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In addition to singing and touring, Mary-Jess gives inspirational talks and presentations about the importance of learning languages and how learning
Chinese changed her life forever. She also gives singing work shops and masterclasses, working with young singers and choirs to develop their voice.
220:) all the way to the final, where she won the grand prize after competing live on Chinese television every night for three weeks. After winning the contest however, Jess still remained virtually unknown in the UK. The show was not broadcast outside
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In 2019, Mary-Jess sang in the new year with
Katherine Jenkins, Aled Jones, Shane Filan, and many other special guests for BBC Songs of Praise’s ‘The Big Sing’ from the Royal Albert Hall to a viewing audience of two million people.
341:, China with the British Council as part of The GREAT Britain Campaign. Later that year she released her second album 'Prayer to a Snowflake', a winter/Christmas album which features duets with Jaden Cornelious and
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Mary-Jess is a member of the Royal
British Legion Gloucester City Branch, patron of The Door Youth Project, and she is an ambassador for Half the Sky, a charity that helps orphaned and abandoned children in China.
199:, China, where she decided to enter a live televised singing competition. After achieving success from the singing competition, Mary-Jess left university after receiving a record deal to pursue her singing career.
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241:
that "I was awful at French but
Chinese caught my attention with all the different tones. Each word had its own tune." The Music and Chinese Studies course at the University of Sheffield took Leaverland to
246:, and when she by chance came across auditions for the talent competition she wanted to get involved. "I really thought they would want a Chinese person to win. I couldn't believe it when it was me."
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In 2015, Mary-Jess was invited to No. 10 Downing Street and was asked to serve as a representative of the
British Council's GREAT Britain Campaign to represent British music worldwide.
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187:, England, and grew up in a musical household. Her mother Liz and her grandmother were both singers. When Jess was nine years old, her grandmother got her an audition with the
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Youth Choir, mainly for the experience, but she was surprised to be accepted even though she was two years too young. Mary-Jess went on to study Music and
Chinese at the
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345:. She then embarked on a UK tour to celebrate the release. Mary-Jess also released her winter album ‘Prayer to a Snowflake’ in November 2016 to critical acclaim.
224:
Province, China, so her family and friends could not watch it and her family could not afford to fly to China to watch her. When an interview she gave to a local
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paper was picked up by the national press, the news spread, and
Leaverland was offered several recording contracts and she signed a recording contract with
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259:. Before release she went on a 23-date UK tour with tenor Russell Watson as his special guest. She was chosen to contribute to the
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as their special guest and was asked to return for the
September leg. She then followed that with her own tour and campaign.
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289: – Proud Sponsor of Mums TV advert in 2012. Mary-Jess was selected to sing the
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1158:"Gloucester's Mary-Jess Leaverland on her role in one of the year's biggest films"
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672:"British exchange student Mary-Jess Leaverland wins Chinese X Factor"
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897:"The music from the P&G 'Proud Sponsor of Mum's' TV advert"
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763:"Mary-Jess Leaverland: What next for China's X Factor winner?"
175:, which was televised to 70 million people in December 2009.
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Mary Jess
Leaverland Sings "Glorious" (CNY 2014) from YouTube
232:. She was signed to Decca from March 2010 to November 2011.
1187:
813:"Gloucester's Mary-Jess hits high notes with Downton Abbey"
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Her song "Stand as One" was used as a background theme for
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was released on 8 August 2011 and peaked at no. 57 on the
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Her second album ‘Inspire’, was released in April 2018.
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and in her second year went for a year's placement in
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People educated at St Peter's High School, Gloucester
269:In December 2011, she appeared as a soloist on the
183:Mary-Jess Leaverland was born on 28 March 1990 in
646:"British student Mary Jess wins Chinese X-factor"
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329:In 2016, she conducted a short teaching tour of
163:, is an English singer and songwriter who won
923:"Gloucester singer selected for FA Cup final"
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282:, and again on Easter Sunday, in April 2012.
1107:"Heaven Is Empty – Single by Mary-Jess"
702:"Mary-Jess Leaverland sings at FA Cup final"
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207:
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26:
997:"Mary-Jess Leaverland, Singer/Songwriter"
949:"Cheltenham Music Festival 2013 brochure"
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626:from the original on 27 September 2011
572:"The Sound of Christmas" with Rhydian
235:Mary-Jess stated in an interview with
1243:Alumni of the University of Sheffield
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399:
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903:from the original on 18 October 2018
877:from the original on 28 October 2018
851:from the original on 28 October 2018
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602:, a professional vert rollerblader.
353:In March 2017 Mary-Jess toured with
955:from the original on 10 August 2016
821:. 21 September 2011. Archived from
598:Mary-Jess Leaverland is married to
301:association football match between
278:broadcast from All Saints' Church,
13:
1288:21st-century English women singers
1087:from the original on 14 April 2019
899:. As seen on TV. 11 October 2011.
712:from the original on 11 April 2019
14:
1304:
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775:from the original on 10 June 2015
652:from the original on 31 July 2017
1113:from the original on 2 June 2014
1007:from the original on 7 June 2016
682:from the original on 5 June 2011
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159:(born 28 March 1990), or simply
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929:from the original on 6 May 2012
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845:"Songs of Praise, God Made Man"
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555:"I Fell in Love with a Snowman"
309:. In 2013, she appeared at the
871:"Songs of Praise, Palm Sunday"
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1:
648:. BBC News. 22 January 2010.
