Faryl
Encyclopedia
Faryl is the debut album by British mezzo-soprano
Faryl Smith
, released on 9 March 2009 by Universal Classics and Jazz
. Smith rose to fame after her appearance on the second series
of Britain's Got Talent
, and signed with Universal after the competition. The album was recorded during December 2008 and January 2009 and features the track "River of Light", a song set to The Blue Danube
, for which a promotional music video was recorded. The album also features a 60 piece orchestra, and was produced by Jon Cohen. Faryl' s promotion included numerous television and radio appearances, and Smith meeting with Gordon Brown
at 10 Downing Street
.
After its release, Faryl became the fastest selling classical solo album in British chart history, selling 20,000 copies in the first four days, and the album sold 29,200 copies in the first week, which is higher than any other debut album of a classical singer. It received mostly positive reviews, with praise for Smith's voice and maturity. Faryl entered the charts at number 6, rising to number 4 the next week, and was the third album by a Britain's Got Talent contestant to reach the top ten in Britain. Smith subsequently embarked on a promotional tour of the US to publicise the album.
of ITV
talent show Britain's Got Talent
. During the show, she performed "Ave Maria
" and a cover of Sarah McLachlan
's "Angel
", as well as receiving singing lessons from Yvie Burnett
. Despite the fact she was at one point the favourite to win, she finished outside the top three in the live final. During the competition, Smith rejected offers of a record deal, and after the show she rejected offers from Sony BMG, instead signing a £2.3 million, multi-album deal with Universal Classics and Jazz
, the most lucrative ever offered to a schoolgirl.
" with lyrics, was included on the album. Smith said that "The Blue Danube
music now has words put to it. I like it because it's different. Everyone knows the tune and everybody has got high hopes for it." Smith said that her favourite song on the album was her version of the Welsh hymn, "Calon Lân
". Other songs include Smith's version of "Amazing Grace
", a cover of "Annie's Song
" by John Denver
, and a rewritten version of "The Way Old Friends Do", rewritten for Smith by Björn Ulvaeus
. Smith spoke about the song, saying "It was about divorce ... They didn't think it was appropriate for me to sing about that, so Björn changed the lyrics so it's about friendship." The album was produced by Jon Cohen, who has previously worked with artists including the Operababes and Vanessa Mae.
On 23 February, it was reported by The Sun
that Universal had received the first shipment of Faryl, but due to a pressing error, though they looked like Smith's albums, they actually contained the music of The Fall's album Imperial Wax Solvent
. Universal was reported to have "severe words" with the pressing plant. The mix up received attention from the international press, including an article in Canadian magazine Exclaim!
.
, the cover photo was modified to give Smith "a smile worthy of a model from a Colgate
advert", due to her "gappy teeth". Smith's father, Tony, said "at the moment we're promoting the album and making sure we're in the right places at the right time." A television advert and music video for "River of Light" were recorded to further publicise the release, and Smith also appeared on the cover of April's Classic FM Magazine
. More promotional appearances in the weeks leading up to the release of Faryl included appearances on Loose Women
, The Paul O'Grady Show
, BBC Radio 4
, Radio Five Live and BBC Breakfast
. She also appeared at the Children's Champion Awards and met Gordon Brown
at 10 Downing Street
. On the day of the release, there was an album signing in Smith's hometown of Kettering
, at the HMV
branch. Smith said "I definitely want to be at home for the launch. I want to be surrounded by my friends and family because obviously, it's a big deal for me."
