Katie Melua – British singer

Katie Melua has become one of the best-selling British singers.
Katie was born in Kutaisi, Georgia, on September 16, 1984. She spent her childhood in Tbilisi and Batumi, where her father worked as a heart surgeon. When Katie was eight the family left Georgia and moved to Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, as her father had got a job at the prestigious Royal Victoria Hospital.
Five years later they moved to South East London because of her father’s job, and have lived there ever since.
‘I still consider myself to be Georgian, because that is where my roots are. But I am also proud to be a British citizen,’ Katie said.
When Katie was 13 years old her dream was to be a politician or a historian. She honestly thought she’d be able to bring peace to the world.
When Katie was 15 she won a TV talent competition.

After school, she entered the Brit School for the Performing Arts and started writing her own songs.
One day Katie Melua was performing at a Brit School concert when she caught the eye of Mike Batt, a British songwriter and producer who was looking for an artist capable of singing ‘jazz and blues in an interesting way’. Mike immediately realized that he had found someone very special.
Katie and Mike teamed up in the studio where Mike’s experience worked brilliantly with Katie’s fresh approach and exceptional voice.
Her two albums – Call of the Search and Piece by Piece – have been certified Platinum worldwide.
Katie strongly believes that music should be performed live.
During the devastating tsunami in Sri Lanka Katie joined The Children Organization.
Melua performed with a group of all-star Band Du Lac, created by the founder of the Procol Harum Gary Brooker on June 11, 2005 at a charity concert. Among the guests who performed that day were Eric Clapton, Andy Fairweather-Low, Mike Rutherford, Paul Carrack, Henry Spinetti, Roger Taylor, Ringo Starr, Chris Barber and The Drifters.

Interesting facts
– Her full name is Ketevan Melua.
– Queen Elizabeth II likes Melua’s songs very much.
– The Dutch named a tulip after her.
– Her idol is Eva Cassidy.
– In 2006 her recordings won first place in sales in the category Female Artists in the UK and in Europe.
– In July 2013 Melua took part in the anniversary concert dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth II.
– On October 2, 2006 Melua entered the Guinness Book of Records for the deepwater concert – 303 meters below sea level on the Troll A Platform of Statoil in the North Sea.

Albums
2003 Call Off The Search
2005 Piece By Piece
2007 Pictures
2010 The House
2012 Secret Symphony
2013 Ketevan