Opera singer Alfie Boe has released his first album of original material, 'Face Myself', a deeply personal collection exploring family and inner peace. The 52-year-old, known for his role as Valjean in 'Les Misérables', admitted it was a battle every day learning how to forgive himself.
Speaking at a private members' club in Chelsea, Boe described the album as a chance to break away from being guided by others. 'Sometimes you have to take chances,' he said. The album features seven original songs and five covers, including tracks by Elbow and Noel Gallagher.
The opening track 'Meanwhile Gardens' reflects on Boe's early ambitions and the overwhelming scale of New York City. Named after a park in west London where he lived while studying at the Royal College of Music, the song captures a place of peace and dream-planning.
Boe credits his working-class upbringing in Fleetwood, Lancashire, as the youngest of nine siblings, for his eclectic music taste. 'I didn't see any divisions between rock or classical,' he said. He was spurred into an opera career at 19 after a customer heard him singing at his car factory job.
On Timothée Chalamet's recent claim that 'no one cares' about opera, Boe responded: 'What a silly thing… silly little boy.' He dismissed the comment as showing off. Boe's new album marks a bold move after years of covering revered works, with lushly textured ballads reminiscent of his iconic 'Bring Him Home' performance.
