Blake: Facebook to Fame
Blake: classical crossover with a social networking twist.
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Friday, 02, Nov 2007 05:04
Ahead of the November 5th release of their debut album, we caught up with classical crossover group Blake, looking to break into a market opened by X-Factor contestants G4.
The group made the headlines instantly after forming on social networking site Facebook and now fame awaits them thanks to the England Rugby World Cup run, legendary composer Hans Zimmer and, bizarrely, Boyz II Men.
InTheNews' Lewis Bazley talked to former Winchester chorister Ollie Baines about their speedy rise to classical credibility.
So how does it feel to have an album coming out so soon after forming?
"It feels amazing, but we haven't really talked about it that much, we've been so busy, we've been off touring and promoting.
"But yeah, it's awesome, especially considering we weren't out looking for this at the very beginning."
Has it happened faster than you first thought?
"In a way we were sort of prepared, but. I don't know, it's my first time, but I think six months is pretty quick from a band forming to having a record out."
But it's meant putting your studies at Guildhall on hold, hasn't it?
"It's on hold, yeah. I mean, it's probably.I feel like I'm getting old now..but certainly I wouldn't rule it out, it's a brilliant place and it's done two of us very well.
"All of G4 were there as well, so it's getting a sort of foot in the crossover market."
So now that G4 have gone their separate ways, are you looking to fill the gap they've left or are Blake an entirely different proposition?
"I don't know, I think... we owe them a lot certainly, because they started this whole thing and Il Divo as well. Without them trailblazing, it would certainly be harder for us to get people's attention because they sort of showed the way.
"But in terms of the sound we make and the music we do, it is very different - not to a layman, but the power of the blend we use is quite different, and the harmonies we use are very different.
"We're all baritones but it's sort of a thick sound but we've got sort of one deep baritone, two middle baritones and I'm a sort of tenor."
So the differences are mainly musical?
"We're trying when we do pop music not to do it in a classical way.You know, if you're doing a pop song, you've got to be sensitive about it and actually do it in a poppy way, rather than have me singing everything in full on operatic tenor voice, because that could sound rather square."
Is that what you're trying to do with your cover of Boyz II Men's classic I'll Make Love to You?
"Yeah, exactly. I mean, towards the very end of that, it gets quite sort of passionate and then it gets slightly louder, we're just sort of letting rip slightly more, but certainly at the beginning, it's got very poppy elements in it."
To read the rest of our interview with Blake's Ollie Baines, click here.
Lewis Bazley