Yvie Burnett has worked with everybody from Susan Boyle to Beyonce and Stevie Wonder to Sam Smith and her philosophy as a vocal coach is simple.
Yes, You Can Sing.
In the past, the Methlick-born, Ellon Academy-educated extrovert has spread that message on such reality TV programmes as The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent and, even when we talked, she was in the United States in the company of mercurial Scottish pop star Lewis Capaldi.
Nothing stops her positivity
But now, Yvie has taken on her toughest challenge. In an attempt to demonstrate the power of singing, she is assembling a choir in the space of just three weeks to perform on one of Scotland’s biggest stages. And there is an added complication.
That’s because her group is comprised of people who lack confidence, have faced setbacks in their lives or feel socially isolated. One of those featured in the new TV show Scotland Sings previously toured holiday camps until severe ulcerative colitis forced him to stop travelling, another battles with agoraphobia, a third suffered from tongue cancer and others in the mix have a range of issues.
Having canvassed the country, she initially had to make her selection of the 20 people for the choir from submitted video clips – including several from candidates who were too lacking in confidence to even show themselves in their audition videos.
‘You will be moved’
She told me: “I’m so proud of Scotland Sings. It was such an honour for me to be asked to present a show, especially on a subject that I am so passionate about.
“The viewers will see real people and their lives. I’m warning you now that you will be moved. This show sets out to give people a chance, people who wouldn’t have been chosen on other shows necessarily, but on this one, there were two important factors influencing my choices….being able to sing, of course, but also, even more importantly, that this opportunity would change their lives for the better.
“The whole premiss of the show was me setting out to prove just how important singing is for our wellbeing and also the beneficial effect of singing with others.
“Did we prove it? Well, without giving too much away, things were tough and didn’t always go according to plan. But you have to watch it to see what actually happened.”
Singing from a young age
Yvie’s burning ardour for music was originally sparked when she joined Haddo House Choral society where she was encouraged to sing myriad solos at a young age.
That was followed by her being cast in the lead role, year after year, in a variety of school musicals in Ellon where she further developed her talent for performing and was captivated by the positive impact it had both on her and audiences.
Nothing could stop her and, after studying for a degree in music and specialising in opera, the Scot worked for many leading companies across the UK and Europe as a soloist.
Anybody who reads her weekly column in the Press and Journal magazine will be aware she is an effervescent character, who is enthusiastic about taking music to new places and championing the mantra that it has so many benefits for those under its spell.
And that is something which is clearly ingrained in her DNA.
Cuts to arts funding affects everyone
She said: “I have seen the results first hand, having been lucky enough to have had music and drama in my life from a young age.
“Being part of something creative such as a choir, orchestra or drama group as a young person gives you such a feeling or inclusion whoever you are. Being in the school sports team gives kids a sense of purpose and achievement.
“For those who aren’t sporty, but are creative in some way, being involved in something like a choir can literally change their lives or give them confidence which they perhaps haven’t felt before. So, any cuts in funding for the arts affects everyone.
“If there are fewer jobs in the arts, it means that it’s a less feasible career for young people to be involved in and that is so sad if it’s the thing they love.”
Yvie has a packed schedule
Her cv is studded with famous names; there’s Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol, Dan Smith from Bastille, Serge from Kasabian, solo artists such as Nicole Sherzinger, Sam Smith, Katy Perry, Lewis Capaldi, Leona Lewis, and rappers such as Dave.
When she’s not chatting to Lorraine Kelly or sharing quips with Gok Wan, she is journeying to Nashville with Capaldi and embarking on a packed schedule of airport check-ins and overnight hotel stays with the mentality that the show must go on, which would have impressed Judy Garland, Gene Kelly or Bing Crosby.
So it’s impossible for her to pick a favourite from such a roster of celebrities. But there have been a few occasions where she has collaborated with some A-list superstars.
She said: “It’s hard sometimes to choose which of my singers I enjoy working with most, because I become very attached to them all.
“It’s a bit like choosing between your children. You prefer the one who is behaving well that day. So I guess that it’s the same with my singers.
“At the moment, I am in Atlanta in Georgia with Lewis Capaldi and we are having a great day here in the sunshine, so today he is my favourite.
A Thelma and Louise moment
“As far as special moments I have had when doing my job, stand-out days must be coaching Beyonce to do a famous duet with Alexandra Burke, rehearsing for a day with Stevie Wonder who held my hand to communicate as he couldn’t see me and spending time with actress Glenn Close, whom I did quite a bit of coaching with a few years ago.
“We drove around Los Angeles one day in a convertible car which I had rented and we were singing songs from the shows as if we were Thelma and Louise.”
In the two-part Scotland Sings, which starts next week, Yvie chatted to her friend from her X Factor days, Olly Murs, and was further assisted by conductor and musical arranger John Logan of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
There’s a real sense of a collegiate spirit, of different individuals from a diverse mixture of backgrounds being inspired by joining forces and coming together in a common cause. And these joyful programmes are continually underpinned by one of the abiding beliefs at the heart of Yvie’s existence.
As she concluded: “Singing is more than my job, it is my passion and I strongly believe that the act of singing – and singing together – is good for you.”
The first part of Scotland Sings is on April 27 on BBC Scotland at 10pm.
FIVE QS FOR YVIE BURNETT
1)What book are you reading? “The Catch by my mates Shari Low and Ross King.”
2)Who’s your hero/heroine? “Apart from my family who never cease to amaze me, Maria Callas, whose voice moves me to tears, is one of my ultimate heroes.”
3)Do you speak any foreign languages? “I speak fluent French.”
4)What’s your favourite music/bands? “Whitney Houston and Celine Dion or Mozart operas.”
5)What’s your most treasured possession? “A little brooch which belonged to my mum.”
