I dont know what will happen now but Id love the choir to make an album and one day for me to work as a professional classical singer.. I hand the phone to the kids as well and then youve got to do all the boring stuff, like discuss car tax., She says her top priority is to shield their children, Amy, 12, and Owen, 8, from army life. The first month because theyre back out there and the last because its close to the end and you hope its not going to go wrong., Contact is normally a 30-minute phone call once a week. Everyone wants a piece of her: radio shows, breakfast TV, even the Prime Minister who invited the choir to 10 Downing Street to perform in front of service personnel just back from Libya. Well, I didnt have any self-belief. New film Military Wives, starring Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, is based on the choir of the same name. Military Wives (2019) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The Military Wives song Wherever You Are is on course to be this year's Christmas number one and become the fastest-selling single for six years. Im glad weve all had this amazing opportunity but its the sort of thing you dont expect to happen to normal folks like us. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. He kept telling me: You have this amazing voice. When I had a lesson I hated, Id go and hide in a field for an hour. Then, when she sang, solo, the first crystalline cadence of Wherever You Are at the Royal Albert Halls Remembrance Day Concert, the whole country, it seems, suppressed a collective sob. Chris Moyles' support of this rival song for Christmas number 1 was controversial because the BBC appeared to be supporting "Wherever You Are" to be Christmas number 1 as BBC Radio 2 added the song to their A-list and Chris Evans was a major supporter of the record and the choir. As the longest serving British Monarch in history, The Queens unquestioning duty and dedication to the nation and the Commonwealth will be deeply and profoundly missed. However, it's worth noting that two women did set up the first real-life choir, Nicky Clarke and Caroline Jopp. I got pushed around, taunted, she remembers. 1 of 72 Military Wives Choirs, based in Leuchars in Fife. I had a couple of pals, but not many friends. crowd makeup trainee Punam Chhatralia . I felt guilty about doing something for my own enjoyment when Mum was so ill. We come together to celebrate a love of singing and a communal understanding that comes from our members' shared experiences of the Armed Forces. I remember my heart was pounding. Were not hurting anyone.. But the women have not let the clamour and glamour of their rise to fame go to their heads . The Military Wives choir has marched to the top of the charts, taking the coveted Christmas No1 spot and outselling the rest of the top tensingles combined. All my family are in Scotland and I kept thinking, how am I going to cope? You dont want to be too emotional but for about two weeks before he left I couldnt stop blubbing. Samantha Stevenson, star soloist of The Military Wives Choir with self professed number one fan Air Cadet, Cpl William Mott. Our choirs contain wives of serving personnel, but also those currently serving, veterans, mothers, sisters and daughters, and others with a military connection. She started volunteering in the 1990s with SSAFA and Relate whilst her husband was serving in the Army in Germany. Samantha with fellow members Nicky Kenyon and Kerry Riva after receiving their Official Singles Chart Number 1 Award by Reggie Yates yesterday, A doting mother and wife: Samantha with one of her two children, aged two. I was flabbergasted. Lieutenant General Sir Gary Coward, KBE, CB, National Chairman of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity said: All in SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity are greatly saddened to hear of the death of our Patron, Her Majesty The Queen. Malone never gave up on Sam. I dont want it to affect them. I put all my emotion into my singing, instead.. Neither of us is soppy or gushing, and we dont like public displays of emotion. I am who I am and I like my tattoos. It is a spin-off of the BBC Two television series The Choir: Military Wives. I never got chosen for the solos. Engage our choirs for your event. When he asked, the only thing that came into my head was Ive got to practice. Its nothing short of a miracle that she survived. Why should I make myself miserable to please people who dont think I fit the right image for a choir or a solo singer? My parents tried to persuade me to go to university, but they knew they wouldnt change my mind. The music is set to a poem compiled from letters to and from the servicemen and their wives on a 6-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. Singing sensation: The Military Wives' single, Wherever You Are, not only went to the top of the charts, but also outsold the rest of the top 12 combined. Some families move regularly to a new posting, while for others deployments mean long periods of separation. Maybe I can sing.. Im not sure if she realises we reached Number One in the charts at Christmas.. Ive just started to play back recordings of The Choir programmes to her, but Im not sure how much she is taking in. While the overall inspiration for the film is grounded in reality, the interactions between the characters, as well as certain events depicted in the movie, are fictional. With Kristin Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan, Emma Lowndes, Gaby French. EXCLUSIVE: Shocking footage shows 'Royal Marine commandos' brawling with Gibraltar police in 4am punch-up Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's ex shares 3 ways to update a 'tired home' - after launching new reality TV show Do not sell or share my personal information. I love singing, but I was embarrassed. Maggie is a modest person, having spent most of her life in a behind the scenes role, with very little public