After the UK release, Dickon Stainer, head of Universal Classics and Jazz, spoke of plans to publicise Faryl in the US, saying "America is going to be key. Because of her history on the talent show there's already a great deal of interest in her. The demand is intense." In April 2009, Smith travelled to Los Angeles to begin her promotion of Faryl in the United States. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
in early May as part of her promotional tour. Faryl was released in the US on 5 May. Smith said before the release that she did not expect it to sell as well as it did in the UK. She said that "in the US it's a lot harder because I'm not as well-known. In the UK, a lot of people obviously watched 'Britain's Got Talent' and stuff, and that was like fresh in everyone's minds." After the release, she was more optimistic, saying "When I performed in New York, it reminded me of the HMV signing in Kettering and there was quite a big queue so I think my album was well received." Smith returned from the US in early May. Contrary to what was said on the third series of Britain's Got Talent
, Smith has no plans for a concert tour in 2009; she was quoted as saying that "I'm too young and don't think I would be able to do a tour on my own". However, she does plan to return to the US during her summer holidays in order to again promote Faryl. She said that "everyone in America was really nice and they do like classical music, but it is so difficult to make it over there ... They seem to like their own singers, but I will just keep trying my best".
, said that the songs were performed "with power and restraint", and that the "arrangements by Jon Cohen suggest some kind of aesthetic endeavour beyond the basic thing for which they exist". He compared it favourably to three other Mothering Sunday
releases, Lionel Richie
's Just Go
, Ronan Keating
's Songs for My Mother
and Barry Manilow
's The Greatest Songs of the Eighties
. He awarded Faryl 3 out of a possible 5, the highest rating of the four. Writing for The Observer
, Johnny Davis said that "You can practically hear Katherine Jenkins weep as Faryl flawlessly executes Amazing Grace with a 60-piece orchestra", awarding the album 3 out of a possible 5. Helen Sloan, writing for Crackerjack (Bristol Evening Post
), said that "it's immediately clear from her sumptuous voice why even Simon Cowell was impressed", but says that the orchestra renders "the whole thing a bit bland and movie-soundtrack", awarding the album 5 out of a possible 10. Malcolm Mackenzie, writing for thelondonpaper
, described the album as "predictable fodder for old folks’ homes", saying that "Smith has got a shockingly good set of pipes, but will we care when the kid from Kettering loses her precocious appeal?" A reviewer writing for Saffron Walden
's local paper the Saffron Walden Reporter described the album as "a pleasure to listen to" adding that Smith's "talent and maturity shines throughout".
, noted was more copies than U2
's recent No Line on the Horizon. It also topped the Amazon.co.uk presale chart. On the day of the release, based only on presales, the album was at the number one spot on the UK Albums Chart
. The album became the fastest selling classical solo album in Britain, beating the previous record holder Hayley Westernra, selling 20,000 copies in the first four days. The first week resulted in sales of 29,200 copies, which is higher than any other debut album of a classical singer. Faryl officially entered the charts at number six, and climbed to number 4 the following week. Faryl made Smith the third former Britain's Got Talent
contestant to achieve a top ten album, after Paul Potts
(with One Chance) and Andrew Johnston
(with One Voice
). As of May, the album has sold over 150,000 copies in the UK alone. On 23 May, after the US release, Faryl peaked at 31 on Top Heatseekers
Albums chart, and at six on the Classical Albums chart, remaining in the charts for one and 17 weeks respectively.
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
Faryl Smith
Faryl Smith
Faryl Smith is a British teen mezzo-soprano who rose to fame after auditioning for the second series of the ITV television talent show Britain's Got Talent in 2008. She received praise throughout the competition, and although she was the favourite to win after the second round, she finished...
, released on 9 March 2009 by Universal Classics and Jazz
Universal Classics and Jazz
Universal Classics and Jazz is the name of two record label divisions of the Universal Music Group.- UCJ Germany :Universal Music Classics & Jazz is a division of Universal Music Germany and is marketed under websites called Klassik Akzente and Jazz Echo.- UCJ Japan :This Universal Music Japan...
. Smith rose to fame after her appearance on the second series
Britain's Got Talent (Series 2)
The 2008 series of Britain's Got Talent was the second series of the show. Notable differences from the 2007 series the included the fact that the auditions visited Scotland and that there were 40 in the live semi-finals...
of Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
, and signed with Universal after the competition. The album was recorded during December 2008 and January 2009 and features the track "River of Light", a song set to The Blue Danube
The Blue Danube
The Blue Danube is the common English title of An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314 , a waltz by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, composed in 1866...
