The voice of Downton Abbey: A musical journey from China to costume dramas
I've been lucky enough to land a recording contract and begin a career as a professional singer at just 21. It's been an amazing experience that has now led to me being chosen to sing the theme tune for the new series of Downton Abbey, which starts tonight.
My journey all started with a GCSE in Mandarin and a study trip to China. I don't remember ever meeting any Chinese people in my home city of Gloucester when I was growing up, but I've long had a fascination with the country and its languages.
When I was 12, my state secondary school offered me the chance to start studying in my spare time for a GCSE in Mandarin. I jumped at the opportunity.
Great start: Mary Jess began her professional singing career in China while studying there
I did it for several reasons. First of all, the language was different and interesting. And secondly, even though I've always wanted to be a recording artist, with a dream as unrealistic as that I knew that I needed a good back-up plan in case it didn't happen. I hoped that studying foreign languages would hold me in good stead one day.
After my GCSEs, I couldn't take Chinese at A-level because there wasn't a school near enough to home that offered the course. But I wanted to study it at university, so I applied to do music and Chinese studies at Sheffield, the only place in the country that combined the two subjects.
The music course allowed me to study classical harmony, string quartets and jazz harmony, and four months of my second year were spent in China. This was quite an adventure as, until then, I hadn't done! much tr avelling.
My family never had the money to spend on exotic foreign trips when I was ten we went to France, which was the furthest we ever got. Otherwise, summer holidays consisted of a few day trips, reaching our various destinations by train. I guess that's why the prospect of travelling to China was so intriguing: it was very different from anything I had experienced, and so far away.
I didn't do much reading to prepare for my trip. Instead, I relied for advice on fellow students who had already been to China, but mainly I was just looking forward to sampling it all for myself.
Pretty cool: Mary-Jess would love to visit the northern city of Harbin to see the ice sculptures
My destination was Nanjing. I flew to Beijing and got a connecting flight to the city, which lies on the Yangtze river, 750 miles south-east of the capital. Travelling with me were three other girls, and we found ourselves in difficulties as soon as we arrived at our hotel in a taxi.
When we tried to pay the driver, he started making the most amazing fuss. We couldn't understand what he was saying, and the commotion soon attracted a huge crowd. We were exhausted after our flights and he was shouting, which made it hard to understand him.
Fortunately, a Chinese woman came up and, in impeccable English, said: 'He's trying to tell you that the notes you're giving him are fake. If you use them in China, you will be arrested do not use them again!'
Beijing calling: Mary-Jess relaxes in front of the Temple of Heaven
Since the notes were new and supplied by a UK travel agency, it seem! ed very unlikely that they were fakes. Anyway, we managed to hand over some other money that the taxi driver decided was OK, and so survived our first crisis without being arrested.
After checking into our hotel, we immediately went out to explore the city. One thing we noticed was that the parks were full of elaborate exercise facilities to encourage people to keep fit we could do with that in Britain.
We were soon travelling a little further afield. One day, we took a 30-minute bus ride from the university in Nanjing to a lovely place called Purple Mountain, which got its name because at dawn and dusk its peaks often become enveloped in mysterious purple and golden clouds. Entranced by its pagodas and amazing huge stone animals, we could easily have spent a couple of days there.
It all felt a long way from home, and sometimes during my stay I felt quite scared and a little homesick. I'm very close to my mum and my boyfriend and I missed them, but I was determined to stick it out and make the most of the opportunity.
Little could I have guessed just how much of an opportunity was about to come my way. After about three months in Nanjing, I went to the local TVstudios with a Chinese friend I had made. He was taking part in a bizarre game show that involved him dressing up in an incredibly heavy Michelin man-type costume and trying to complete an obstacle course. He didn't win, but it was hilarious to watch.
While I was at the studios, I saw people queuing to take part in another programme, a sort of X Factor singing competition. I knew I had to audition. I found the producer and sang Time To Say Goodbye (a song made famous by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman) for him right there on the spot.
