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WHERE ARE CHARLOTTE CHURCH AND JACKIE EVANCHO NOW?

Before Jackie Evancho, there was Charlotte Church, a Welsh singer who was born in 1986 and had a musical breakthrough at the age of 11 singing Pie Jesu over the telephone on a television show.  (Watch her singing this song shortly thereafter.)  Two years later in 1999 she sang at Rupert Murdoch's third wedding, to Wendi Deng, when he was 68 and she 30.  I digress here, for the  following is kind of interesting.

  • They were married for 14 years.
  • His fourth was model Jerry hall when he was 85 and she 59.  Stayed together for six years.
  • In 2023, at the age of 92, he got engaged to Ann Lesley Smith who was 56, but two weeks later called it off because of her infatuation to Fox News host Tucker Carlson.  Three weeks later, he fired Carlson.
  • His fifth marriage occurred on June 2024, to retired Russian molecular biologist Elena Zhukova, whose daughter Dasha is the ex-wife of Roman Abramovich.  Who is he?  Worth  $14.5 billion, with Russian, Israel and Portuguese citizenship, and a pal of  Vladimir Putin.
But back to Charlotte Church, she was persuaded to waive the $100,000 payment for singing at Murdoch's wedding in return for "good press."
  • She did at the age of 12 receive a vocal scholarship to Howell's Schooll of Llandaff, and while there gained a manager who negotiated a contract with Sony Music.
  • Her first album in 1998 was Voice of an Angel, selling millions worldwide and becoming the youngest artist (12) with a #1 album on the British classical crossover chart.
  • Over the next few years she released a number of albums and transitioned from classical to pop.
  • By 2006, she had parted ways with Sony, her albums were not particularly successsful and she had a daughter.
  • In 2007 she turned to charity to raise awareness for South Africa and HIV/AIDS.
  • She then:
    • Went back into pure entertainment with additional albums, appearances in film/TV and the like.
    • 2012, accepted about a million dollars in damages against Rupert Murdoch.
  • Now 38, still living in Wales, she shared the dark side of her child fame.  
    • She has made up with her parents.
    • Said she never had cosmetic surgery.
    • Now married to musician Jonathan Powell, and they have a daughter, plus two more with others.
    • Says, we have to live in the world and it's everybody's responsibility to make it better.

  • Jacqueline Marie Evancho was born in 2000.
  • From the age of 8 entered talent competitions.
  • Caught the attention of David Foster in 2009, already released a debut album that year, entering into the Billboard charts.
  • Had failed earlier auditions of America's Got Talent, finally being noticed in 2010, and placing second in that fifth season of AGT  Sang that evening with Sarah Brightman Time to Say Goodbye.
    • Champion Michael Grimm, he recently almost died from an illness, but is recovering.
    • Jackie and Michael are talking about touring later this year.
    • Sort of reminds me of how Susan Boyle in Britain's Got Talent's third season came in second to Diversity, dance troupe that went into touring, but has not accomplished much.  Surely you've seen Boyle's BGT audition?  Here it is.  
  • Both Evancho and Boyle went on to successful careers.  They are mirror-opposites.  They would make a grand team for the touring the world.  From all idol and got talent programs, these two are my favorites.
  • Sang the Star-Spangled Banner at the Pittsburg Pirates home opener in 2010
  • Evancho graduated from high school in 2018
  • Has issued nine albums, a platinum EP and debuted three songs on the Billboard 200.
  • In the meantime, like Charlotte Church, there were some growing pains.
    • She developed anorexia at the age of 15.
    • Remember Karen Carpenter?  She also suffered from this disease, finally passing away at the age of 32 at 77 pounds.
  • But Evancho snapped out of this condition in 2020 at the age of 20.
  • However, at 22 she found she has osteoporosis, a condition you see in 80-year olds.
  • She saw the struggles of her transgender sister Juliet, and has become a vocal supporter of LGBTQ rights.
So consider your life.  Sure, we have problems, but that's normal.  You do the best you can, try to move forward and hope for the best.  Has worked well for me.

Close to Japan, Typhoon Shanshan has strengthened to 130 MPH, a Category 4, and will make landfall over Kyushu, somewhere between Fukuoka and Kagoshima on Thursday

There remain two ocean storms nearing Hawaii, but both are expected to weaken and only bring some needed rain to the state.  Parts of Hawaii have been facing drought conditions.

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