Set to drop her debut album ‘Blessing’ a little later this month, Christina Johnston is one of the most exciting new artists of the moment, and is a one-of-a-kind force in the industry. Check out a brilliant video of Christina performing below, and find an exclusive 10 things about her that she wrote for readers of Female First!
1. I am not a huge fan of the ‘gym’, but I do absolutely love horse riding and dancing and also generally taking long walks/runs, especially when home in Suffolk by the sea in Aldeburgh! There is nothing better or more peaceful.2. I adore all animals, you can leave me in a room full of animals and I would be happy for hours! But my favourite animal is cats, big and small, as they have such depth to their eyes and souls. They look at you as if they see through your whole soul. I have two small Russian Black cats, called Raphael and Esmeralda, and they are my babies.
3. I don’t have any brothers or sisters, but I did always want an older brother. One day, when I was really young, I went up to my Dad and told him that I wanted an older brother. He then turned to me and told me he had always wanted a little sister so if I didn’t mind, as well as my Dad, he could be my older brother and I, his little sister. That made my day! He didn’t let me call him ‘brother’, though.
4. My favourite time of year is Christmas. I love everything about it, apart from the cold! It is such a magical time, full of lights and sparkles, full of hope and love. I had the most amazing Christmases growing up and I try to relive them with the same traditions each year! I still have a stocking that waits for Santa!
5. I used to imagine and want to believe that I could sing to the animals like Sleeping Beauty did in the Disney cartoon. When I was little I used to run around our garden at home and try to sing to all the birds and animals, hoping they would come to me and land on my hands and shoulders just like in the film. I still try… but still no luck!
6. I really enjoy cooking and entertaining friends at home. I delight in laying the table and making it look pretty, lighting candles, creating a lovely atmosphere. It makes me so happy to cook for people and see them happy and filled with good food. My favourite meal to cook for friends is a tasty roast dinner (lamb, beef or pork), however I love experimenting on different cuisines and one I have yet to try on my friend is my Thai Spiced Seabass dish with coriander and coconut rice! I hope one day to have a bigger space to invite more people to!
7. My Auntie Di and Uncle Ray lived in Ed Sheeran’s ‘Castle On The Hill’ (Framlingham Castle) all my life and I used to go there after school, for weekends and birthdays and spend every Christmas there. It was amazing growing up and thinking your Auntie and Uncle have their own castle! I did learn as I grew older that my Auntie was the Head Custodian and got to live in the lovely house inside because of her job. My Uncle used to pretend there was a troll living inside the castle walls, so I would run around knocking on all the walls while Uncle made funny noises and a made-up language and I really did believe that a little troll lived inside! It was very special as a child.
8. We used to live deep in the countryside (my parents said ‘in the sticks’). We had different animals that they would rescue including a blackbird, a battery chicken called Esther that my Dad rescued from the side of the road, a stray cat called Emma who was my best friend, and also a duck called Puddles!
9. I first went on a plane at the age of 19, when studying at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. We had to fly to Italy for a few concerts. I absolutely loved it and haven’t stopped flying since! I am still waiting for my EasyJet ‘upgrade’!
10. I do have a few things that I really enjoy. I try to eat a balanced diet but I do have to start my day with marmite and cucumber on toast, and I eat broccoli every day! My weakness however is Lucozade. I even found a British shop in Prague, when I first moved there, that sold it! Since then, Tesco now stocks marmite and Lucozade in all their stores in Prague, so they must know about my weaknesses!
Christina Johnston’s debut album ‘Blessing’ is released September 22 on Tadlow Classics. For UK tour dates throughout September and October, please visit www.ticketline.co.uk/christina-johnston