Stacey Kent

Stacey Kent was born and raised in New York City on the music of Nat "King" Cole, Frank Sinatra, and other giants of the American Songbook.  After she earned a degree in comparative literature at Sarah Lawrence College, she traveled in Europe and visited college friends in Oxford in 1991.  She met many musicians who headed to London auditioning for a one-year, post-graduate jazz course at the Guildhall school of Music and Drama, and on a whim, she decided to audition herself.  Despite her lack of formal training, she was accepted.  There she met her future husband Jim Tomlinson, a tenor saxophonist.

Soon after, she was asked to join the Ritz hotel's resident big band, Vile Bodies Swing Orchestra.  She received widespread acclaim for her appearance as the Big Band singer in Ian Mckellen's film version of Richard III.  

In 1996, she signed with Candid records and the next year, she released her first album, Close Your Eyes.  The album received favorable reviews and she became one of Britain's most popular performers.  She has since continued to release albums and had many successful tours in Europe, occasionally performing in the United States, as well.

To learn more about Stacey Kent, check out these sites:

Quotes and Reviews  
Stacey Kent website - Official Site.