, for which a promotional music video was recorded. The album also features a 60 piece orchestra, and was produced by Jon Cohen. Faryl
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
at 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
.
After its release, Faryl became the fastest selling classical solo album in British chart history, selling 20,000 copies in the first four days, and the album sold 29,200 copies in the first week, which is higher than any other debut album of a classical singer. It received mostly positive reviews, with praise for Smith's voice and maturity. Faryl entered the charts at number 6, rising to number 4 the next week, and was the third album by a Britain's Got Talent contestant to reach the top ten in Britain. Smith subsequently embarked on a promotional tour of the US to publicise the album.
Background
Smith rose to fame on the second seriesBritain's Got Talent (Series 2)
The 2008 series of Britain's Got Talent was the second series of the show. Notable differences from the 2007 series the included the fact that the auditions visited Scotland and that there were 40 in the live semi-finals...
of ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
talent show Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
. During the show, she performed "Ave Maria
Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)
The Bach/Gounod Ave Maria is a popular and much-recorded setting of the Latin text Ave Maria.Written by French Romantic composer Charles Gounod in 1859, his Ave Maria consists of a melody superimposed over the Prelude No. 1 in C major, BWV 846, from Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier, written by...
" and a cover of Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
's "Angel
Angel (Sarah McLachlan song)
"Angel" is a song by Sarah McLachlan that originally appeared on her 1997 album Surfacing. As McLachlan explained on VH1 Storytellers, the song is about the Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin, who overdosed on heroin and died in 1996."Angel" was McLachlan's second top 5 hits...
", as well as receiving singing lessons from Yvie Burnett
Yvie Burnett
Yvie Burnett , is a Scottish mezzosoprano singer and vocal coach, best known for her work with Simon Cowell on television shows The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent.-Education:...
. Despite the fact she was at one point the favourite to win, she finished outside the top three in the live final. During the competition, Smith rejected offers of a record deal, and after the show she rejected offers from Sony BMG, instead signing a £2.3 million, multi-album deal with Universal Classics and Jazz
Universal Classics and Jazz
Universal Classics and Jazz is the name of two record label divisions of the Universal Music Group.- UCJ Germany :Universal Music Classics & Jazz is a division of Universal Music Germany and is marketed under websites called Klassik Akzente and Jazz Echo.- UCJ Japan :This Universal Music Japan...
, the most lucrative ever offered to a schoolgirl.
Recording
Faryl was recorded in London during Smith's Christmas holiday during December 2008 and January 2009, and completed on the third of January. It features a 60 piece orchestra, which was recorded at Air Studios, in London. The song "River of Light", a recording of "The Blue DanubeThe Blue Danube
The Blue Danube is the common English title of An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314 , a waltz by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, composed in 1866...
" with lyrics, was included on the album. Smith said that "The Blue Danube
The Blue Danube
The Blue Danube is the common English title of An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314 , a waltz by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, composed in 1866...
music now has words put to it. I like it because it's different. Everyone knows the tune and everybody has got high hopes for it." Smith said that her favourite song on the album was her version of the Welsh hymn, "Calon Lân
Calon Lan
Calon Lân is a Welsh hymn, the words of which were written in the 19th century by Daniel James to a tune by John Hughes ....
". Other songs include Smith's version of "Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
", a cover of "Annie's Song
Annie's Song
"Annie's Song" is a rock/country song recorded and written by singer-songwriter John Denver. It was his second number-one song in the United States, occupying that spot for two weeks in July 1974. "Annie's Song" also went to number one on the Easy Listening chart...
" by John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
, and a rewritten version of "The Way Old Friends Do", rewritten for Smith by Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
. Smith spoke about the song, saying "It was about divorce ... They didn't think it was appropriate for me to sing about that, so Björn changed the lyrics so it's about friendship." The album was produced by Jon Cohen, who has previously worked with artists including the Operababes and Vanessa Mae.