recognition. With our network of over 70 choirs, we hope that as many of our members as possible will join us to mark . For all bookings (including corporate events), please contact: Julia Hudson. Military wife Sam Stevenson lost almost 4 st last year and her tiny frame is so diminished that even her smallest dresses swamp her. The list of ways that you can raise money for The Military Wives Choirs is endless; the only limit is your imagination! We connect women in the military community and create a support network through the power of singing. It doesnt make me a bad person., They say Im vile, Im a disgusting woman with disgusting tattoos and I shouldnt be allowed on TV. I lost weight without really trying.. The song was created from bits of correspondence between the choir members and their significant others in Afghanistan. Now defiant Samantha, who is married to L/Cpl John Stevenson of 24 Commando Regiment, Royal Engineers, says she will mark the success with a new poppy tattoo. With choirs across the UK and overseas, many of our members join a new choir when they are posted, enabling them to become part of a familiar community built upon the joy of singing. Gareth Malone & Samantha Stevenson are interviewed for the new feel-good film Military Wives at the film's UK premiere. She told how she was flabbergasted when he phoned her last week and asked her to sing alongside him on her home soil. The first month and the last are the worst. According to Amazon, the pre-order sales were three times as many as those of Take Thats 2010 album Progress. Gareth Malone \u0026 Samantha Stevenson are interviewed for the new feel-good film Military Wives at the films UK premiere. I felt guilty doing something for my own enjoyment. It was hurtful. * Sales figures based on certification alone. The day we meet, 20 of the 100-strong choir are in London to record Strictly Come Dancing. Samantha Britten . [11] In the traditional, competitive speculation in the run-up to Christmas, the Military Wives single was said to be in competition for the title with the X Factor winners Little Mix, who released a cover version of Damien Rice's "Cannonball", a campaign to promote the 2011 re-release of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to number one, a campaign to highjack the Christmas Number 1 spot by British YouTube vlogger Alex Day named Forever Yours and a campaign fronted by Chris Moyles from BBC Radio 1 to hijack the Christmas #1 with Dominick the Donkey. 15 talking about this. Already getting in the party mood! [6][7], The text of "Wherever You Are" is a love poem compiled from letters written between the women and their absent husbands and partners. Why? The ensemble was formed in 2011 as part of BBC Two . And it was, it seems, this brazen refusal to conceal her body art that provoked a tirade of cruel taunts from internet trolls who have made the baseless assertions that she is a vile and disgusting woman who should not be allowed on television because of them. She is still in hospital; still very confused. Tickets Released for the Concerts Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Military Wives Choirs, Maggie Pedder, our Chair of Trustees, wins the Family Volunteer of the Year award. "Wherever You Are" is a song written by Paul Mealor and performed by the Military Wives Choir, sung by ladies from Chivenor and Plymouth under the direction of Gareth Malone. DC Thomson Co Ltd 2023. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Theyre both really proud of the choir and I think its set a good example to them that you have to try new things.. As delighted as she is by the choirs unexpected success, today Sam, 28, is visibly wilting. Yes. However you choose to do it we are here to support you every step of the way. Add languages. It is a spin-off of the BBC Two television series The Choir: Military Wives. . By James Tozer for the Daily Mail Updated: 13:29 BST, 27 December 2011, Victim of an Internet campaign: Sam Stevenson. Samantha Stevenson has been chosen by the Military Wives Choir patron to sing the number one hit . Such despicable comments provoke an uncharacteristically robust response. I wished John was there to give me a big hug, too. Emotional performance: Samantha was singing for her mother who was knocked over by a car in October leaving her severely brain damaged, I didnt go to meet John, because I get quite embarrassed about kissing and hugging in public, she confesses. His reticence, it seems, surpasses even hers, and he declines to talk about her success. Hollywood actor Russell Crowe becomes King's unlikely defender amid backlash over King Charles' Coronation LIVE: Late monarch's confidante leaves grace-and-favour cottage, Princess Charlotte 'If I didn't build it, somebody else would've': The Godfather of A.I. Ballet princess! Lightboxes. It was his second Afghanistan tour this year but it doesnt get any easier. Pregnant Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice are joined by their Father dies eight days after getting stuck in indoor cave at tourist attraction: Tragedy at climbing wall as Dutch police arrest 'Boris Johnson' for drink-driving incident: Suspect had fake driver's licence with PM's Charles' Gladiator! What a year, she says incredulously. "Military Wives claim Official Christmas Number 1 2011", In My Dreams: The Military Wives: Amazon.co.uk: Music, "Military wives choir tipped to top chart", "Military Wives in bid to score number one in US with Piers Morgan campaign", "Piers Morgan campaigns for Military Wives US number one", "Military Wives on Strictly Come Dancing", "Chris Evans backs military wives' choir in push for Christmas number one", "Military Wives Topple X Factor As Christmas No. Im extremely excited and its a wonderful opportunity to have him conduct me again and to sing such a wonderful, emotional song again but in Dundee.. Sam, despite her burgeoning self-belief, is still a modest person, sweetly dismissive of her singing gift. But I knew shed be so pleased if I succeeded. The Military Wives Choirs is a registered charity and network of 75 choirs in British military bases across the UK and overseas, bringing women in the military community closer together through singing. [15] At that point it was leading the race for Christmas number one, having sold six times the number of singles as second place Little Mix.