever you’re influenced by when you’re young is like a little seed that chooses to grow with encouragement – with nurture and food, metaphorically speaking. I have such incredible memories of my mom and I laughing together learning the words to songs when I was very young. She wanted to create every opportunity possible for me wherever that would lead. My parents were at every single performance I was involved in and that gave me so much confidence looking out for them in the audience.
Entity: You became an expert in languages as well as in music, right?
SW: Each year of my studies at the Royal College of Music I took a summer job with children in France, Germany and Italy, enabling me to learn these languages quickly. They also loved to play teacher and correct me. I love to learn through life experiences rather than with textbooks. You have to know how you learn best and for me personally, I’m inspired by how different types of people live and the directions they take and choices they make. This career has enabled me to travel the world and meet so many phenomenal people from all walks of life for which I am deeply grateful. Essentially my passion for languages came from going to the country, eating the local food, having conversations with families, people making friends rather then, “Here’s a German book, now go learn German”.
Entity: You tried to create what could be considered a new genre; presenting opera music in a more contemporary, non-traditional style and performing in arenas instead of opera houses. Please explain all this:
SW: My initial wish upon leaving the Royal College of Music was to take all this incredible music which happened to be classical — thought of mostly for elitists — and sing it in arenas instead of concert halls… and record albums rather than perform in opera houses as I believed this was a better way to reach a mass audience. I always say, music is music with no boundaries and if it’s good, it’s good. The greats like Mozart, Rachmaninov, Beethoven and Strauss were the pop stars of their day. This is incredible music and should be accessible for everyone. Now there is a whole genre called classical crossover. When people for the first time hear that I am an opera singer they are taken aback and not sure what to make of it, especially if they have never heard classical music before. I always say close your eyes and simply listen.
We created an album of the great classical composers, alongside the greatest pop singer songwriters; Strauss next to Sting. After all that’s how I experienced music growing up, the car CD collection; Elton John or my Mum & Dad’s favorite ‘50’s artists next to a collection of classical pieces on a CD given away by the British national newspaper Daily Mail.
I found that my career naturally led me to working with studio musicians and pop writers, such as Michael Jay (Celine Dion) and Jud Friedman (Whitney Houston). I am super excited about collaborating with well known British performance artist Millie Brown, known for working with Lady Gaga.
That’s the most amazing thing about moving to Los Angeles, whomever you want to reach is literally one degree of separation away. I am now working on a new EP with Imre Czomba and Michael Jay. But LA is not just the bubble of Hollywood, there really is a movement that is evolving; technology (Venice) collaborating with music (Hollywood). It’s musicians wanting some other kind of production around them and that’s really what I’m investing my time in right now – how to take my training and my knowledge of the industry and keep crossing into the mass market. How do we keep it fresh? How do we keep it exciting rather than just keeping it in a glass box? It’s really important, I think, because otherwise the great music could die.
Entity: What was it like recording your debut album at Abbey Road Studios?
SW: I still kick myself! Working with some of the best musicians in the world, a 66 piece orchestra – the Royal Philharmonic. On our breaks I would sit and chat to Sir George Martin in the cafeteria – a surreal experience. And then leaving for the day of course I couldn’t resist the famous zebra crossing photographed for the Abbey Road album.
Entity: You are philanthropic, as has been shown in your work with Amnesty International, In the Pink, British Red Cross & Adopt Sri Lanka. What inspired you to help these organizations? And why these specific ones?
SW: When living in the United Kingdom it was my honor to sing at gala fundraisers for, to name a few; American Red Cross, British Red Cross, Magic Bus, Adopt Sri Lanka, Save the Children, In the Pink (Breast cancer charity)… I got to a point where I also wanted to contribute on the ground. When the Tsunami happened in 2004, I was invited to go to Sri Lanka and perform a benefit concert. I then began to see the extent of the travesty. I had been in a major train accident myself and I wanted to do something for the people whose lives were disrupted from not only the tsunami but the train derailment that happened as part of the tragedy, so I spent three months there working in a new school which was built for the children who lost everything, overseeing a ‘lace’ business helping women who had lost their husbands in the train wreck caused by the Tsunami. They made the most beautiful lace that was then sold I believe to TopShop to be used in denim creations.
On moving to Los Angeles I became an Ambassador for Amnesty International, the work they do is mind blowing. I was truly touched when in NYC singing for the Ginetta Sagan Awards and hearing stories of real people who were in tragic situations and how Amnesty helped them. Another performance I sang in Chicago for Amnesty I met people who were ‘wrongfully’ imprisoned for over 30 years and yet they were so happy and had more compassion in their little finger than most we know. Very inspirational and worthwhile work.
Entity: You’ve done a lot of traveling. What country did you enjoy the most?
SW: Every country, every experience I have had is a blessing, whether it was performing in Jordan and then riding horseback across the desert exactly where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed, walking around Petra and being mesmerized by the building carved out of rock…singing to a group of children in Kenya in huts who had never heard classical music before. Iceland though is like the world’s best kept secret. It is magical. Landscape similar to New Zealand – big rolling hills, beautiful lakes and the glaciers – with the essence of the prehistoric era, there’s literally no one there. And when you do meet people, you find that everybody knows everyone. Since predominantly only Icelandic people live there, it’s like a family. I sang a Christmas concert in Reykjavík, which was being televised and suddenly everyone seemed to know about it. It is such a small community everyone knows everyone!
Entity: What is the most inspiring piece of music you’ve ever performed?
SW: There are so many. I would say in general it is being able to take classical music – Strauss, Mozart and Beethoven – and then to have the opportunity to record on the same album and to have it together with pop music, to bring it all alive. To have had the possibility to sing in the most phenomenal stadiums around the world, to sing in China to 1.3 billion people, to sing for Royalty and celebrities a like is something that I am so grateful for.
Entity: What are three recommendations you can give to young women that want to follow in your footsteps?
SW: I think life is to be lived and to be enjoyed. It’s very important to be able to master a craft to enable you to flow through life anywhere in the world, wherever that may be. Everybody has a natural pathway. So in short, listen to what you really want to do, access the knowledge you need, speak to people and find out through technology how to get your craft to a certain level. And take on that responsibility once you’re able to manifest it. Whether it be a writer, musician, chef or businesswoman, pass the knowledge on and pay it forward. Invest time in philanthropy work or help someone who needs the knowledge you have acquired. You can mentor people. It’s all about listening to yourself, building your craft and paying it forward. Really be present, live and enjoy the moment because that’s all there is.
