I think you will find he is going for more a more adventurous album, if he wanted more classical or popular covers he would have gone straight for the big record deal, the safe option, but I think he is going to go for the independant, he said the future was exciting, scarey but exciting. Like many others I dont care what he sings, he will still be doing the classical songs at concerts etc, and the popular ones as well, lets have an album that shows him in full glory - one that shouts out "I can do anything you ask" - a good title might be This Is Me

What about This is My Life?

I'd agree with that, a more classical album would be a safe route. I'm not convinced he'll keep singing classical songs at concerts though. Artists tend to perform what their audience expect of them on tours and if he makes an album with no classical content he won't attract a concert audience who will want to hear classical songs.
His die hard fans in the main, love his voice and will support his choice of direction and I include myself in that but I know of many fans who lost interest in him following his last album. You could argue he gained other new ones, he probably did but there weren't as many of them as those he lost. The sales figures tell you that, it's simple maths.
I would expect him to go down a more Tom Jones/Shirley Bassey road tbh and pick standards, musical theatre and big 'operatic' style rock songs. The nation remember him as a showman and I tend to think he will give them what they saw back in 2007 as he knows they liked it.
He can't just do a mix of anything and everything as there would be no market to pitch the album at and that is how the industry works. He has to aim for a definite market or he won't sell. The classical crossover genre is very wide ranging though so suits him.

But I could be completely wrong of course

Whatever he does, let's hope he gets the support and promotion he needs to put him back in the public eye once more in the way he was after his debut album.

As soon as XF is back on our screens people remember Rhydian (just look at the XF articles he has featured in in the last week ot two!).
When people remember Rhydian they remember POTO, GTPS etc. We know Rhydian loved doing the live shows and strutting his stuff, so I think that his next album will reflect that. Rhyd wants to sing in his classically trained voice, but he wants to reach a very wide audience. He was frustrated in this at Sony particularly with his second album, and lack of a second tour, so I would expect any future album to be a 'crowd pleaser' with songs ideal for a tour. I can certainly see Rhydian singing operatic crowd pleasers such as the Toreador Song on tour, but not the KJ stuff which is much more concert platform.
Rhyd has a big voice, and a great stage presence: bring on the epic songs, big production numbers, sequins and dancing girls!

Agree about the dancing girls SC!
Rhyd was fab singing the Toreador song on tour, Also "The Letter" song (?)

"So this letter will have to do...
I love you.."

what I meant by doing classical at concerts etc is he will always give a mixture in any show, his tour proved that, but he will still be in demand in other concerts and will not turn his back on the support he has had from his home country. I hope he goes for the big number album, but my greatest hope is for some originals, his songs, not ones assocaited with anyone else

I agree with you OGM. I remember some posts on the music forum here expressing frustration with Rhydian's output and saying that with that voice and that charisma he should be doing something new and amazing, not just the well-trodden route the albums went down.

Still, I count myself among the diehard fans and will always love his voice and just the way he interprets the songs - it's unique in my view, and to die for

I kind of have mixed feelings about that. On the one hand I'd love him to have original numbers but on the other hand, covers are songs which have stood the test of time and are therefore good songs whereas a lot of original material is not that good or memorable.

You put it so much better than I can SC

I personally love to see (or rather hear ) Rhydian singing stuff I already know and love and giving it the Rhyd treatment. I think though in terms of securing his future he needs a balance of new and old. and yes keep KJ away from it.

I am not that much of a lover ot the full choir treatment with Rhydian so I hope that that aspect follows the less is more rule but I would like one or indeed two duets.

Yeah, it'd have to be good new stuff, which is quite hard to come by I agree. But it needn't necessarily be new stuff - just stuff which really grabs the attention.


Amen to that - no choirs Also, although I love the KJ numbers from the last album, I recognise that those are not going to sell a million for him. Old and new is good, I agree. I'd still secretly like a really good recording of MOTN without some idiots squealing like stuck pigs in the middle.

Duets are good too - I've really liked all the ones he's done so far although confess I could have done without that smackeroony with Shan Cothi Oh, and strike Katherine Jenkins out as well.

I am not meaning an album of just new songs, but some included, and yes attention grabbing ones, they dont all have to be big and brash to grab the heart strings, proved that at the Eisteddfod.
It would be good to hear something that can be called Rhydian's song, rather than songs Rhydian sings [albeit better than anyone else!!]

Good afternoon!

Hello neelia

I totally agree about less is more when it comes to choirs - I love a bit of a choir (particularly a gospel choir) but there was too much on album 2, and the kiddies choir spoilt Somewhere on album 1 (they sang OK but were just not right for the song).
Just put the choir down Rhyd, turn around and walk slowly away - you know it makes sense.

I agree with you Sweet C - choirs can sound very good but IMO the male voice choir overuse on Album 2 spoilt songs like Annie's Song and Myfanwy etc, what I've heard
The kiddie choir on Album 1 werent right for Somewhere

Afternoon guys....sorry I've been AWOL for a while....busy old bird!

Looking forward to all the stuff Rhyd has lined up over the next year or so, including a new album.
I agree with a lot of what has been said and I think it's fair to say that most of us are pleased at the noises Rhyd has been making about this new album....sounds like it could be more in line with what we were hoping for from previous albums....well, lets hope so!
I would also like to hear some original material on this album, but not just original for original sake....it has to be good original stuff. I hope that Rhyd will be able to find something suitable but, if not, there are lots of imaginitive covers he could produce with the right guidance.

Woohoo...exciting times ahead we hope!

Imaginative - that's the word I've been looking for, gilly. That's exactly what he needs, and album of imaginative stuff with maybe one or two good new things, but only if they're good. Hope that's what we'll get, but really really looking forward to it, whatever it is. The album is the highlight for me, but let's face it, he's got so much interesting stuff lined up, there's plenty for us fans to be excited about.

Evening!

Just seen Rhydian mentioned in an "X Factor: Where are they now" type article on MSN - mostly pleasing comments - however I dont like how they call him an "alien"


Apart from the alien comment - and why no mention of O Fortuna being nominated for a classical Brit - mostly good

Good find grim
Rhyd is still remembered 3yrs after XF which is all good

Calling him an "alien" isn't very nice but I think Rhyd will have the last laugh

Also saying he is currently touring is wrong - WOTW hasnt started yet

One of the X factor promotional articles recently got that bit wrong and they all seem to have followed suit!
The press are notoriously lazy in checking their information....but we know better, don't we Grim!

Hey,
I showed my friend a clip of Rhydian singing POTO on XF and she thinks Rhydian's voice is amazing

Morning

Afternoon

Hey grim ...... very quieton here at the moment, I suspect some lucky peeps are at Rhydian's concernt tonight. I hope they have a fab time


Hi rattie, I live down on the south coast, next to Bournemouth. Will always have a pang of regret at not being able to get to see him at the BIC when he toured last year but now there's a new album comming out I'm quite hopeful of another tour someday. Fingers cross anyway, will sell one of my kids to pay for the ticket