Kiwi singer Martin signs to Universal

Will Martin, from Auckland, was performing for passengers on a cruise ship to Barcelona via the Carribbean while both EMI Classics and Universal Classics and Jazz were trying to contact him after hearing his demo.

Because of the sporadic reception on-board the ship, Martin was unable to receive emails from the heads of both labels. It wasn't until he reached Barcelona - three weeks away from his final destination of London - that he was able to contact EMI, who flew to Spain and auditioned him on the spot.

Following a successful audition, EMI made him an offer - but executives from Universal flew to Antigua in the Caribbean to audition Martin themselves. The singer eventually signed a six-figure, five-album deal with Universal, which is billing him as the male equivalent of fellow Kiwi Hayley Westenra.

'Will Martin is a once-in-a-generation talent,' said Dickon Stainer, managing director of Universal. 'When I first heard the demo, I knew he was head and shoulders above any other international artists around at present.'

Martin's debut album, A New World, which has already gone platinum in New Zealand, is available in the UK on 22 September. Tracks on the album, recorded with the Prague Philharmonia at London's Air Studios last year, include Going Home from Dvorak's 'New World Symphony', the theme song from Lord of the Rings and Maori folk song Hine e Hine.

http://www.willmartin.net/

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