An American language student moves to Europe to study French, Italian and German for a Masters degree in comparative literature. Her life takes an unexpected twist that sees Stacey Kent become one of the world's foremost jazz singers.
Stacey, who joined the Blue Note (EMI) roster of recording artists in 2007, now boasts eight best-selling albums, including the Grammy nominated, Platinum-selling, BREAKFAST ON THE MORNING TRAM (2007), THE BOY NEXT DOOR (2003) and RACONTE-MOI (2010), both of which achieved Gold status, a string of awards, including the 2001 British Jazz Award, the 2002 BBC Jazz Award for 'Best Vocalist,' the 2004 Backstage Bistro Award for best live performance, the 2006 "Album of the Year" Award for Jim Tomlinson's album, THE LYRIC, as well as a fan base that enables her to sell out concert halls around the world.
Stacey's Blue Note release, BREAKFAST ON THE MORNING TRAM, features four original songs, including the title track, written especially for her by Jim Tomlinson and acclaimed novelist, Kazuo Ishiguro. Since its release in September 2007, it has been released worldwide in 38 countries. The album remained at the top of the French jazz chart as well as holding its own in the top 20 of the general album charts for over a year and saw Stacey and the band tour in 27 different countries in 14 months.
Stacey's next release, RACONTE-MOI, also featuring songs written especially for her, mixed with classic French chansons, went on to become the second best-selling French language album worldwide (outside of France), in 2010.
Stacey also went on to receive the CHEVALIER DANS L'ORDRE DES ARTS ET DES LETTRES, awarded to her by the French Culture of Minister.
The twist of fate that took her life in this new direction was a chance meeting in Oxford with saxophonist, Jim Tomlinson. Like Stacey, Jim was embarked on an academic path, but their meeting sparked in each other the desire to pursue their love of music together. After a year's study at the Guildhall School of Music, Stacey received immediate attention and recognition on the London scene in the company of, now husband, Jim Tomlinson.
Since the release of Stacey's first album, CLOSE YOUR EYES (1997), she has achieved, without compromise, both critical and popular success, with her fresh and heart-felt interpretations of the finest love songs of the twentieth century. But it was a feature on CBS SUNDAY MORNING in 1999 that gave Stacey national exposure in the USA and brought her to wider recognition. Since then, her career has continued to expand internationally, with Stacey traveling worldwide to concert halls from Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek Concert Hall to Carnegie Hall to the famed Olympia in Paris.
Stacey's admirers are not limited to the loyal fans that buy her albums and pack out her concerts.
Clint Eastwood invited Stacey to sing at his 70th birthday party, Michael Parkinson invited Stacey to sing on his television show, as did Sir David Frost, who asked her to join him one Sunday morning, to sing a song and review the morning papers with him on "Breakast with Frost" and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler , in a recent interview, listed Stacey, alongside Willie Nelson, as being among his favourite singers.
If there is one theme that runs through Stacey's music, it is that of romance. Stacey is herself an avowed romantic, and the songs she sings are timeless stories that touch young and old alike. She receives fan mail from people of all ages and nationalities and, in an age where music is more likely to divide than unite the generations, it is quite common for three generations of the same family to attend her concerts.
This romanticism is best demonstrated on the award winning recording with Jim Tomlinson, THE LYRIC. It is the most complete collaboration between Stacey and husband, Jim. On this album, Jim's saxophone and Stacey's voice achieve a level of empathy only hinted at on earlier recordings.
Stacey's two most current albums, BREAKFAST ON THE MORNING TRAM and RACONTE-MOI, hint at a more confessional side to Stacey's artistic persona. This is a more complete, personal and mature expression of feeling than Kent has delivered on any of her previous recordings.
It is not easy to account for Stacey's success and she herself remains characteristically coy. What is sure is that Stacey has a voice that grabs you. It demands to be listened to and yet never draws attention to itself.
Most recently, Stacey was selected by DREAMS BEDS to be the voice of their most recent advertising campaign with her version of HUSHABYE MOUNTAIN.
Stacey's next album, due for release in October 2011, is a live album, recorded at "La Cigale" in Paris in May, 2011