Sarah Brightman discusses her new album HYMM and upcoming World Tour

Sarah Brightman is truly a renaissance woman.  Not only is she a Grammy award nominee and pioneer of the classical-crossover music genre, she is a musician, songwriter, dancer and actor.   Lesser known facts about her is her limited training as a cosmonaut, and being the first artist to have been invited twice to perform the theme at the Olympic Games (Barcelona and Beijing).  Plus - who can forget that she was also once married to Composer, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Known for her three-octave range and for pioneering the classical-crossover music movement, Brightman returns to the stage for HYMN Sarah Brightman In Concert. The tour begins in South America and will include over 125 shows, on five continents throughout 2018/2019. She will also unveil her much anticipated twelfth full-length album, Hymn, on November 9, 2018 (Decca Gold/ Universal).

This marks the multi-platinum GRAMMY® award-nominated classical crossover pioneer’s first new studio recording since she released the international chart-topper Dreamchaser in 2013. The spiritually themed "Hymn" is an inspirational collection of orchestrated, choir-based songs that Brightman says felt soothing to record at this moment in her life. The album was recorded over the past two years in Hamburg, Miami, London, Vancouver, Los Angeles, New York and Budapest.

Brightman and long time producer Frank Peterson recorded Hymn  at studios in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Vancouver, London, Hamburg and Budapest. They took the title track from British rock band Barclay James Harvest’s 1977 album Gone To Earth and recorded a new version of "Time to Say Goodbye," her 1996 duet with Andrea Bocelli, to close the album. Hymn also includes collaborations with Japanese artist Yoshiki ("Miracle"), German DJ Paul Kalkbrenner ("Sky and Sand"), French tenor Vincent Niclo and the Eric Whitacre singers ("Fly to Paradise"), while the London Symphony Orchestra appears on 11 of the songs. 

Known for her three-octave range and for pioneering the classical-crossover music movement, Sarah Brightman has amassed global sales of more than 30 million units. The only artist to have simultaneously topped Billboard’s dance and classical music charts, Brightman has racked up more than 180 gold and platinum awards in over 40 countries. She is also known for her iconic star turn in The Phantom of the Opera, whose soundtrack has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Her duet with Bocelli, “Time To Say Goodbye,” became an international success selling 12 million copies worldwide. Brightman’s albums Eden, La Luna, Harem, and Symphony were each chart-topping Billboard hits and accompanied by world tours.

I had the opportunity to chat with Sarah Brightman via satellite from New York about her love for Toronto, the new album, her favourite duet partner and what fans can expect from her upcoming world tour which kicks off in South America and will hit 125 cities on five continents!

You can watch our interview BELOW:

Hymn: Sarah Brightman In Concert tour dates:

Nov. 24            São Paolo, Brazil                     Espaco das Americas

Nov. 25            São Paolo, Brazil                     Espaco das Americas

Nov. 27            Brasília, Brazil                         Ulysses Guimarães Convention Center

Nov. 29            Rio de Janeiro, Brazil             Vivo Rio

Dec. 1              Curitiba, Brazil                        Teatro Guaira

Dec. 4              Lima, Peru                              Gran Teatro Nacional

Dec. 6              Montevideo, Uruguay            Antel Arena

Dec. 8              Buenos Aires, Argentina        Teatro Colon

Dec. 10            Buenos Aires, Argentina        Teatro Colon

Jan. 17             San Juan, Puerto Rico            Coliseo de Puerto Rico

Jan. 19             Monterrey, Mexico                  Arena Monterrey

Jan. 22             Guadalajara, Mexico              Auditorio Telmex

Jan. 24             Puebla, Mexico                       Auditorio Metropolitano

Jan. 26             Mexico City, Mexico               Arena Ciudad de Mexico               

 Jan. 30           Baltimore, MD                        Hippodrome Theatre

Feb. 1              Mashantucket, CT                   Foxwoods Resort Casino

Feb. 2              Atlantic City, NJ                       Tropicana AC
Feb. 3              Philadelphia, PA                      The Met Philadelphia

Feb. 5              Washington, DC                      DAR Constitution Hall

Feb. 6              New York, NY                          Radio City Music Hall

Feb. 7              Boston, MA                             Orpheum Theatre

Feb. 9              Montreal, QC                          Place Bell

Feb. 10            Toronto, ON                            Sony Center

Feb. 12            Pittsburgh, PA                         Benedum

Feb. 13            Detroit, MI                              Fox Theatre

Feb. 14           Chicago, IL                              Chicago Theatre

Feb. 16           Greenville, SC                         Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Feb. 17           Atlanta, GA                             Fox Theatre

Feb. 19           St. Petersburg, FL                   Mahaffey Theater      

Feb. 20          Hollywood, FL                         Hard Rock Live at The Event Center

Feb. 21           Orlando, FL                             Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Feb. 23          Grand Prairie, TX                     Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House

Feb. 25          Sugar Land, TX                       Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land

Feb. 27          Phoenix, AZ                             Comerica Theatre*

Mar. 1             San Diego, CA                         Viejas Arena

Mar. 2             Anaheim, CA                           Honda Center

Mar. 3             Las Vegas, NV                         Smith Center PAC

Mar. 5             Denver, CO                             Paramount Theatre

Mar. 7             Salt Lake City, UT                    Abravenal Hall

Mar. 9             San Francisco, CA                   The Masonic*

Mar. 10           Los Angeles, CA                      Dolby Theatre

Mar. 13           San Jose, CA                           City National Civic

Mar. 15           Portland, OR                           Keller Auditorium

Mar. 16           Seattle, WA                             Paramount Theatre

Mar. 18           Vancouver, BC                        Queen Elizabeth Theatre