When an 11-year-old Charlotte Church wowed millions with her incredible voice in TV debut

14 February 2022, 12:32

Charlotte Church burst onto the music scene at a very young age, with her operatic voice impressing millions of people around the world.

Now aged 35, Charlotte reminded us just how talented she is when she appeared as Mushroom in 2022's series of The Masked Singer on ITV.

Charlotte kept fans guessing throughout the series by using a Northern speaking voice, while once singing in Irish and performing different genres. It wasn't until the final when she went for a classical number that it was clear that it must be Charlotte under the mask.

Showing fans that she still sounds amazing over 20 years on from first being discovered, it got us thinking back to when she first appeared on TV back in the late 1990s.

MUSHROOM IS CHARLOTTE CHURCH! | Season 3 Ep 8 | The Masked Singer UK

Born in Cardiff, Wales, Charlotte is the daughter of Maria and Stephen Reed, a computer engineer. Her parents separated when she was two, and she was raised by her mother, who brought her up as a Roman Catholic. In 1992, Maria married her second husband, James Church, who adopted Charlotte in 1999.

Her first big musical break came aged 11 when she sang Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Pie Jesu' over the telephone on This Morning in 1997.

Charlotte's first on-screen appearance followed soon after, when she performed on ITV's Big, Big Talent Show (which was hosted by future Masked Singer judge Jonathan Ross).

Charlotte Church on the Big Big Talent Show

It wasn't long before Charlotte became one of the most sought-after singers while still at school.

As a classical music singer, Charlotte sang in English, Welsh, Latin, Italian and French. Her first album, Voice of an Angel, was released in 1998, and she even became a celebrity in the States.

Charlotte has since moved into more pop and rock music in the last decade, with her last studio album Back to Scratch being released in 2010. She also released four brilliant EPs in 2014.

With Charlotte now back in the public eye and proving she can sing in various genres including classical and pop, we wouldn't be surprised if a new album and tour are on the way soon.