Katie Targett-Adams (born Edinburgh, Scotland 1979) and is a singer-songwriter-MC and Celtic harpist. She has released 6 albums and has enjoyed most success singing in Chinese in China.
| Katie Targett Adams | |
|---|---|
| Born | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, Singer, Model, Musician |
| Known for | Popularising the Celtic harp, Singing, Junior MasterChef |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Website | |
| kt-a.com | |
Contents |
Katie grew up in Scotland and attended St. George's School, Edinburgh where she was Deputy Head of School (1996-7) and is currently a Governor. She learnt the clarsach ( the Celtic harp) outwith school and soon became known for her singing and playing. In 1994 Katie entered and won the BBC's first ever Junior MasterChef. After leaving St. George's, Katie read Modern and Medieval Languages at Hertford College, Oxford, at the University of Oxford, where she began to combine language and music. Her first performance came in the form of an invitation from the Scottish Tourist Board, Visitscotland,[1] to showcase her talent in Washington D.C. while sitting her finals at Oxford in 2001.
Katie was spotted by the Chinese Cultural Ambassador to London whilst performing at Stirling Castle in 2003 who invited her to sing at the Nanning International Folk Arts Festival in China in 2003 where she played to audiences of 10,000 people. The success of this tour led her to headline at the Shanghai Baoshan Festival the following year plus give her own solo debut concert in Beijing's Forbidden City Concert Hall in 2005. Katie released her first album with Scottish Storyteller, David Campbell, in 2003 and went on to produce her first solo album, Let Me Play Among the Stars, in 2004, produced by New York producer, Shane Koss. Although the sound is generally considered young at times it was picked up by the Scottish record company, River Records, who modified and re-branded the album to create the more successful KT-A. Katie was awarded Music and Culture Icon for Scotland by VisitBritain in 2004.
Katie continued to perform in Scotland, singing at the Opening of the Scottish Parliament building attended by Her Majesty the Queen in 2004 and representing the First Minister of Scotland in many official capacities at home, in the US and in China. A performance which put her on the map was singing at J.K. Rowling's famous launch of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in Edinburgh Castle in 2006. Katie performed year after year in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and was the first ever performer to have a solo show in Edinburgh Castle for the Edinburgh Festival.
Katie controversially became known as a female artist who would not give in to 'casting couch' methods when she walked out on a management deal with Mel Bush, creator of the violin star, Vanessa-Mae. Katie was joined by other female recording artists in this vision such as the teenage choir group, All Angels, who all felt simply using sex to boost falling record sales was not justifiable.
Katie's continued popularity in China led her to be featured on BBC World's Destination Music with her rock band when she returned to perform in Nanning in 2006. Her last CD ( 2007), Hush hush...features a Chinese song by Tsai Qin. Blending language and song had now become part of her identity. In 2006 Katie's rendition of Scotland the Brave took 2nd place during Scotland's national campaign by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra to vote for the most popular Scottish anthem. The Shipping Forecast, a track devised and written by Katie Targett-Adams and London producer, Kevin Malpass, made Katie a winner of the UK Songwriting Contest 2007. Katie, runner up for Olympic Torch Bearer[2] at the 2008 Summer Olympics, performed for the British athletes and the British Prime Minister, The Rt Honourable Gordon Brown, in Beijing in August 2008.
In 2007 Katie moved to live permanently in Hong Kong becoming the founder of the dance movement, Ceroc, in Asia. Katie runs the Ceroc Asia brand in Hong Kong and Singapore. Whilst in Hong Kong Katie wrote the song《新的未来 or Day by Day to help raise money and awareness for the survivors of the devastating Sichuan earthquake in 2008. Sponsored by Heng An Standard Life the song was launched at the British Ambassador's Residence in Beijing and then toured Sichuan. All proceeds were donated to purchasing musical instruments for the school children at the epicentre of the earthquake in Wenchuan.
Katie critical acclaim in Asia led her to perform in China in 2009 for the Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond and in 2010 for both Alex Salmond and the Irish President Mary McAleese on their respective official ministerial visits. Katie also represented Celtic culture at the Irish Pavilion of the Shanghai Expo with a series of recitals. In 2011 Katie gave a 2nd solo concert at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing accompanied by Irish band Ciorras which led to widespread coverage in the Chinese press. She also became the only Western performer at the Phoenix Television 15 Year Anniversary Celebrations in the Great Hall of the Forbidden City in Beijing.
As a leading light in Celtic Culture in the East Katie continues to perform across Asia
Katie is seen to be modernising the image of the clarsach by singing a variety of musical styles from pop to jazz, Celtic to opera. Her iconic pure voice perhaps lends itself to beautiful ballads.
Katie's continues to live in Hong Kong as a modern-day minstrel promoting the image of the Celtic harp and Celtic culture as a modern and contemporary instrument. She has been dubbed the 'Celtic Princess'. Katie plays a Pilgrim Harp and the Harpsicle
Scotland in Love ( 2003)
Let Me Play Among the Stars ( 2004)
Kt-A ( 2004)
The Sound of Scotland ( 2006)
Hush hush...(2007)
Imaginary Friend (2007)
Scotland the Brave (2004)
Just Like Your Tenderness ( 2006)