Myleene Klass

Myleene Klass (born 6 April 1978) is a classical pianist, commercial model, television and radio presenter, and former member of the UK pop group Hear’Say. Music News caught up with her to find out more.

MN: Myleene’s Music for Romance was a huge success for you – are you enjoying making the series of CDs?

Myleene Klass: It’s perfect, it’s just right up my street! It gives me the opportunity to delve into the archives of classical music and find pieces that are well-known and familiar and others that might be more obscure and need to be given a new lease of life. So, yes, it’s perfect!

MN: And do you have high hopes for Music for Mothers?

Myleene Klass: It’s not so much high hopes but who it hits, what demographic it hits. One person rang in to one of the radio shows this morning and said they used to suffer from insomnia and that Music for Romance is so peaceful it calms them down when they’re getting to sleep so I just think wow! When you realise how it is used in a home environment then I’m really proud of that. It’s nice to see how an album becomes personified, how it works in the real world. You live with an album in a studio environment for so long it’s good to see how it translates. This album is going to relax mummies, or daddies even, be played through the night-feed,that’s when I chose half of the pieces! It will work nicely and I’m proud of that. It’s great to get the recognition of the sales and the position but first and foremost it’s the fact that now in the archives it will last forever and I’m really proud of that too.

MN: Obviously selecting the music must be really difficult because you have so much to choose from, does each piece have a really personal meaning for you?

Myleene Klass: Every single piece has a really personal meaning. I don’t just think about what’s out of print, I have to think really carefully about what has the right feel, and how it’s going to come across. When I have someone trusting me to choose a range of pieces that’s going to interpret well and be relaxing for mothers I have an obligation to fulfil and they need to blend well. Just because it’s classical music doesn’t mean that they automatically blend well, just as any 20 pop songs wouldn’t necessarily work well together, they need to complement each other and that’s what I’ve tried to achieve.

MN: Any piece on the forthcoming album that you have a very specific association with that you can tell us about?

Myleene Klass: Well, America is a piece that I have always wanted to tackle and a lot of session musicians will be the first to tell you that when they see that come up at a session they’re like 'Oh no!' because it’s very tricky! Leonard Bernstein was an exceptional perfectionist and he was very strict about his timings so I have always wanted to have a go at learning it and playing it. But you never get round to it. You set yourself a goal but you never necessarily set yourself a time limit so the fact that I’m playing it now is something I really love. It’s one of my favourite musicals, if not the best musical for me.

MN: So that’s really a personal achievement for you?

Myleene Klass: It really is. And also to have Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star which is Mozart! A lot of people just think it’s another nursery rhyme but it’s actually Mozart! I think that’s very important because it’s something for mums and for children and this is obviously my first baby and my first album since having my baby so to have a piece like that is great. This time last year I would never have thought I’d be putting Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star on an album but I am! There are so many pieces – I could go on about every one but there is a distinct reason for every piece on here.

MN: Have you any ideas yet as to what will be the next CD in the series?

Myleene Klass: It’s going to have to be music to sleep to because I need that! No, really I don’t know yet. I love the fact that it’s a series and it keeps evolving and we’ll just see what that brings really.

MN: And what music do you listen to day-to-day?

Myleene Klass: At the moment it has been the same pieces which are the two that I am releasing and playing at the launch as I need to get them so ingrained in my head that it’s like muscle memory. So I have been listening to them day in, day out. But after the launch I will be back to my cheesy pop. You can’t beat a bit of Take That! But also I find the old ones the best; a bit of Aretha, Ella Fitzgerald, anything really! As long as it’s not dance! My partner listens to dance music and it’s the one sure thing that can cause an argument in our house!

MN: Music has been a part of your life from a very early age – were you naturally drawn towards all things musical or was this encouraged because your family was musical?

Myleene Klass: Well I am from six generations of classical musicians on my father’s side so it was inevitable that it was going to happen but I do really love classical music, I love music in general. I think it’s a fantastic way of interpreting feelings, it’s also a fantastic way to express yourself. It relieves any pressure and pains of the day. It’s the one thing that anyone can have an opinion on and it’s ok! So I could never imagine my life without music.

MN: You studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy of Music – was this hard work?

Myleene Klass: Immense! They were full on days and if you add to the fact that when I was at the Guildhall in the junior department I was travelling down on a train from Norfolk and adding five or six hours of travel to my school day, you had to really commit to it! My mum and dad didn’t think that I would last, but I did. I did two years there before going full time. It was hard but there’s always someone who travels further, some Russian prodigy or someone from China so you just got on with it really!

MN: And how many instruments can you now play?

Myleene Klass: I can play three; violin, piano and harp.

MN: Anything else you want to have a go at?

I’d love to just get a language under my belt. I think languages are so key to everything. My next thing was to write a book but I’ve just done that so, It’s a very personal book; a diary and to write a diary to basically expel a lot of pregnancy myths but also to admit to your own insecurities was really good.

MN: Was it therapeutic?

Myleene Klass: Oh, god yes! Absolutely! I mean I was very hormonal and my partner did nothing right as far as I was concerned! But it was the same for him, so it was very therapeutic. We learnt a lot about each other but we have been together for nearly eight years and you realise that if you can come through all the trials and tribulations and tackle all the problems there’s one thing always bringing you back together and that was my baby.

MN: Should we look out for another book from you in the future?

Myleene Klass: Who knows? There are a few ideas that I have for books.

MN: And what’s coming next for Myleene Klass?

Myleene Klass: Hopefully another CD before the end of the year and I have a lot more presenting and ads for M&S so it’s going to be quite busy. In between all that I have my 30th birthday and a Christening so pretty busy. But if I wasn’t busy I would only be thinking about how to get busy!