BWW INTERVIEWS: Annalene Beechey, releasing her debut album 'Close Your Eyes'

How did you decide that you wanted to be a performer? Was there a performance or show that you watched that inspired you?

I guess my introduction to musicals was hearing the music to Fiddler On The Roof. I heard it and liked it and sang it round the house and my mum realised that I could sing and brought me to a music teacher.

The first show that I ever saw that stuck in my mind was Phantom. I was 12 years old and we had come over from Ireland to see it. I had left my glasses in the hotel and had to watch the whole show through the binoculars but I loved it and I think it was after that point that I decided that this was definitely what I wanted to do and nothing else. 

What was your first role?

My first actual job was Les Mis. I went with my sister for an open audition in London. She was living there at the time. It was terrifying and in the end my sister didn’t do it but I did and then I got a recall inviting me to audition for the show that was going on tour in Dublin and Edinburgh. I found out that I had got the job on my 18th birthday. It was great because I learnt my craft through that show. I actually gave up college for the role. I was six months into a new course in Dublin. 

What do you look for in a role?

Well, I love a challenge. When you audition for something you don’t get to see the whole script and if it’s something new you don’t really know the character's journey so I guess all I want is a challenge and I want to know that I can tell that story truthfully and to the best of my ability so I think that’s the most important thing for me, to be truthful, because if I believe in it then the audience will hopefully believe it.

Why have you decided to release an album now?

It was one of those things that for years I had said that I didn’t want to do as you’re really putting yourself out there when you record an album. It’s so much more personal than even I thought it would be. But now I’ve grown that bit older and I know my own my own mind and my voice so much better now and had I done an album any earlier it would have been a mistake. The songs are my interpretations of songs, my choice of songs, and ones that I would want to listen to.

The thing that prompted me to start doing the album was after Scott's (Scott Alan) Never Never Land concert last year a few friends said to me that I really should do an album and then my husband said to me that he thought I should really do it. He’s been pushing me for years to do one and he said that he’d produce it so that I wouldn’t have to listen to anyone else telling me what to do and I could just do my own thing. 

How did you decide who would appear on your album with you?

Well, I thought of the person first. Rebecca (Rebecca Lock) and I had first worked together two years ago now and we just got on really, really well. When I was thinking of the album I said to her that I’d really like to sing with her again and for her be on it. I was delighted when she agreed.

Then the other major duet on there is with my husband, Simon (Simon Greiff). I knew I always wanted him to sing on it. He’s my husband and I love his voice and it was a no brainer but it was very difficult to find a duet to sing together as we didn’t want anything that was too saccharin or over done. 

How do you feel now that the album is finished and is being released?

Well, there’s a release now that it’s done and is ready to go out and I can’t change anything so that weight has been lifted but in it’s place is the idea that I’m putting myself out there. I just want people to like it. I want people to understand and appreciate my choices. Hopefully people that buy the album either know me, or know of me or know my voice so they’ll have an idea of what to expect but I think there might be a few surprises on there. I’m very excited but I am nervous about it. 

You’re performing at Scott Alan’s concert. It must be nIce To be asked again.

Well, I know Scott very well now so he was perhaps too scared not to ask me! He’s lovely. With the other people that are singing at the concert, it’s really exciting and with everything else I’ve done in my career I don’t know if I’ve ever shared a stage at a concert with so many West End performers which is really exciting and we all know each other. It’s going to be good but I don’t really want to be following any of them, as they are all so great, so I might have to try and go first. Scott has such a talent for writing beautiful, beautiful melodies but there’s something about his lyrics that just get you, they strike a chord, they tell a story. 

I understand he has written the foreword for the CD?

He has. The man is vastly talented and he’s also such a nice guy. We met him at his concert over here last year and we just get on really well and when I asked him if he would write the foreword he said he’d be honoured to write it and it’s a really lovely foreword. It’s just beautiful, and I’m very proud that he’s been involved in that way with it.

You’ve arranged a CD signing and performance at Dress Circle on October 10. What can we expect to see?

I’m going to be singing 3 songs from the album and Scott will be playing one of the songs for me. He actually volunteered to play one of them. It’ll be nIce To meet some of the people that have pre-ordered the album or that are coming in to buy it on the day. Short of stopping outside stage door you don’t really get to meet people. It’ll be really nIce To personally say thank you for buying my CD. I really appreciate every person that’s either clicked buy now on my web site or ordered it through Dress Circle or who turn up and buy it on that day. It’s awesome that there are people that want to hear me but it’s both terrifying and exciting.

Annalene's album 'Close Your Eyes' can be ordered from her web site: www.annalenebeechey.com

For more details about her CD signing & performance at Dress Circle on Saturday 10th October go to: www.dresscircle.co.uk

Annalene is also appearing at Scott Alan's concerts on 11th October at the Leicester Square Theatre. For tickets & performance details visit: www.leicestersquaretheatre.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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