Teen prodigy Church hunts sponsors

The Welsh teenage singer Charlotte Church is seeking sponsors for her debut concert, to be held next summer in Cardiff.

The 13-year-old soprano prodigy has been a guest at concerts around the world, and sung for the Pope and US president Bill Clinton. Church believes she will be ready to host her own one- or two-night concert next summer, after turning 14.

Church has a one-year sponsorship deal with the Ford Motor Company until June and features in the latest advertising campaign for the car manufacturer (MW October 28).

She has no other sponsorship agreements.

Ford is in talks with Church’s agent Jonathan Shalit about sponsoring the concert – to be staged at Cardiff Castle. The National Orchestra of Wales will play, and the event will be filmed for TV.

Three unnamed companies are also in talks over sponsorship deals amounting to a six-figure sum.

Shalit is looking for more “family-oriented” companies or products to get involved. “This will be a major Last Night of The Proms-type event. We will consider any family-related company that is an appropriate sponsor,” he says.

He lists supermarkets, retail chains, confectionery and soft drink companies as possible sponsors.

Church’s new album has already gone platinum: 300,000 copies have been sold prior to its release date on November 15.

Her first album, Voice of an Angel, has sold 2 million copies worldwide.