There are a lot of unseen elements to having a successful singing career.

Opera is credible drama now, and it costs less than going to a football match. What have you got to lose?

And woven into the fabric of this harsh existence was music.

Nobody inspired me more than Julie Andrews, who is a classically trained soprano herself.

Singing is an arduous business and it needs sacrifices.

It worries me that young singers think you can shortcut the training and go straight to fame and fortune, and programmes like Pop Idol have encouraged that.

There are a lot of unseen elements to having a successful singing career.