jani lane: Charlotte Church

Charlotte Maria Church (born Charlotte Maria Reed; 21 February 1986) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwideand over 5 million copies in U.S.In 2010 was said to be worth as much as £11m (though one 2003 report had her worth £25m). She recently hosted the third series of her Channel 4 chat show The Charlotte Church Show.

Church released her first album in 5 years, titled Back To Scratch, on 17 October 2010.

Charlotte Church was born Charlotte Maria Reedin Llandaff, a district of Cardiff, Wales.She was brought up as a Roman Catholic by her mother, Maria, who was separated from Church's biological father, Stephen Reed. Church was adopted by her mother's second husband, James Church in 1998. Her break came at 11 when she sang "Pie Jesu" over the telephone on the television show "This Morning" in 1997, followed by her performance on ITV's Big, Big Talent Show in 1997.This led to concerts at Cardiff Arms Park, the Royal Albert Hall and opening for Shirley Bassey in Antwerp. She also received a vocal scholarship to Howell's School Llandaff in Cardiff where she started in 1998 after leaving The Cathedral School, Llandaff. She balanced performing and school with help from tutors for when she was on the road and said in many interviews that she was "just like every other girl her age".

Church appeared on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross on 13 March 2010, where she confirmed that she had already begun writing and recording her sixth studio album. Church also stated that the album was of a different sound to previous, more mature with a 'kooky' vibe.

On 4 August 2010, Church made a new track 'Cold California' available to download from her website .

Church's new album, Back to Scratch, will be released in the UK on November 1. The 14-track set has been produced by Martin Terefe. Back To Scratch will be preceded by a single - the LP's title track - on October 24. 'Back To Scratch' was originally inspired "by problems facing a family member", but Church admitted in a press release that the song now has resonance to her own personal life following her recent split from Gavin Henson.Other tracks confirmed for the album include 'Ruby', originally recorded by French singer Camille and written by Euston Jones, 'Logical World', 'Story Of Us', 'Don't Think About It' and 'Cup Of The Sun'.Back To Scratch will also feature 'The Actors', which Church performed on BBC One talent contest Over The Rainbow in May, and a cover of Joni Mitchell's 'River'.A video featuring a snippet of another song from the album, 'Snow', is available to watch on the singer's Youtube channel and is currently streaming on the her official website. On 6 September 2010 Church posted a short video to her official youtube channel showing her being filmed for the video of the lead single and title track "Back to Scratch" in the background the song can be heard playing.

It was announced on March 13,2011 that Charlotte had terminated her $3 million (£2 million)deal with Power Amp Music over promotional disputes. Her spokesperson released the following statement "All I can really say, because of the confidentiality issues, is that it was in Charlotte's financial interests to do so before the agreement entered the second year of its term. This is typical for these type of deals, which are investment deals rather than record deals. I can also say that the decision to terminate the term early, which suited both parties, was made well before the commercial release of the album." A spokesperson from the record label also released a statement saying "It didn't work out with Charlotte and that's fair enough. There was no falling out. It was a mutual decision. They decided to exit the deal."

The third single to be released from the album Snow will be released on April 11 2011.

Church's personal life has often been portrayed in UK tabloid newspapers, inspiring the song "Let's Be Alone" on her album Tissues and Issues.

Church released an autobiography titled Voice of an Angel (My Life So Far) at 14, before the release of Enchantment and just after she had wrapped up her Dream a Dream Christmas CD. Her change of music direction is hinted at in the final chapter, "Turning Corners".

She released a second autobiography titled Keep Smiling in late 2007, very different in tone from the first.

Aspects of her personal life have been criticised in the press. In 2002, she was photographed smoking, which was controversial due to its possible effects on her voice. It subsequently emerged that she had developed a habit, and that many members of her family were heavy smokers, making it difficult for her to quit.

Her smoking habit was alluded to on the album Tissues and Issues, in "Confessional Song". Her weight gain has also been criticized in the media.Regarding the pressure to lose weight, Church has been quoted as saying, "I'm happy with how I look. I like looking like this. Why change just to be like everyone else? What's the point of that?"In an interview with Reveal magazine in June 2006, she said, "I do look a bit of a heifer on telly and in pictures but that's because the camera puts pounds on you."The press devoted much attention to Church's relationship with boyfriend Gavin Henson, a Welsh International rugby union player. At the end of 2005, she bought a property in her native Cardiff, for a reported £500,000 which she later sold for £900,000. The couple then bought a manor with a 20-acre (8 hectare) small holding just outside Bridgend in the scenic village of St. Bride's Major. The couple mentioned marriage on talk shows and in the press but put off marriage while Church was pregnant.

In 2007, Church made another appearance on a British young people's rich list with Henson. They were ranked 49th-richest young people in Britain with an estimated joint wealth of £12 million,

although most estimate her wealth at £20 million.The couple bought a Princess yacht in spring 2008 for £800,000, named Sketchy, which is berthed at Swansea marina. In late 2009, returning from a day-trip in the Bristol Channel, Church called out the Her Majesty's Coastguard to rescue their lost RiB tender.Church practices karate to keep fit.On 20 September 2007, at 10:35 pm, Church gave birth to daughter named Ruby Megan Henson.Church has stated she wants her childbearing days to be over by the time she is 32.[29] She has also said she wants four to six children, whereas Henson wanted eight.On 11 January 2009, Church gave birth to her second child, son Dexter Lloyd Henson.

In an interview with Hello! magazine following the christening of Dexter, Church said having two children had taken its toll on her body and the couple planned to wait a few years before trying for a third child.

She told the magazine; "I suffer badly with aching hips when I'm pregnant and last time, with Dexter, it was so painful,"The Daily Mail reported on 31 May 2010 that Church and Henson had split up.