Singer Jaden Cornelious on The Totally Olivia Tour

By [rrothery]

TO SAY that Holsworthy singer Jaden Cornelious 'enjoys a challenge' is a bit of a coy statement.

Having first found musical notoriety in the 90s with boy band B-YOND, Jaden has played to around 308 million people around the world, supporting such household names as Steps, All Saints, Five and Peter Andre.

In recent weeks, though, the pop star turned classical artist has returned to his pop-tastic roots to face the most colossal challenge of his musical career.

Jaden is embarking on a six-month challenge to raise £10,000 for breast cancer charities, with a touring tribute show to Olivia Newton-John.

Now the feat of learning 30 Olivia Newton-John songs and persuading more than a dozen venues to host the tour could be considered challenge enough, yet Jaden has also been training his backing singers — a group of people who've not sung in public before.

"I held auditions asking for people to come forward that couldn't sing, that had never sung, were too embarrassed to sing, or afraid to sing," he said. "I wanted to give myself three or four months to train them vocally, to give them confidence and to improve their sense of self worth."

Referring to the backing singers as the Jaden Cornelious Gorgeous Choir (JCGC) because 'they are really gorgeous people', Jaden said all the people chosen to be in the backing choir, ranging in age from 14 to late 40s, have inspiring tales to tell.

"In reality what happened was I met this group of people who all have these incredible life stories whether it be domestic violence issues, bereavement or other real tragedies and traumas going on in their lives.

"It's almost like the new Calendar Girls. These are real people, who have gone through their pain and traumas, and yet they are working on their demons."

Jaden not only has been teaching them the vocal parts but also working on their confidence so they can perform in public.

"With one of the girls getting her to sing was bad enough. To get her to sing solo? I've never seen anyone shake that much in my life and she was streaming with tears.

"I thought when I started all this: 'It will be really nice — a couple of Olivia Newton-John songs and a couple of backing singers and we will raise a bit of money for charity'. In reality, it's become an incredible journey where these people have had to fight their demons and lack of confidence. They are beautiful, they really are."

Jason was inspired to do the tour after reading Olivia Newton-John's own life story.

"You get a preconceived idea that someone beautiful with a stunning husband and all the money in the world, no matter what they go through, they will be all right, just because they are famous.

"On reading the autobiography I realised that despite all the crap she had gone through in life, and she's been through a lot, she was still thriving and pioneering for everyone else whether it's environment, animal welfare or breast cancer sufferers. That is just the tip of the iceberg of the work she does."

All money raised from the tour will go towards the breast cancer charities supported by Olivia Newton-John (the singer was successfully treated for breast cancer 16 years ago). The cast members are financing their own travel, publicity etc in order to reach their ambitious target of £10,000.

"I never thought it would turn out to be so special as it is," confessed Jaden. "I thought it would be a bit of a giggle doing something for charity but it's become mind-blowing."

So how is the classical singer, who these days might be more at home singing Nessun Dorma in a suit than You're The One That I Want in a spandex-clad outfit, enjoying going back to his pop roots?

"I don't want to admit it but I am secretly loving it. Not many blokes get up and sing Physical or Xanadu. I can be as outrageous as I want. Whereas with the classical, if I'm singing an Italian aria I have to be quite sophisticated and respectable, I can now wear a headband and leg warmers if I want to. It's really quite liberating to do it all again."

● The Totally Olivia Tour can be seen at the Plough Arts Centre, Torrington tomorrow (Friday) at 8pm; Inn On The Square, Barnstaple, Saturday October 10, 8pm; Globe Inn, Clifton Road, Exeter, Friday October 16, 8pm; South Molton Rugby Club, Friday October 23, 7.30pm; The Old Market Inn, Holsworthy, Friday October 30, 8pm; The Wyndham Arms, Kentisbeare, Cullompton, Saturday November 7, 7.30pm; Pilton Church Hall, Pilton Street, Barnstaple, Saturday November 14, 7.30pm; St Francis of Assisi Church Hall, Isleworth, Middlesex, Friday November 27, 8pm; The Aggi, Braunton, Saturday January 16, 7.30pm; North Devon College Theatre, Barnstaple, Saturday January 30, 2pm; Youings Community Hall, Bear Street, Barnstaple, Saturday February 6, 7.30pm; The Landmark Pavilion, Ilfracombe (tickets: £7.50), Saturday March 20, 7.30pm. Tickets: £5.