Singer with style: FOPE ambassador Carly Paoli on her new album and Christmas jewellery picks
Twinkling style, stellar performances and new Christmas music, the spectacular soprano cannot be stopped
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‘The voice of an angel’ declared Pope Francis as Carly Paoli wowed her audience at the Vatican with her stunning vocal cords. King Charles and Queen Camilla also approve of the soprano star’s dazzling voice. A gifted virtuoso with mesmerising performances, Carly Paoli is making a noise in the music scene and has big plans to see out the year with some festive magic.
Paoli entered the world with music in her bones – born in Mansfield, Nottingham, but raised in southern Italy, the land of gin-clear sea, pasta, parties, and for her family, Italian church music. Her Italian roots (her grandfather was from Puglia) meant summers were spent surrounded by her tunefully-eared aunts and uncles and Paoli took to it as a natural. Singing classical tunes from just seven years old, her voice has since taken her to iconic stages worldwide, including Windsor Castle, New York’s Carnegie Hall, The Roman Forum and St Peter’s Basilica.
A classical star, Paoli’s repertoire is extensive and varies from opera to musical theatre to all-time classic jazz pieces to contemporary pop. This year, she has toured with Tony Award-winning tenor Alfie Boe, The Fulltone Orchestra across England and Wales, and performed as part of the British Legion D-Day 80 Remembrance service. Last but not least comes her new Christmas album, Carly Paoli The Christmas Collection, just in time for the festive period.
Photography: Catherine Harbour | Styling: Karl Willett
Photography: Catherine Harbour | Styling: Karl Willett
But Paoli is not just a singing maestro; she is a fashionista exuding style and grace. As a performer in the limelight, what she wears and accessorises with is important to her. Bringing together her love of fashion, performing jewels, and Italian heritage, this year Paoli started a new ambassadorship with FOPE, the heritage jewellery brand with cutting-edge creations.
Founded in 1929 in Vicenza and now with showrooms in Venice, Dubai, Tokyo and London’s Bond Street, FOPE has stood the test of time through its quality craftsmanship, timeless collections and innovative fine gold, diamond and gemstone jewellery designs. The global brand’s signature touch? Its Novecento gold chain and unique Flex’It system – tiny 18-carat gold springs hidden between each link of FOPE’s jewellery to make it fully stretchable. “Their Flex’It technology means the jewellery sits on me like a second skin,” says Paoli.
Paoli wears FOPE’s sophisticated, versatile and contemporary pieces with pride: “They allow me to express my own personal style and personality.” Here, Paoli discusses her new Christmas album, her love for the festive period, and her go-to sparkling FOPE pieces to show off her style on stage.
My new Christmas album is called Carly Paoli The Christmas Collection and it celebrates all the magic of a traditional Christmas. It opens with me and a children’s choir singing a medley all about Christmas bells and there are anthems such as O Holy Night, and classics such as Still Dream, from the film Rise of the Guardians. I am also very lucky to get to sing some of the tracks with the London Symphony Orchestra. There are also two extra special duets; a new version of Hark the Herald Angels Sing performed with gospel singer David Phelps, who I can honestly say is my all-time favourite tenor, and another with my friend and West End Star Rachel John, My Christmas Dream is You.
I love, love Christmas, so I have always wanted to release a Christmas album. Christmas concerts are magical and I have performed festive music in some amazing places, including St Paul’s Cathedral and Liverpool Cathedral. The album features three live performances recorded in Liverpool. I have also released two musical Christmas programmes from the beautiful Otterburn Castle in Northumberland, so there was a pre-existing collection of festive performances I was eager to share.
Don’t judge me but my favourite Christmas movie is The Muppet Christmas Carol. Scrooge is taken to see his employee, Bob Cratchitt, played, of course, by Kermit the Frog. Bob’s son, Tiny Tim, leads the family in a beautiful song called Bless Us All and the lyrics are just beautiful. So, this obviously had to go on the album too!
Photography: Catherine Harbour | Styling: Karl Willett
Photography: Catherine Harbour | Styling: Karl Willett
If you don’t have a direct number to Santa – he’d be my first choice – then a wonderful substitute would be Bing Crosby. Bing singing White Christmas is Christmas for me – he had a voice like velvet!
I have a very exciting schedule of gorgeous festive concerts – lots of them will be on Christmas TV or radio – like performing as part of His Majesty’s Carol Concert at St Paul’s Cathedral, which will be broadcast by Classic FM. I am also thrilled to be presenting my own concert at the Albert Hall in Nottingham where I’m from, with amazing musical friends like Rachel John, The Gentlemen Songsters’ and 60 amazingly talented children from theatre schools all around the region. It takes place on 21 December and it would be hard to say who is more excited about coming home to sing. Me or the kids!
When FOPE asked me to be their ambassador, I jumped at the opportunity and it has been perfect brand synergy! So many wonderful things have happened since our partnership began. Apart from the chance to wear their stunning, intricate and eye-catching pieces, I have been given the chance to perform at some of their very special events, for example at The Royal Overseas League in Mayfair, and most recently the beautiful Wrenbury Hall in Nantwich.
FOPE has also made me sparkle at performances for D-DAY 80 at The National Arboretum, concerts in Puglia – my home region in Italy – and sitting for SKY TV’s Portrait Artist of the Year. There was also a very personal Dear Diary moment when I went to their flagship store on London’s Bond Street and saw pictures of me filling the windows as part of our new campaign. I mean, what an out-of-body experience that was.
When I first started working with FOPE I loved the history and heritage of the brand. I think that it is timeless, classic and elegant but with a contemporary edge. I love that I can stack the bracelets in different shapes and shades of gold – some with diamonds, some with precious stones, and some that are deceptively simple.
I love the necklaces from the Luna Collection. They make an elegant but dramatic statement – a piece that could look equally exquisite on a classic polo neck or worn with an epic performance gown.
I will be spending Christmas this year at home, hosting the family. I live on a farm and what I love is that the space is big enough for all the family to come and stay. I think I mentioned before that I love Christmas so I do go to town on the decorations! It’s also the one time of the year when no one can tell you off for buying and eating too many chocolates.
Christmas Day starts with walking my little dog Fred, morphs into Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and ends with me falling asleep in a food coma while my nearest and dearest enjoy a festive tipple while either playing games or watching Christmas movies.
Carly’s favourite FOPE Picks
Discover more about FOPE by visiting the London flagship store at 1A Old Bond Street, London, W1S 4PA. Visit fope.com.
