'Singing just makes me happy'
Going to church every Sunday with his mother and sister, Jack Topping would always look forward to the hymns. A simple love of singing is not unusual, but Jack’s has escalated beyond all imagination, because now this schoolboy from Liverpool is in the race for a Christmas Number One single.
‘Singing just makes me happy,’ says this incredibly self-possessed 11-year-old. It was his uncle, also a chorister, who first noticed his nephew had a particular flair for hitting the notes. When an advertisement appeared in the local parish newsletter calling for young singers to audition for the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Choir, Jack, supported by his uncle and mother, was keen to go along. He was accepted and it wasn’t long before his talent was noticed, not least when he managed to reach a high B flat. ‘I was quite proud of myself because I didn’t realise I could do that,’ he says.
Famed producer Juliette Pochin heard via a mutual friend that Jack had rare musical potential, so she visited Liverpool to hear him perform. Within a few weeks, Jack was signed to Decca Records, becoming the youngest-ever solo artist to sign to the label.
Jack still can’t quite believe the whirlwind. ‘When I’m walking down the corridor at school someone might yell, “That’s the boy with the record contract!” It’s not a normal thing.’ He is taking it all in his stride, however, and has already found that he is capable of conquering his nerves. In fact, talking to him, it is easy to forget his tender age. Earlier this year, he performed at the Royal Albert Hall: ‘It was so full, it felt like a sizeable amount of the London population was there. I thought, “This is the time to get nervous.” But I just got over my nerves, singing there. I enjoyed it a lot.’
It is Jack’s partnership with Save The Children that has really placed him on the world stage: his arresting rendition of Tomorrow provides the backdrop for the charity’s latest television commercial, and has music lovers – both choral and otherwise – eagerly awaiting the release of the single. As part of being an ambassador for the charity, he travelled to South Africa earlier this year to see its work in action.
‘I had never been out of Europe before,’ he states. ‘I had imagined what it would be like though. South Africa hosted the World Cup back in 2010 so I thought there would be football stadiums all over the place, but I didn’t see a single one.'
With his cherubic face and unfettered enthusiasm, Jack is of course very much still a boy, and yet he demonstrates an incredible level-headedness for someone so young. As he continues to recount his trip, he describes meeting a boy of about his own age. ‘I got to see how a young boy lives out there: he shared a bed with four people, there was a hole in the bedroom wall where ants and things could get in, and he had a TV that only had three channels.’
Jack pauses as he considers what he has just said. ‘I have my own bedroom with no hole in, I don’t have to share with my sister and mother, and I have a TV with more than three channels. I just feel extremely lucky.’ His mother, Anita, is hugely proud of her son. ‘He seems to handle it better than I do,’ she smiles. ‘He has coped really well – it is something he wants to do and something he is happy to do. It is great that he is so young and enjoying life so much.’
Jack in South Africa for Save The Children
As with any sign of prodigy, there comes the suspicion that there is a pushy parent lurking in the background, but Anita is keen to point out that this has never been the case with Jack. ‘It has always been him pushing himself to do more singing – that is the remarkable thing. He was so pleased when he went to the voice trial [for the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Choir] and did well – just seeing the delight in his face was wonderful. One of his grandfathers loved pastoral music and his uncle also sings ballads beautifully. Clearly Jack has the same love.’
Whether he achieves the top spot at Christmas or not, Jack hopes to continue singing, and has his sights set on a couple of other performance venues. ‘Westminster Abbey or St Paul’s Cathedral would be awesome. They look really good from the outside.’
And yet, again revealing a very adult pragmatism, he hasn’t ruled out other careers: ‘If I did have a job outside of music I would have to wear a uniform rather than a suit. Maybe a conductor at a train station with a hat and stuff.’
When he is not performing or practising, Jack can be found catching up on homework, attending Cub Scout meetings and playing football. He has also started to learn to play both the piano and the oboe. ‘I just love music,’ he says matter-of-factly.
