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# Singing Superstar Alfie Boe Prepares to Perform for the Queen

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/BcW5m6hn.m3u8" -->
## Video: Singing Superstar Alfie Boe Prepares to Perform for the Queen

[Watch (HLS stream): Singing Superstar Alfie Boe Prepares to Perform for the Queen](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/BcW5m6hn.m3u8) (4:05)

![Singing Superstar Alfie Boe Prepares to Perform for the Queen](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/BcW5m6hn/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2012-05-29. The car mechanic turned tenor talks about taking the spotlight for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert_


---

Jul 27, 2023 3:25 PM UTC

---

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[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

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### The Royal Family Celebrated a Festive Easter and the Queen's 93rd Birthday

[Prince Harry Speaks At The Queen's Awards Reception](/video/lW6l38Ep/)

### Prince Harry Speaks At The Queen's Awards Reception

---


## Transcript

[ MUSIC ] I suppose going from a mechanic, in a car factory in Blackpool in Lancashire, to singing to the Queen.. Involves, involves a lot of luck, you know. A lot of luck and singing to the right people at the right time, in the right place at the right time. And a lot of hard work, you know. I studied and I worked on my voice for years and developed my craft. A lot of work, but it's it's it's lovely to be in the position where I am now. It's not been an overnight thing people think of from car mechanic to singer, you know, and that's not, that's not been the case. [ LAUGH ] [ MUSIC ] My journey has been a kind of eventful one.

As I was spotted by a customer and encouraged by a lot of friends and colleagues to try and make a career as a professional singer. When I was in, working at the car factory, and this guy said to me, you have a good voice. You should go and audition for this company in London. So I went down there. Took the day off work. Went to London. Sang to this company, first audition in my life. [ MUSIC ] Got taken on. Then after that I decided to have formal training. I wanted to make sure that my voice was gonna last, stand this test of time and make sure that I was singing correctly. So I left England, had been given the opportunity to go over to America, come to New York to play the lead role in La Bohème on Broadway for Baz Luhrmann.

You know, I've, since the age of 11 years old I've, I've been wanting to come to America. You know, since I've been listening. The first record I listened to was Beach Boys and Elvis. You know, and I always wanted to get there. And so turning up in New York to perform on Broadway was a dream come true, really. [ MUSIC ] My love [ UNKNOWN ] music is very broad an eclectic and wide and I'm a huge fan of rock music and popular music, country and blues. So my my I've always been itching to do that side of the job and I've never seen any difference between that style of music and classical music. You know, I've never really sort of separated the two.

So I don't really class myself as an opera singer. I don't call myself operatic tenor. I don't cal myself an opera singer. I just call myself a singer, and and because that's what I do. I sing songs. [ MUSIC ] The way we were approached for the, for the jubilee I suppose it's, it's, it's [ MUSIC ] The production company who were putting on the show present a list of peop -, of artists that they think would be suitable to play the show. You don't turn a job like that down, obviously. So when we were approached and asked if we'd be interested, we were thrilled. I got my official invitation from her majesty.

Invited me along to take part in the, in the show, and like a command performance. And, and, yeah, what a great honor, great honor. And I'll be doing two spots in the show. In one of the spots incorporating the two styles of music that I'm known for I suppose now you know. The... The more rocky stuff and the classical. So it would be a, be quite an interesting evening, I think. It's just beyond words. I mean, to play for, for the royal family, and especially for her majesty is, is such an honor. And there's always that element in there of, you know, with, with the royal family, performing for them.

Because you hold them with, in such high esteem. They're figureheads for our country, and They're wonderful people and you know, and they're a beautiful family. And they do a lot for the, for the country and a lot for the world. And I'll try my best, on the day, hope I don't disappoint because then they could send me to the tower, really soon. [ LAUGH ] [ MUSIC ]

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