The former school teacher from Neath who became the fastest-selling female classical singer since Maria Callas.

In 2004, at the age of 23, Katherine Jenkins signed the largest record deal in UK classical recording history, with an undisclosed seven-figure deal.

But it was hardly an overnight success for this mezzo-soprano from Neath, South Wales. By the age of seven, Katherine's early interest in pop had given way to a love of classical music, and she began taking piano lessons and joined the local choir.

In the decade that followed she represented Wales three times in the Choirgirl Of The Year competition, twice won the BBC Radio 2 Welsh Choirgirl Of The Year contest, and won the BET Welsh Choirgirl Of The Year.

Between 1990 and 1996 Katherine was a member of the Royal School of Church Music Cathedral Singers, where she achieved the St Cecilia Award its highest accolade. She was also a member of the National Youth Choir of Wales for three years.

Katherine was awarded the Pelenna Valley Male Voice Choir Scholarship for the most promising young singer, and at the age of 17 won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. She graduated with honours.

In October 2003 she sang at a special mass honouring the Pope's silver jubilee at Westminster Cathedral. The same month she supported Aled Jones on tour, before performing at the Sydney Opera House as a special guest to Max Boyce.

Since then she has become the official mascot for the Wales rugby team. Before the 2003 Rugby World Cup she recorded the Welsh team's official song, a version of Bread Of Heaven backed by a 100-piece male voice choir. Prior to that, she'd sung the Welsh national anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium before the Wales/England game in August.

"I was so nervous before," she said, "but as I walked along the tunnel 70,000 people were singing Delilah. I just felt so at home that I wasn't the least bit nervous. I sang, walked off, and halfway up the tunnel I turned to jelly."

Released in April 2004 and produced by James Morgan and Juliette Pochin, Katherine's classical chart-topping debut album is a mix of old standards including Ave Maria and The Lord Is My Shepherd, plus a smattering of traditional Welsh songs and new interpretations of classic tunes by Handel, Bach, Erik Satie and others.

A true prodigy, then, but Katherine describes the death of her father Selwyn Jenkins, when she was just 15 years old, as the catalyst for her pursuit of success. Katherine worked as a music teacher before signing to Universal Classics, home to renowned artists including Pavarotti, Bocelli, Bryn Terfel and Renée Fleming.

In 2004 she performed at Westminster Cathedral, Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. In October the same year, Katherine's second album, the aptly-titled Second Nature, was released, reaching number 16 in the UK pop charts.

2005 saw appearances at Live 8 in Berlin the G8 concert in Murrayfield, Scotland, and an opening appearance at Tsunami Relief Cardiff. The also became the new forces sweetheart, performing at the VE Day concert at Trafalgar Square, at which she was introduced by Dame Vera Lynn.

Katherine's third album, Living A Dream, was released in October 2005. It was followed in November 2006 by her fourth album, Serenade.

Sacred Arias was released in 2008 to great acclaim and popular appeal. It was followed in 2009 by a deluxe edition of Serenade.