Amazingly he said I could take part in the show, called Min Xing Chang Fan Tian (it means I Want To Sing To The Stars). I performed live every night for two-and-a-half weeks. I sang a real mixture, including Puccini's O Mio Babbino Caro, Stop by Sam Bro! wn, and Yeu Guang Ai Ren, the theme tune to the hit Chinese film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
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The show was broadcast live to millions of viewers throughout Jiangsu province, which is three times the size of Britain and, astonishingly, I won! I received a trophy and about 1,000, which certainly goes a bit further in China than it does in Britain.
I also got the chance to record the winner's single on a CD. However, I couldn't do it because the conditions of my student visa didn't allow it.
Despite that, the publicity generated by my win helped me to land a recording contract back in Britain
with Decca, and later I was approached by John Lunn, composer of the music for Downton Abbey. He asked me to sing on the programmes soundtrack, which I was thrilled about.
Of course, I wasnt a total novice when I performed in China I was a member of Gloucester Cathedral Youth Choir and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.
I love singing in a choir. Theres nothing like it to give you a feeling of emotion, of togetherness. When youre all bursting into the same chorus, its a fantastic experience.
Dragons' Den: A fasc! ination with the exotic country of China ended up being Mary-Jess' ticket to success
My success means Ive gone from hardly travelling at all to travelling for much of the time. In addition to fulfilling my own commitments, I sometimes accompany my boyfriend, Rich Parker, a champion inline skater, when he takes part in competitions all over the world.
Recently , I went with him to a contest in Venice it is such an exquisite city. Ironically, because it was
full of Chinese tourists during our stay, whenever we got lost I was able to ask the Chinese to point us in the right direction (Italian is the language Id like to learn next!).
And during the past couple of years Ive been lucky enough to go back to China twice with Rich, who has been invited to compete at an event in Shanghai. Only the ten best skaters in the world participate, and last time he came home with the silver medal , which was an excellent effort.
I also returned to China recently to record tracks for my album which feature native Chinese instruments.
While I was in the country, I took the opportunity to visit the Great Wall. It was magnificent being there the scenery is fabulous. One of the highlights of the day was the Mutianyu toboggan ride down the side of the mountain after wed finished exploring the Wall. It was amazing and Id definitely
recommend it.
Participants are told to slow down at the corners but, as you might imagine, health and safety isnt a
major concern in China, so many people do what they like and go tearing down to the bottom at incredible speeds. Its great fun, and children in particular seem to love it.
There are still a lot of places I havent visited in China. I would love to see the Terracotta Army collection at Xian. When my mother came over to visit me in China for three weeks, she went to see it and said it was fantastic.
Winter wonderland: A boy slides down a giant replica sculpture of Beijing's Forbidden City at the Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival on Sun Island Park, Harbin
My mum has also been studying Mandarin and is now very good at it. Its great to be able to practise
with her. During her visit, she stayed with my Chinese friend whose parents do not speak any English, so she was forced to talk to them in their native tongue.
China has become an important part of my life; its where my career really started, so I cant ever leave it. The language is beautiful, and singing in Chinese is beautiful too.
Yeu Guang Ai Ren, one of the songs that helped me win the show, is featured on my album because Ive got that huge connection with it now.
Having been a late starter as far as travel is concerned, Ive now had the chance to see some places I could only dream about before. However, the place at the top of my travel wish-list is Harbin
in the north of China, which is famous for its International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.
The pictures of the sculptures Ive seen on the internet are phenomenal. Some are as big as houses and they are all fully illuminated. Im not normally a big fan of cold weather, but Im willing to go and experience temperatures that can drop to minus 30C just to enjoy such a spectacle.
My favourite place in China is Gulangyu Island, near the city of Xiamen. Everywhere you look there are huge dragonflies flying around and the most breathtaking varieties of flowers. My home city also remains one of my favourite places in the world. Everyone should visit Gloucester Cathedral, which is the most amazing place I have ever sung in.
Its where I performed my first solo. The acoustics are absolutely stunning. Theyre refurbishing quite a lot of the stonework and th! e staine d-glass windows at the moment, so I always love returning there to see how the work is progressing.
Im going back for the Cheltenham Music Festival next year, which I am looking forward to. Some of the concerts take place at Gloucester Cathedral, and its a real treat for me any time I get to perform in such a beautiful place.
Mary-Jess Leaverlands album, Shine, is available from Decca Records. The Downton Abbey album
was released by Decca Records last week.
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