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Since March 2007 when Paul Potts walked onto the audition stage of “Britain’s Got Talent,’’ he has sold 3.5 million copies of his debut album and embarked on two world tours. |
G FORCE | PAUL POTTS
It’s all gone to Potts
Television has been very good to Paul Potts, the amiable 38-year-old classical pop vocalist. Before his winning run on the 2007 edition of “Britain’s Got Talent,’’ he bankrolled a trip to Italy to take singing lessons in 1999 with money he won on a musical quiz show. Last week we chatted with Potts, who performs at the Berklee Performance Center on Friday, about his new Italian-language album, “Passione,’’ and his admiration for fellow “Britain’s Got Talent’’ sensation Susan Boyle.
Q. You’re on your second major tour, promoting your sophomore album. Do you still feel a sense of shock?
A. It’s something that if two years ago somebody had suggested to me I’d be doing this, I’d have told them they were stark-raving bonkers.
Q. “Passione’’ features a mix of classical arias, show tunes, and pop hits like Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale.’’ How did you choose your songs?
A. “Whiter Shade of Pale’’ was Simon’s [Cowell, producer of “Britain’s Got Talent’’] idea. It was a bit of a risk because my father-in-law loves the original, and he told me I had to make sure I did a good job or I wouldn’t have been very popular.
Q. Did he give you thumbs up?
A. (Laughs) Yeah, he did.
Q. Did the more purely classical numbers seem risky in terms of the mainstream portion of your audience?
A. I think we’ve done a reasonable job at keeping it approachable. The pieces that we’ve picked are generally pretty well known but in keeping with the theme I wanted for the album, which was all of the emotions we go through in life from hope to despair, falling in love, losing love.
Q. Having been in a similar position, how did it feel watching the Susan Boyle situation play out?
A. I think she’s got a great voice, and I’m sure she’s got a future. I hope she gets to take as much time as she needs to take if she does record. That’s the most important thing.
Sarah Rodman can be reached at srodman@globe.com. 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