His enthusiasm may be childlike, but his equanimity is astonishingly grown-up.
Tomorrow will be released on 16 December by Decca Records, priced £3.99.
‘Singing just makes me happy,’ says this incredibly self-possessed 11-year-old. It was his uncle, also a chorister, who first noticed his nephew had a particular flair for hitting the notes. When an advertisement appeared in the local parish newsletter calling for young singers to audition for the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Choir, Jack, supported by his uncle and mother, was keen to go along. He was accepted and it wasn’t long before his talent was noticed, not least when he managed to reach a high B flat. ‘I was quite proud of myself because I didn’t realise I could do that,’ he says.
Famed producer Juliette Pochin heard via a mutual friend that Jack had rare musical potential, so she visited Liverpool to hear him perform. Within a few weeks, Jack was signed to Decca Records, becoming the youngest-ever solo artist to sign to the label.
Jack still can’t quite believe the whirlwind. ‘When I’m walking down the corridor at school someone might yell, “That’s the boy with the record contract!” It’s not a normal thing.’ He is taking it all in his stride, however, and has already found that he is capable of conquering his nerves. In fact, talking to him, it is easy to forget his tender age. Earlier this year, he performed at the Royal Albert Hall: ‘It was so full, it felt like a sizeable amount of the London population was there. I thought, “This is the time to get nervous.” But I just got over my nerves, singing there. I enjoyed it a lot.’
It is Jack’s partnership with Save The Children that has really placed him on the world stage: his arresting rendition of Tomorrow provides the backdrop for the charity’s latest television commercial, and has music lovers – both choral and otherwise – eagerly awaiting the release of the single. As part of being an ambassador for the charity, he travelled to South Africa earlier this year to see its work in action.
‘I had never been out of Europe before,’ he states. ‘I had imagined what it would be like though. South Africa hosted the World Cup back in 2010 so I thought there would be football stadiums all over the place, but I didn’t see a single one.'
With his cherubic face and unfettered enthusiasm, Jack is of course very much still a boy, and yet he demonstrates an incredible level-headedness for someone so young. As he continues to recount his trip, he describes meeting a boy of about his own age. ‘I got to see how a young boy lives out there: he shared a bed with four people, there was a hole in the bedroom wall where ants and things could get in, and he had a TV that only had three channels.’
Jack pauses as he considers what he has just said. ‘I have my own bedroom with no hole in, I don’t have to share with my sister and mother, and I have a TV with more than three channels. I just feel extremely lucky.’ His mother, Anita, is hugely proud of her son. ‘He seems to handle it better than I do,’ she smiles. ‘He has coped really well – it is something he wants to do and something he is happy to do. It is great that he is so young and enjoying life so much.’
Jack in South Africa for Save The ChildrenAs with any sign of prodigy, there comes the suspicion that there is a pushy parent lurking in the background, but Anita is keen to point out that this has never been the case with Jack. ‘It has always been him pushing himself to do more singing – that is the remarkable thing. He was so pleased when he went to the voice trial [for the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Choir] and did well – just seeing the delight in his face was wonderful. One of his grandfathers loved pastoral music and his uncle also sings ballads beautifully. Clearly Jack has the same love.’
Whether he achieves the top spot at Christmas or not, Jack hopes to continue singing, and has his sights set on a couple of other performance venues. ‘Westminster Abbey or St Paul’s Cathedral would be awesome. They look really good from the outside.’
And yet, again revealing a very adult pragmatism, he hasn’t ruled out other careers: ‘If I did have a job outside of music I would have to wear a uniform rather than a suit. Maybe a conductor at a train station with a hat and stuff.’
When he is not performing or practising, Jack can be found catching up on homework, attending Cub Scout meetings and playing football. He has also started to learn to play both the piano and the oboe. ‘I just love music,’ he says matter-of-factly.
His enthusiasm may be childlike, but his equanimity is astonishingly grown-up.
Tomorrow will be released on 16 December by Decca Records, priced £3.99.