On 23 February, it was reported by The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
that Universal had received the first shipment of Faryl, but due to a pressing error, though they looked like Smith's albums, they actually contained the music of The Fall's album Imperial Wax Solvent
Imperial Wax Solvent
Imperial Wax Solvent is a studio album by The Fall – the band's 27th – released in the UK on April 28, 2008. The album featured a new British-based lineup after the departures of the American musicians involved in writing and performing 2007's Reformation Post TLC, with singer and...
. Universal was reported to have "severe words" with the pressing plant. The mix up received attention from the international press, including an article in Canadian magazine Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
.
Promotion
Promotion began in January, with performances at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and appearances at the debut of Oliver!. Smith also took part in a photoshoot for publicity and cover photos. According to the Daily MailDaily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, the cover photo was modified to give Smith "a smile worthy of a model from a Colgate
Colgate (toothpaste)
Colgate is an oral hygiene product line of toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes and dental floss.-Duraphat:Duraphat is a professional strength paste intended for the treatment and prevention of dental caries....
advert", due to her "gappy teeth". Smith's father, Tony, said "at the moment we're promoting the album and making sure we're in the right places at the right time." A television advert and music video for "River of Light" were recorded to further publicise the release, and Smith also appeared on the cover of April's Classic FM Magazine
Classic FM Magazine
The Classic FM Magazine is a magazine published in the United Kingdom each month. It is the printed organ of Classic FM, a British classical commercial radio station. The magazine reviews classical recordings and live performances and often includes tracks from recent releases on its cover disk....
. More promotional appearances in the weeks leading up to the release of Faryl included appearances on Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
, The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...
, BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, Radio Five Live and BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items...
. She also appeared at the Children's Champion Awards and met Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
at 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
. On the day of the release, there was an album signing in Smith's hometown of Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
, at the HMV
HMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
branch. Smith said "I definitely want to be at home for the launch. I want to be surrounded by my friends and family because obviously, it's a big deal for me."
After the UK release, Dickon Stainer, head of Universal Classics and Jazz, spoke of plans to publicise Faryl in the US, saying "America is going to be key. Because of her history on the talent show there's already a great deal of interest in her. The demand is intense." In April 2009, Smith travelled to Los Angeles to begin her promotion of Faryl in the United States. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
in early May as part of her promotional tour. Faryl was released in the US on 5 May. Smith said before the release that she did not expect it to sell as well as it did in the UK. She said that "in the US it's a lot harder because I'm not as well-known. In the UK, a lot of people obviously watched 'Britain's Got Talent' and stuff, and that was like fresh in everyone's minds." After the release, she was more optimistic, saying "When I performed in New York, it reminded me of the HMV signing in Kettering and there was quite a big queue so I think my album was well received." Smith returned from the US in early May. Contrary to what was said on the third series of Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent (series 3)
The 2009 series of Britain's Got Talent was the third series of the programme. It began airing on ITV on 11 April. The 2009 panel of judges consisted of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan...
, Smith has no plans for a concert tour in 2009; she was quoted as saying that "I'm too young and don't think I would be able to do a tour on my own". However, she does plan to return to the US during her summer holidays in order to again promote Faryl. She said that "everyone in America was really nice and they do like classical music, but it is so difficult to make it over there ... They seem to like their own singers, but I will just keep trying my best".
Reception
Pete Paphides, writing for The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, said that the songs were performed "with power and restraint", and that the "arrangements by Jon Cohen suggest some kind of aesthetic endeavour beyond the basic thing for which they exist". He compared it favourably to three other Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday is a Christian festival celebrated throughout Europe that falls on the 4th Sunday in Lent. Secularly it became a celebration of motherhood. It is increasingly being called Mother's Day, although in countries other than the UK and Ireland that holiday has other origins...
releases, Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
's Just Go
Just Go (Lionel Richie album)
Just Go is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Lionel Richie. The album was slated to be released in US on March 10, 2009, but was pushed back to May 19, 2009. In UK the album was released as scheduled on March 16, 2009. The International release date was March 13, 2009...
, Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
's Songs for My Mother
Songs For My Mother
Songs for My Mother is the fifth studio album released by Boyzone frontman and Irish singer/songwriter Ronan Keating. The album was released on March 16, 2009 on Polydor Records, and is his first album to be released since the reunion of Boyzone....
and Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
's The Greatest Songs of the Eighties
The Greatest Songs of the Eighties
The Greatest Songs of the Eighties is Barry Manilow's 38th album, and follow-up to his 2007 album, The Greatest Songs of the Seventies...
. He awarded Faryl 3 out of a possible 5, the highest rating of the four. Writing for The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, Johnny Davis said that "You can practically hear Katherine Jenkins weep as Faryl flawlessly executes Amazing Grace with a 60-piece orchestra", awarding the album 3 out of a possible 5. Helen Sloan, writing for Crackerjack (Bristol Evening Post
Bristol Evening Post
The Bristol Evening Post is a newspaper covering news in the city of Bristol, including stories from the whole of Greater Bristol, Northern Somerset and South Gloucestershire....
), said that "it's immediately clear from her sumptuous voice why even Simon Cowell was impressed", but says that the orchestra renders "the whole thing a bit bland and movie-soundtrack", awarding the album 5 out of a possible 10. Malcolm Mackenzie, writing for thelondonpaper
Thelondonpaper
The London Paper was a free daily newspaper, published by NI Free Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International...
, described the album as "predictable fodder for old folks’ homes", saying that "Smith has got a shockingly good set of pipes, but will we care when the kid from Kettering loses her precocious appeal?" A reviewer writing for Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden is a medium-sized market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. It is located north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and approx north of London...
's local paper the Saffron Walden Reporter described the album as "a pleasure to listen to" adding that Smith's "talent and maturity shines throughout".
Sales
At the beginning of February, Faryl was placed at 295 in Amazon.co.uk's best-sellers chart and 13 in its early listening chart, based on pre-orders alone. A week before its release, the album was in the top 100 selling albums, and was the top selling opera album. Retailers in the United Kingdom ordered more than 80,000 copies of the album in the week leading up to release, which Simon Cable, writing for the Daily MailDaily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, noted was more copies than U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's recent No Line on the Horizon. It also topped the Amazon.co.uk presale chart. On the day of the release, based only on presales, the album was at the number one spot on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. The album became the fastest selling classical solo album in Britain, beating the previous record holder Hayley Westernra, selling 20,000 copies in the first four days. The first week resulted in sales of 29,200 copies, which is higher than any other debut album of a classical singer. Faryl officially entered the charts at number six, and climbed to number 4 the following week. Faryl made Smith the third former Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
contestant to achieve a top ten album, after Paul Potts
Paul Potts
Paul Robert Potts is an English pop opera tenor who won the first series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2007, singing an operatic aria, "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot". As a singer of operatic music, Potts recorded the album One Chance, which went to #1 in nine countries...
(with One Chance) and Andrew Johnston
Andrew Johnston (singer)
Andrew Johnston is a British singer who rose to fame when he appeared as a boy soprano on the second series of the British television talent show Britain's Got Talent in 2008. Although he did not win the series, he received a contract to record on the SyCo Music label owned by the Britain's Got...
(with One Voice
One Voice (Andrew Johnston album)
One Voice is the debut album by British boy soprano Andrew Johnston, who rose to fame in 2008 after his appearance on the second series of Britain's Got Talent. The album was released on 29 September 2008 by Syco Music, Britain's Got Talent judge Simon Cowell's record label...
). As of May, the album has sold over 150,000 copies in the UK alone. On 23 May, after the US release, Faryl peaked at 31 on Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
Albums chart, and at six on the Classical Albums chart, remaining in the charts for one and 17 weeks respectively.
Track listing
Chart positions
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
4 |
| US Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
31 |
| US Top Classical Billboard charts The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine... |
6 |
External links
- "River of Light" music video at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....