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Talented tenor Russell Watson tells Declan Harte of near-death experiences and career high notes ahead of his UK tour

INTERVIEW

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VOICE ofSURVIVAL

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INTERVIEW

inging star Russell “The Voice” Watson seemed to have it all, before he received some devastating news.

The multi-platinum selling artist was on a world tour, trying to crack America, when his agonising headaches could not be ignored any longer and he sought urgent medical help. To his utter shock, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

The brush with death changed Russell and he’s now grateful for every day he is still alive.

Dubbed “The People’s Tenor” due to his lack of classical training and “The Voice” because of his naturally-powerful pipes, the northerner is about to perform across the UK.

The 28 shows from September to November will cover Britain, seeing him perform in Edinburgh, York, Cambridge, Swindon, Weymouth and many more. Fans will be treated to songs from across his storied music career, which includes smash-hit albums and unforgettable performances. After starting out in the working-men’s clubs of North West England, his amazing musical journey eventually saw him perform at the White House and even the Vatican.

“I couldn’t have imagined any of it,” the 51-year-old said of his humble origins.

“When I first came on to the classical scene in 1999, my knowledge of the arts was basic.

“I didn’t go to the conventional music colleges, but 10 years in the clubs got me really prepared for audiences. It’s a school of hard knocks.” He added: “It got me prepared as an artist, so when I’m on stage I can really connect with my audience. I can also respond to anything that happens on stage quickly and spontaneously. For an artist like myself, who’s constantly touring, that’s gold dust.”

His big break came in 1999 when he sung Nessun Dorma on the pitch at Manchester United’s home stadium Old Trafford. The 75,000 fans in attendance roared with approval when the rousing aria reached its climax.

It was for the final match of the Premiership season and his beloved United triumphed over Spurs to take the title. Russell then returned to the pitch and performed the classic Barcelona, which has become something of a signature song.

It sealed his success and a week later he was belting out the bombastic ballad at the UEFA Champions League final in, yes, Barcelona.

His debut album, The Voice, topped the classical charts in both the UK and the US.

More hit records followed and his career was in full flow, duetting with classical stars as renowned Lucianno Pavarotti. They performed the song Brindisi, from opera La Traviata, to 80,000 people at London’s Hyde Park. He called his 2001 performance with the late Italian legend a “superb experience”.

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A TRAGEDY CAN EITHER BRING YOU CLOSER TO FAITH OR IT CAN DRAW YOU AWAY. YOU COULD THINK ‘IF THERE IS A GOD, WHY WOULD HE HAVE DONE THIS TO ME TWICE?’

OR YOU CAN FEEL CLOSER, LIKE, I NEED YOU NOW TO GET THROUGH THIS. MINE WAS THE LATTER

Other singing partners from across the worlds of rock and pop include Meatloaf, Lionel Richie and Bee Gees star Barry Gibb.

Russell has sung for a who’s-who of world leaders and dignitaries. “I did a concert for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in Rome,” he said. “That was something else.”

Certainly a far cry from Wigan Road Working Men’s Club, where he formerly plied his musical trade. With gigs at the White House and Windsor Castle, it seemed he had conquered the music business and nothing could go wrong.

Then, in 2005, his world came crashing down with the shock diagnosis of a brain tumour.

“My headaches over a period of time just got worse and worse,” he said, “I was really struggling with the headaches and also my vision was deteriorating as well and I didn’t know why.

“Particularly my peripheral vision, so my side vision had almost completely gone.”

It was on a flight to Los Angeles that things became unbearable for the singer.

“I think it must have been the pressure of the flight, but I thought my head going to explode.”

The overwhelming agony continued after landing and travelling to his hotel. “I actually at one point felt like throwing myself off the balcony of the hotel, just to stop the pain,” he said. “My head was just throbbing. The feeling was like

someone was sticking a knife into the middle of my head.” He was in so much pain he desperately hurried to get checked out by a professional. The singer went to LA’s Cedar’s-Sinai hospital and “was seen within 20 minutes”.

After undergoing a series of scans, his worst nightmare came true. He recalled: “The specialist looked at me and said: ‘Mr Watson, you have a tumour. And from the results, it’s potentially a very big one.’ That was it. My whole life flashed before me.”

