Cardiff singer and activist Charlotte Church talks about tough times, getting to know herself better and why she’s so passionate about the world we live in
WORDS: SUE LEE PHOTOS: ALAMY, GETTY IMAGES, REKHA GARTON/DISCOVERY+, WALES NEWS SERVICE
ON REFLECTION
Charlotte Church shot to international stardom at the age of 12 thanks to her astonishing soprano voice. The star went on to sell millions of records worldwide in a stellar career which has seen her perform for popes, princes and presidents.
A woman of many talents, Charlotte has moved between classical and pop and branched out into acting and TV presenting, fronting her own show Charlotte Church’s Dream Build – which is available to watch on Discovery+. The Cardiff singer has also become involved in high-profile political activism.
And life at home seems to be just as successful, having married musician Jonathan Powell in 2017 and giving birth to their daughter, Frida, in 2020. She also shares Ruby, 16, and 15-year-old Dexter with her previous partner, former Welsh rugby star Gavin Henson.
Having been at the centre of media scrutiny for decades, the 38-year-old has compared her fame to being in a “psychological grinder”. But she has since found peace in her own wellness retreat, The Dreaming, in the heart of Wales.
Here, OK! catches up with the Crazy Chick singer to talk about family, why she refused to move to LA and how her nan inspired her latest project...
Hi, Charlotte! You’ve just launched a new BBC Sounds podcast, Kicking Back With The Cardiffians. How did it come about?
I started thinking about it when my nan was dying. She was in end-of-life care for quite a while and every time I was with her I kept thinking that I needed to start to record our conversations. She talked about her life and experiences and particularly her childhood – she grew up in real abject poverty. Her family had come over from Tipperary in Ireland during the potato famine and they lived in these five streets in Cardiff called Newtown – basically a big community of Irish Catholic families. She had amazing stories, like going back into her burning house for this brand new coat because it was the first new thing she’d ever owned. Unfortunately I didn’t get to record those stories and when she died, I thought I’m not going to make that mistake again. When I got approached to do a podcast I knew I had a strong idea for what I’d like to do. So it’s honouring the story of the people who make up my Cardiff tribe.