[15]. Cart. The Military Wives, formed by television chorister Gareth Malone, sold 556,000 copies of their single in just over a week, making it the fastest selling of the past three years. They were Scots Guards wives whose husbands were serving in Afghanistan. Fellow choir member Jo Reid, 37, is by contrast an old-timer who has seen her warrant officer husband John go on five tours of duty. This page is not available in other languages. Success, however, has given her a glow of well-being, and celebrity has brought her recognition. Then he said we were doing Wherever You Are and I said it was fantastic but it would be weird to see it performed. Im not the only wife whod say she didnt sleep well when her husband was away. I wanted to cower in the background. Maggie continued to volunteer her time with the Army Families Federation, the Army Widows Association, the Peter Cowley African Trust, ABF the Soldiers Charity, and the Military Wives Choirsboth since its inception in 2012 and as Chair over the past three years. My husband has been in Afghanistan for seven months and my mothers been in a road accident but Ive also recorded a TV series and a single. Sam knows her mum will be thrilled by her success, and this conviction persuaded her to continue in her soloists role after Traceys accident. The Military Wives Choirs perform at a variety of occasions, from local community events to large-scale national performances. Then he said they were doing Wherever You Are and I said it was fantastic but it would be weird to see it performed. She had her first tattoo, a treble clef on her hip, when she was 16. [13], In mid-December 2011 it was reported that "Wherever You Are" had broken sales records in becoming the most pre-ordered music item ever on the UK Amazon website. Adventure Princess! Mrs Stevenson, who is married to Lance Corporal John Stevenson of 24 Commando Regiment, Royal Engineers, added: You shouldnt judge a book by its cover. Mum lives in Newcastle and shes in hospital there, so I was back and forth visiting, which meant I missed quite a bit of rehearsal time, explains Sam, who lives with her husband, Lance Corporal John Stevenson of 42 Commando, Royal Marines, and their children Brodie, eight, and Elliv, two, at the Royal Marines base in Chivenor, Devon. Size 18 to ten in just 12 months, and still the weight is falling away. From our origins in 2010, the Military Wives Choirs has brought women with a military connection together to sing, share and support one another. Its my duty to keep strong for them because weve chosen to put them in this position and we have to ensure theyre protected. He joined the Army six years ago and the six months he spent in Afghanistan were their first protracted period of separation. He encouraged me to come out of my shell. However the lack of confidence expressed through her constant use of the word sorry in the programme has gone. Caroline is friendlier with a much warmer disposition than her icy onscreen counterpart. Fly the flag in style: JO ELVIN's got red, white and blue Coronation style covered. From 2010 to today our choirs have continued to grow, inspired by Gareth Malones BBC TV program and galvanised by our continued success. On 29 December 2011 Piers Morgan campaigned on Twitter for the Military Wives Choir to reach number one in the US. I was slightly flabbergasted. I had jet black hair and wore baggy jeans and bad T-shirts. [4], The cover art features the emblem of a Remembrance poppy on a green background and the logos of the charities benefiting from the sales. Today, she sports cherries, a koi carp, flowers and a red heart and skull on her chest. DC Thomson Co Ltd 2023. It was stupid stuff, but by the end I hated school something rotten. The Military Wives Choirs is a charity, so we greatly appreciate support from the wider community. . Buy images; Sell images; No. Indeed, had events gone to plan, 47-year-old Tracey, a former sales rep who is divorced from Sams dad, Graham, had intended to look after her grandchildren while John went to the Albert Hall to watch Sams solo performance with the choir. All the way through the programme it was very exciting and we knew something big was going to happen for the end of the programme and then he announced that we would be singing at the Festival of Remembrance in front of the Queen, live on TV. She met her husband John when she was 17, at which point he was a hairdresser and Sam had a place at Edinburgh University to study music. But while her singing has touched the nations heart, it seems not everyone is a fan of soloist Samantha Stevensons tattoos. She fractured her skull and suffered severe brain damage. Military wives take on The X Factor. He deserves a knighthood. The British Legion is a tri-service charity and theyre the people wed go to if we did need help, says Jo. I almost put up this barrier and I dont know why it is, but I dont want people to praise or notice me., While Sam has never felt the need to conform to a chorister stereotype, her refusal to submit to a conventional image caused her to be side-lined by successive choirs, despite her obvious musical talent. At this day in age you would think that tattoos were as socially acceptable as ever, sadly that is not the case for Military Wives Choir soloist Samantha Stevenson. He kept assuring her she was a natural performer; a born singer. Artistic Planning & Engagement Manager. Jo says: At first I thought this guys so posh but hes a really decent down-to-earth bloke., What if they beat The X Factor to the top spot this Christmas?