The tumour turned out to be benign and was removed back in the UK with an intricate five-hour operation. But Russell was not out of the woods yet. As he puts it: “I had my first operation, thought it was gone, then 12 months later it had a comeback tour.”

He went to sleep one night and the second tumour started haemorrhaging. “It was bleeding into my brain,” he said. “I basically didn’t wake up the next morning. Two paramedics burst in through my bedroom door. The next thing they were taking me downstairs in my house.

“I remember that I was flitting in and out of consciousness. This guy was just repeating: Stay with us Russell, stay with us pal. Try to keep your eyes open, don’t drift.”

As he was taken into the waiting ambulance, his temperature soared to dangerous levels and

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it’s just like the thing didn’t happen. People often ask me ‘did you think you would ever sing again?’ To be honest with you, when I was coming down the stairs I didn’t think I would live again, never mind sing. It’s a pretty sobering thought.”

But sing again he did. His most-recent album, True Stories, even includes a self-penned song about his euphoric relief at surviving. The track, I’m Alive, recounts his anguish upon being diagnosed.

He said: “It’s the story of when I found out I was ill and things that went through my mind. At first I didn’t tell my closest and dearest, because I didn’t want to worry anyone.

“The first thing I was thinking about was: ‘How are my kids going to survive? They need me. What if I’m not here to look after them or be with them anymore?’ That’s all that was going through my head. I need to stay here.”

His musical path was resumed and it is continuing to reach new heights. In 2015, the same year he wed second wife Louise, his voice was even broadcast in space. He sung the theme tune to Star Trek: Enterprise and received a call from NASA to say it would be played on its probe passing Pluto. The singer added: “It’s funny because NASA rung up our offices and said: ‘Russell’s voice will be heard furthest from planet Earth, in the history of mankind’. I thought this

was amazing.” It seems that his career can’t soar any higher.

The star is also using his platform to lobby for more investment into brain-tumour research.

“I think it’s important for any person in the media spotlight to give back,” he said. “Actually get out there. Do something.”

He is patron of the Katy Holmes Trust, which works to fight brain tumours in youngsters.

His shows typically see cash collections for groups such as The Brain Tumour Charity.

The upcoming live tour, titled Canzoni d’Amore, is set to be a real treat for fans of the resilient singer and his four-octave voice. It kicks off at King George’s Hall, Blackburn, on September 21, before finishing in Dunstable on November 30.

For a man who has recorded 11 albums, he is spoilt for choice with song selections. “All the songs I put into the show are for a specific reason,” he said. “It’s a mixture of my repertoire from the past 18 years as a recording artist.”

After such an eventful life, he understands the power of music to help us through the tough times. He said: “Nothing underpins our life stories as much as music does. There’s no other medium that can achieve that status.”

Visit russellwatson.com for full tour dates.

paramedics raced to cool him down with ice packs. He said: “Oh man, it was very scary. I got to hospital and had emergency surgery. Thank God I survived.” January 2007 was the start of 25 intense treatments of radiotherapy. He said: “I’m telling you, 25 blasts or radiation on your bloody head wipes you out.”

Rather than finish him off, the harrowing experience led to a spiritual awakening for the tenor. He came out of the ordeal a different man. He credits family and friends for giving him the strength to carry on.

His two daughters, Hannah and Rebecca, inspired him to keep going. Another great source of strength was his own personal faith. He feels the experience brought him closer to God.

A deep religious reckoning came during his darkest hours. He said: “A tragedy can either bring you closer to faith or it can draw you away. You could think ‘If there is a God, why would he have done this to me twice?’

“Or you can feel closer, like, I need you now to get through this. Mine was the latter.”

The vocalist now has a different perspective on everything. He said: “When you’ve been through something like that you never look at life the same and nothing bothers me anymore.

“I used to take everything really personally and get upset if things didn’t go quite my way. Now

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME ‘DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD EVER SING

AGAIN?’ TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN I WAS

COMING DOWN THE STAIRS I DIDN’T THINK I

WOULD LIVE AGAIN, NEVER MIND SING. IT’S A PRETTY

SOBERING THOUGHT