Hitting the right notes with singer Russell Watson

One of the key artists at the forefront of a wave of classical crossover music, Russell Watson has gone from singing Elvis Presley covers in working men’s clubs in the North-West, to performing for the Pope.

With album sales in excess of seven million, and as a Classical BRIT Award-winner who has collaborated with everyone from Pavarotti to Meatloaf, is there anything that Russell has not yet done?

The answer is yes, a candlelight cathedral tour. Said tour will take him all over the UK including to Brighton St George’s Church, in Kemp Town, on December 5, where he will be joined by classical choral group Celeste.

“It’s completely new, it’s something I have been looking at doing for a long time,” explains Russell.

“Especially as I wasn’t busy as I decided not to release a record this year.

“I am really looking forward to getting into these big, beautiful, inspiring venues, where I can belt out a few numbers, right up close to the audience.

“It will be a combination of some of my favourite hymns, sacred arias, and some great famous Christmas pieces, such as White Christmas and I’ll Be Home For Christmas.

“I will be going back to the old format of working with an orchestra again, but I just wanted to do something like a recital.”

He recounts seeing Pavarotti on Sky Arts – performing in a similar environment – and being inspired to take a leaf out of his book.

“You could hear every nuance of his voice,” says Russell.

Russell retains an air of normality, which jars slightly with his status, sharing unprompted that the last time he was in Brighton performing at the Dome; he had a bad case of tonsillitis and felt terrible.

“By the end of the tour, I could barely speak,” recalls Russell. But he reassures me that he is currently on top form.

“If you have a guitar that is sounding a bit weary, you can replace the strings,” says Russell.

“But of course with the voice it is different.

“I do a lot of physical training, first of all, to sustain my strength and build up my immune system.”

He combines this, he says, with drinking plenty of water, and on the days of performances, avoiding dairy.

A tour of some of the UK’s most high profile cathedrals is quite an achievement for someone who never had any classical training, but, says Russell, this is in itself one of the reasons for his success.

“It was that, that forged my career path – the fact that I have come from a working class background – it is almost a Billy Elliot story.

“I think the little idiosyncrasies in my voice were actually the things in my voice that appealed to the general public that they would not usually listen to in a classical repertoire.”

Russell started out his working life in a factory in Greater Manchester making nuts and bolts, while by night he would be performing showbiz covers in working men’s clubs. It was the suggestion of the owner of one of the clubs that he perform Puccini’s Nessun Dorma, which set Russell on the road to success.

“Next year will be my 15th year as a recording artist, which I’m actually quite proud of,” says Russell.

“There are a lot of people who come in with a big bang, and then a couple of years later they are gone.

“I have been incredibly fortunate; I have got a loyal fan base that has followed me.”

Of course, like other celebrities, Russell has also been the target of internet trolls, but he remains philosophical about this sort of negative attention.

“They have obviously taken the time to go to my Facebook page or my Twitter account and write a comment, so they obviously think I’m important enough,” says Russell.

To mark this anniversary, there is a new record planned for release in 2015.

“I want to go back to my roots and try to make something that is in the same vein as the first record, which was my most successful record to date.”

He is of course referencing his 2001 debut The Voice, which held simultaneous number 1 slots in the US and the UK, and spent a record breaking 52 weeks as UK number one.

Russell’s most recent album, Only One Man, was the first time that the creators of smash hit musical Les Misérables, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, composed new material for a solo artist.

“Of all the people they could have asked, they chose me. That was a very special moment in my career,” says Russell.

“The most enjoyable thing about that experience was working with two legendary figures. Les Misérables is the most successful musical ever.

“They are unique characters.

“When you are working with people of that ilk, you can take so much from them at every level.”

Russell has enjoyed extreme highs, but also lows, having battled two brain tumours.

“The parameters of triumph and tragedy are quite broad, from singing at the opening of the Commonwealth Games or in a private audience with the Pope, to lying on a hospital bed not knowing whether I was going to survive,” says Russell.

“That definitely gives you layers, and a stronger appreciation of life, and also I’m still performing and doing what in essence I really love.

“Next year in general, will be a celebration of everything I have achieved over the years, and about saying thanks to everyone for continuing to support me.”

Despite having become a household name, Russell says that he has never courted celebrity.

“There’s nothing more invigorating and exciting than working with a bunch of creative people, but I don’t go out to make a point of becoming friends with people because they are well known, or particularly good at something.

“I’m not part of the celebrity circle, and in some respects it’s not done me any good, but my family and friends are in the North West of England and I’m not going to desert them!”

• An Evening Concert With Russell Watson, A Candlelight Christmas, is at Brighton St George’s Church, St George’s Road, Kemp Town, on Friday, December 5. Visit ticketmaster.co.uk for tickets.