NATALIE
FOOKS

WINNER of BBC Young Chorister of The Year 2023 (Senior)

WINNER of UK Songwriting Contest 2024

(teen category)

Performances on BBC TV and Radio

Coming soon- original song 'Under The Poppies' on BBC 1 for Songs of Praise

About Natalie

Natalie Fooks is a multi-award winning young soprano who is best known for winning the BBC Young Chorister of The Year 2023 (senior) and has enjoyed numerous appearances on National TV and BBC Radio. Her captivating and very pure voice has been earning her respect with local and national audiences.

Natalie has a very natural musicality, which has been obvious from a very young age and won her a music scholarship for secondary school. Her desire to sing and perform has grown and grown as she has moved through her secondary years and is now studying A level music (alongside History and Politics)

She is also a multi-genre, multi-instrumentalist, playing piano, guitar and drums and has a huge passion for songwriting. This has led to her being awarded the winner of her category in the 2024 UK Songwriting Contest - an achievement that she is extremely proud of (see link to Spotify above).

She has recently released a song for Remembrance Day called ‘Under The Poppies’. The song includes a real poem written in 1916 by a war widow, for her husband who died in the Battle of the Somme. She has had many radio stations interviewing her and playing her song, and she is very excited to perform the song in a fundraising concert for the Dame Vera Lynn Charity on the 15th of November. The song has just been recorded by BBC Songs of Praise for their Remembrance Day service.

Achievements

Winner of BBC Young Chorister of The Year 2023 (senior - aged 14)
Winner of UK Songwriting Contest 2024- aged 15 (Teen category)
Distinction in Grade 8 Singing (ABRSM)
Multi-award winner 3 years running at David Clover Festival of Singing
- Most promising female aged 16-21
- Most outstanding performance (any age)
- Most promising female aged 15 and under award
- Most outstanding performance in musical theatre award
- Winner of various classes- British song, world song (any age), intermediate recital, songs from the shows post-1960, etc.
Represented by Sylvia Young Agency
Member of the National Youth Choir
Member of the Rodolfus Choir
British Youth Music Theatre 2023
Music Scholarship

Performances

BBC Songs of Praise Christmas Concert - Nov '23 (Sheffield City Hall) - Duetted with the junior young chorister (Belinda) and performed alongside Katherine Jenkins, Aled Jones, Michael Ball, Ken Burton, Tommy Blaize (see youtube link)
Performed Ave Maria in the National Gallery, London '24 - for BBC Songs of Praise (see youtube link) - April '24
Solos and duets at Sir John Rutter's concert in the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham - Jan '24
Sang live on Radio 4 (duet and trio with Laura Wright and the junior young chorister, Belinda) from St. Martins in the Fields, London - May '24
Recorded with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (soloist) - Sept '24
Soloist at a charity gala which raised over £10K for Macmillan cancer research charities 'April '24
Soloist with Sheffield Oratorio Chorus
Fantine in Les Miserables with Junkyard Theatre Company - Dec '23

TV / Radio

TV - BBC Young Chorister semi-final and final - Dec '23
TV - BBC Songs of Praise Christmas Special - Sheffield City Hall
TV - BBC Songs of Praise recording of Ave Maria in the National Gallery
Interviews on BBC Radio 2, 4, Derby and Sheffield
Interviewed on BBC Look North (TV)
Recorded 5 pieces with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra for BBC Radio 4
Recorded 5 pieces with the Daily Service Singers for BBC Radio 4
Recorded 2 songs for BBC Radio 2 which were played in April, 2024.
Interviewed on 25 local, national and international radio stations about her song 'Under The Poppies'
Recorded original song 'Under The Poppies' for the BBC Songs of Praise Remembrance Day service, and Silent Night for one of their Christmas programmes- to come November and December '26

Under The Poppies

Natalie wrote this song for Remembrance Day, based on a real poem she was shown in a history lesson.
She recently decided to record it as it struck her how there are no longer any living survivors from the First World War and precious few from the Second World War and how important it is to keep the memories alive.

The bridge in the song includes the words from the poem, written for Frank pocknell by his widow, in 1916.

Watch the video on YouTube for the full story.

Why Natalie?

Natalie is training as a classical soprano and has a voice commonly described as 'pure'.

Since winning the BBC Young Chorister competition, in particular, she has been enjoying some wonderful singing opportunities, developing her voice and experiences.

Alongside this, Natalie is a keen songwriter, musical theatre performer and enjoys many other genres of music.

If you would like to enquire about Natalie performing at your event, please see the 'contact us' section below.