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1293:21st-century English singers
622:. ClassicalCrossover.co.uk.
7:
1283:Singing talent show winners
761:John, Emma (19 June 2010).
497:
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218:I Want to Sing to the Stars
212:Mary-Jess advanced through
169:I Want to Sing to the Stars
10:
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1137:Mary-Jess Official Website
1056:Mary-Jess Official Website
1031:Mary-Jess Official Website
732:"Artists – Mary-Jess"
493:
459:Released: 22 November 2016
171:), the Chinese version of
1278:Musicians from Gloucester
1263:English women songwriters
1258:English women pop singers
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311:Cheltenham Music Festival
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58:, England, United Kingdom
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1162:www.thelocalanswer.co.uk
1109:. iTunes. January 2011.
1077:"Mary-Jess – Shine"
925:. BBC News. 5 May 2012.
522:"Are You The Way Home?"
208:Breakthrough (2010-2011)
1253:Opera crossover singers
1081:Official Charts Company
480:Released: 20 April 2018
424:Released: 8 August 2011
368:
360:
348:
324:
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214:Min Xing Chang Fan Tian
193:University of Sheffield
165:Min Xing Chang Fan Tian
975:"Mary-Jess Leaverland"
35:Background information
1248:Decca Records artists
977:. Classical Crossover
566:Prayer to a Snowflake
452:Prayer to a Snowflake
1214:Mary-Jess Leaverland
1200:Mary-Jess Leaverland
825:on 24 September 2015
189:Gloucester Cathedral
157:Mary-Jess Leaverland
20:Mary-Jess Leaverland
951:. 5 February 2015.
678:. 19 January 2010.
676:The Daily Telegraph
75:classical crossover
818:Gloucester Citizen
795:"Shine: Mary-Jess"
546:"Heaven Is Empty"
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299:2012 FA Cup Final
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80:Chinese classical
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1188:Official website
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742:on 14 March 2012
738:. Archived from
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439:digital download
400:Chart positions
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249:Her debut album
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507:Peak positions
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275:Songs of Praise
257:UK Albums Chart
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1180:External links
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736:Decca Records
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297:" before the
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295:Abide with Me
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262:Downton Abbey
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230:Decca Records
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52:(age 34)
50:28 March 1990
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1165:. Retrieved
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1140:. Retrieved
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1115:. Retrieved
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1091:13 September
1089:. Retrieved
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1059:. Retrieved
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931:. Retrieved
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879:. Retrieved
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853:. Retrieved
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827:. Retrieved
823:the original
816:
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777:. Retrieved
768:The Guardian
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744:. Retrieved
740:the original
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714:. Retrieved
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654:. Retrieved
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628:. Retrieved
614:
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585:Charity work
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238:The Guardian
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173:The X Factor
168:
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119:2009–present
115:Years active
1238:1990 births
1167:16 February
873:. BBC One.
847:. BBC One.
620:"Mary-Jess"
600:Rich Parker
538:"Glorious"
483:Formats: CD
462:Formats: CD
382:Discography
179:Early years
89:Occupations
1232:Categories
1133:"My Story"
1117:8 February
1052:"My Story"
1027:"My Story"
606:References
280:Cheltenham
264:soundtrack
226:Gloucester
185:Gloucester
106:Instrument
98:songwriter
56:Gloucester
46:1990-03-28
1142:10 August
1061:10 August
1036:10 August
799:Amazon UK
433:Formats:
307:Liverpool
161:Mary-Jess
143:mary-jess
1204:AllMusic
1111:Archived
1085:Archived
1005:Archived
981:8 August
953:Archived
927:Archived
907:8 August
901:Archived
875:Archived
849:Archived
773:Archived
716:8 August
710:Archived
706:BBC News
680:Archived
650:Archived
624:Archived
578: —
562: —
549: —
541: —
528: —
339:Hangzhou
1218:Discogs
1011:23 June
959:23 June
881:23 June
855:23 June
829:10 June
779:10 June
746:10 June
494:Singles
473:Inspire
427:Label:
343:Rhydian
335:Lanzhou
303:Chelsea
287:P&G
244:Nanjing
222:Jiangsu
197:Nanjing
138:Website
686:3 July
656:3 July
630:4 July
510:Album
394:Title
387:Albums
331:Suzhou
291:FA Cup
203:Career
124:Labels
109:Vocals
95:Singer
63:Genres
933:5 May
575:2016
559:2016
532:Shine
525:2011
504:Year
501:Song
416:Shine
252:Shine
128:Decca
1169:2021
1144:2021
1119:2014
1093:2019
1063:2021
1038:2021
1013:2016
983:2020
961:2016
935:2012
909:2020
883:2016
857:2016
831:2015
781:2015
748:2015
718:2020
688:2011
658:2011
632:2011
369:2019
361:2018
349:2017
337:and
325:2016
317:2015
305:and
145:.com
40:Born
1202:at
445:57
271:BBC
70:Pop
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516:UK
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406:UK
355:G4
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44:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
