| Katherine Jenkins is a Welsh mezzo-soprano. Jenkins has recorded several albums which feature arias, popular songs, hymns and classical crossover music and has performed in a large number of concerts around the UK and other countries including the USA and Australia. In 2004, at the age of 23, she signed the largest record deal in United Kingdom classical recording history, with an undisclosed seven-figure deal. She has also appeared regularly as the singer for the Welsh national anthem "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" at Welsh international rugby matches. In August, 2004 she made her first US appearance supporting crossover soprano Hayley Westenra at Joe's Pub in New York City. In April and May of 2005, she supported Irish tenor Ronan Tynan on his first US tour as a solo artist. She performed on the Berlin stage of Live 8 in 2005 the hymn "Amazing Grace". Jenkins' Italian-language version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" ("L'Amore Sei Tu"), first performed live at Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire on August 28, 2005, was the first cut on Jenkins' 2005 album Living A Dream. In November 2006 she performed live before The Queen at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, singing a song written specially for the Queen's 80th birthday, and joining fellow Welsh singer James Fox in the final verse of "Anthem" from the musical Chess. Between 1990 and 1996 Jenkins was a member of the Royal School of Church Music Cathedral Singers, where she achieved the St Cecilia Award, its highest accolade. She twice won the BBC Radio 2 Welsh Choirgirl Of The Year contest, and won the BET Welsh Choirgirl Of The Year. Jenkins is the official mascot for the Wales rugby team. Jenkins is noted for her appearance, which was distinctive enough for her to work as a hair and makeup model. She is also a university graduate who taught music to children prior to being signed by Universal. Like many celebrities, she frequently has autograph signing sessions after concerts, although recently she has begun to have them separately in music stores due to heavy concert scheduling that sometimes requires her to leave immediately after performing. She is also an ambassador for Montblanc pens and gifts. Jenkins has one sister and her mother is still alive; her father, Selwyn Jenkins, died of cancer when she was a teenager, and she has remarked on missing him in her album liner notes. She was romantically involved for four years with songwriter and former Worlds Apart boy band singer Steve Hart. However, they kept details of their relationship private, and were rarely seen in public together. Jenkins confirmed the couple had split in November 2006, so that she could concentrate on her career.
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