Katherine Jenkins, York Barbican, February 25, 2015

WELSH mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins marks the tenth anniversary of her debut album by releasing her tenth studio recording, Home Sweet Home, this week and appropriately it is indeed a homecoming.

"Ten albums in ten years; it's quite unbelievable. I've no idea where the time has gone," says Katherine, on the first morning of her hectic media schedule to publicise both the album and next year's tour, when the 21 dates will include York Barbican on February 25.

Behind her, Katherine can look back on nine studio albums that have sold more than eight million copies and gone platinum around the world. Then add in such career highlights as two Classical BRITs for Album of the Year; headlining The Queen’s Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace; competing in the 2012 American series of Dancing With The Stars; and being awarded an OBE in the 2014 New Year’s Honours List for her services to music and charity.

Home Sweet Home would be a landmark album, she decided.

"You think about what worked before, what didn't, experimenting with different genres, so I wanted to make an album that went back to my roots, but was still contemporary, so it would appeal whether you liked classical music before or didn't," says Katherine.

"I also went back to my original record label [Decca Records]. I did six albums for them and they're the best company for classical crossover music. It was singers like Andrea Bocelli as well as me, that were being promoted, all trying to bring classical music to a wider audience, so going back to a company who understand this music, it feels like I've gone home."

There was a further factor behind the album title. "I also wanted to pay tribute to my home, Wales, and the UK, where all the fans have been amazing," says Katherine, who was born in Neath, Glamorgan, on June 29 1980.

She went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, signing her first record deal in 2003. A year later, she was the biggest-selling classical crossover artist in Britain, following the release of her debut album, Premiere.

A decade later, she has recorded Home Sweet Home with producer Patrick Hamilton at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, collaborating with violin virtuoso David Garrett on Ode To Joy and British tenor Alfie Boe on Barcelona.

"I never imagined a tenth of this when I started. I know, it's crazy," says Katherine. "When I began to train to be a singer, frankly I didn't know if I had a voice that was good enough and I knew nothing about the business; I just wanted to be a classical singer, get into an opera chorus and work my way up.

"It's been way and above and beyond anything I could have imagined; singing in the Sydney Opera House for the 2004 Rugby World Cup; singing for The Queen; singing with Placido Domingo.

"I used to sit in the Royal Academy library studying these songs, and suddenly there I am, singing with Placido Domingo and Andrea Bocelli, with my mother saying 'How did that happen?'."

Katherine believes her success has come at a time of change in the world of classical music and opera, breaking through the snobbery among classical critics. "The reason that classical crossover has done well is that opera had a change of identity because people needed to identify with the singers and it became about making it real," she says.

"The classical music world definitely has changed and I feel it's been a really good time to be involved in it. If I've played my small part in that, then I'm proud to have done that."

Above all else, Katherine feel the most pride at her regular involvement in entertaining the troops at Christmas, a commitment that began on the advice of the original Forces' sweetheart, Dame Vera Lynn.

"It's something that came about because I was involved with the Chelsea Pensioners, going into their barracks to sing for them, and through that I got involved in the British Legion, met Dame Vera Lynn and she encouraged me to go out to visit the troops in Iraq for the first time at Christmas in 2005," says Katherine, who has since flown out to Kosovo, Afghanistan, Cyprus and Iraq again.

One song more than any other has brought pleasure to Katherine. "If we're not including Land Of My Fathers, the Welsh anthem,then I would say Time To Say Goodbye. It has an amazing effect; seeing people crying when they hear that song, I want to jump down into the audience and hug them," she says.

Next year, Katherine will be returning to the North Yorkshire stage to perform songs from Home Sweet Home and favourites from throughout her career, having played Harrogate International Centre in 2008, York Minster in 2009, Ripley Castle in 2010 and Harrogate International Centre again in 2012.

"I would say Ripley Castle was the pick of them," she says. "It was a beautiful night, a stunning setting, and those summer concerts really are my favourite ones."

Katherine Jenkins will perform at York Barbican on February 25 2015. Box office: 0844 854 2757; yorkbarbican.co.uk

KATHERINE Jenkins's special guest on her Home Sweet Home tour will be fellow Welsh singer John Owen-Jones, known for his award-winning performances as Jean Valjean in Boublil and Schonberg's Les Miserables and the the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom Of The Opera.

The West End and Broadway actor will perform such songs as Bring Him Home from Les Mis and Music Of The Night from Phantom and at present is in the studio recording his third album for release in March 2015, after returning from the Far East, where his first solo show in Tokyo sold out in a record nine minutes.

"Having been a fan of her work for a long time, I am absolutely delighted to be appearing alongside Katherine on what I'm sure will be a hugely successful tour," he says. "I can't wait to be on the tour next spring and sing in some of the finest venues in the country. I'll also get to hear Katherine sing every night!"

Did you know?

Katherine Jenkins married American filmmaker and artist Andrew Levitas at Hampton Court Palace on September 27.