One of the most recognized winners from Britain’s Got Talent is to perform in North Wales during a short autumn tour.
Classical star Paul Potts will be at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre on October 9 and Rhyl’s Pavilion Theatre on October 14.
The Port Talbot-born singer was the first ever Britain’s Got Talent winner and has sold millions of albums and even had a biographical movie made about his life.
Paul said he is still finalising the repertoire for the tour of Wales.
He told the Daily Post: “I’m always listening to music and adding songs to my repertoire.
“At the moment I’m preparing for a tour of Korea. This will be my 20th visit in the last five years so it seems they like my singing.
“There will be songs from all four albums that I’ve released, and as usual for me, a little tribute to Mario Lanza as well.
“He was a very influential singer, people were replicating some of his standards.”
He added there will be another album at some stage but no date has been set for recording it yet.
Paul has been singing since his school days and had been involved in amateur opera before making it onto Britain’s Got Talent in 2007.
“I only did it, literally, because the love of doing it. It wasn’t something that paid me,” Potts said of the amateur performances.
Before making it onto the stage as a paid artist, Paul was a councillor in Bristol and as a manager of a mobile phone store in Bridgend.
In 2003, he suffered whiplash and broke his collarbone in a crash.
“Eventually, when I got knocked off my bicycle, after a long illness I couldn’t afford to do that (sing as an amateur) anymore,” he said.
That’s when Potts decided to try out for Britain’s Got Talent.
“In the end, it’s changed my life, and now I get to tour the world and do what I love doing,” he said.
Potts, like many other classical singers, is not a composer. He does many covers of songs, including the iconic “Nessun Dorma,” which he performed for the talent show, and has had one or two songs written for him.
He now spends his days travelling and continuing to take voice lessons.
“I’ve been working with my singing teacher quite a lot to get ready for the tour that I’ve got this year and quite a few gigs here and there as well.
“I will never get away without singing ‘Nessun Dorma,’ I’m really looking forward to doing the show at Rhyl.
“It will be the first time for me to visit Rhyl since 2008 where I started my first ever tour. I had a very warm welcome from a very knowledgable audience,” he said.
When he’s not listening to music or travelling Paul enjoys photography - especially taking pictures of the scenery around his home.
He would like to stage an exhibition of his photographs.
“I’m working on something at the moment in aid of the Treat Trust Wales charity which I’m patron.
“The charity’s founder, Mel Davies, was injured so badly in a motorcycle accident as a teenager she nearly died.
“But she survived and despite being confined to a wheelchair her cheerful disposition and positive attitude made her a real inspiration.
“I carry a copy of her book with me,” he said.
Tickets for the show in Rhyl are available from the Box Office on 01745 330000 or the theatre website.
More about the Aberystwyth show on 01970 623232 or
