| Faryl | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 9 March 2009[1] | |||
| Recorded | December 2008 – January 2009 | |||
| Genre | Classical crossover[1] | |||
| Label | Universal Classics and Jazz | |||
| Producer | Jon Cohen | |||
| Faryl Smith chronology | ||||
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Faryl is the debut album by British mezzo-soprano Faryl Smith, released on 9 March 2009 by Universal Classics and Jazz. Smith rose to fame after her appearance on the second series of Britain's Got Talent and signed with Universal after the competition. The album was recorded during December 2008 and January 2009 and features the track "River of Light", a song set to The Blue Danube with new lyrics. Faryl was produced by Jon Cohen, and the backing music was provided by a 60-piece orchestra. As part of the album's promotion, Smith made numerous television and radio appearances and filmed a music video for "River of Light". Around this time, she met with then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street.
After its release, Faryl became the fastest-selling classical solo album in British chart history, selling 20,000 copies in the first four days, and a total of 29,200 copies in the first week, more than any other debut album of a classical singer. Faryl entered the UK Albums Chart at number 6, rising to number 4 the next week, and was the third album by a Britain's Got Talent contestant to reach the top ten in Britain. Smith subsequently embarked on a promotional tour in the US to publicise the album, where it reached number 6 on the classical chart.
Faryl was fairly well received by critics, who praised Smith's performances and Cohen's production. However, criticism was directed at the use of the orchestra and at the song choices. As one of the ten best-selling classical albums in the UK in 2009, Faryl was nominated for a Classical BRIT Award in the album of the year category but lost to Only Men Aloud's Band of Brothers. In 2013, the album was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry.