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SINGER Jennifer Crestol will be stepping out on stage to entertain supporters of Think Pink Bahrain at a glitzy ball this coming weekend.
Although she may have a smaller profile in the kingdom the blonde bombshell has a huge following in Eastern Europe and once performed as the lead vocalist in a show which attracted 100,000 concert-goers.
The 35-year-old American now lives in Bahrain with her children Noah, three, and 18-month-old Charlize, and has her heart set on re-launching her music career.
“I have spent the last few years away from music to be with my kids and take a break but now I am ready to get back into it and give my children the motivation to follow their hearts like their mum,” she explained.
One of the first steps on the journey will be the ninth Think Pink Gala Evening Event at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa on Friday.
“I have been singing since birth my mum tells everyone. Lol! I don’t remember a time that I wasn’t singing,” said Jennifer who comes from Los Angeles, but has also lived in the UK and Bucharest before settling in Bahrain three years ago.
“The longest period of time that I have not been in a recording studio or on a stage has been while living in Bahrain because I have been raising my babies.
“I started performing at around the age of three, professionally training since 11. My first time recording in a professional studio I was 14 and was working with one of Barbra Streisand’s recording engineers in a very famous studio in Hollywood, California.
“I knew at that moment it was what I was meant to be doing and I have followed my heart ever since.”
“I have been a special guest artist on several albums and finally had my own recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and some of the finest writers, producers and musicians in the industry. I have been truly blessed.”
On her solo album entitled Still In My Heart she worked with some of the legends of the music industry. “Richard Marx was an absolutely incredible person to work with, so professional and really inspiring,” she explained. “David Foster was honestly the most intimidating name to work with, but he was so friendly and caring and really helped me achieve the vocals I wanted to.
“Every single writer, producer, engineer, arranger, musician on my album is a huge success and has helped shaped the music industry to what we know it to be today.”
Jennifer has performed live across the US, Austria, the UK, France and Italy but her show in Romania will take some beating.
She explained: “My largest live performance was in Bucharest in 2001. We had a stage of 150 musicians, I was the lead vocalist and the audience was nearly 100,000 strong.”
The show was also aired live on TV attracting approximately 23 million viewers and later released in the US on PBS and broadcast across the nation.
She remains a big star in Romania despite now living in the Middle East. “I went back to Bucharest in October of 2008 and started working on several music projects, singing on live TV, doing many charity concerts for several organisations.
“I became a patron of Children in Distress (CID) which provides hospice care for terminally-ill babies and children, mainly orphans. It is not funded by the government so it needs all the help it can get and I was devoted to it.
“There was always a lot of press about the work I was doing there and I was trying my best to get as much exposure for the charity as possible. Using my talent was the only way I knew how to do that.”
Her big heart is currently focused on helping the Think Pink Bahrain team in its efforts to raise awareness of breast cancer and funds to help fight the disease.
Jennifer, who stepped out as a guest vocalist for the Manama Singers last Christmas for the group’s annual festive concert, explained: “I’m currently working on another project involving my music and I met with Jules Sprakel, the founder of Think Pink, and we both feel very excited that I am involved with this event.
“I am so excited to be able to do what I love to do and help people at the same time. Being able to share a passion with people is one for the greatest gifts in the world and I feel truly blessed for the opportunity.”
She is also settled here in the kingdom. “I love living in Bahrain. I find it incredibly peaceful, the locals are so friendly and welcoming, and I feel very safe living here especially with small kids,” said Jennifer.
“I’m currently working with several reputable writers and producers here in the Gulf on new music projects which I am very excited about.”
Jules is delighted to have her on board. She said: “Jennifer has generously offered her services and support to Think Pink Bahrain and we are truly appreciative.
“She is in every sense of the term, a citizen of the world. The powerhouse singer’s vocals have earned international praise as ‘outstanding’,
‘inspirational’ and ‘divine’, and she’s heard the phrase ‘voice of an angel’ more times than she can count.
“With charisma, charm and an ability to mesmerise audiences everywhere from London and Paris to Bucharest, New York and Los Angeles, it’s easy to see why the industry’s top songwriters and producers enjoy working with her.”
Think Pink Bahrain is looking for community support to raise the last BD50,000 towards a digital MRI machine.
This long-awaited machine will be installed and operational in February 2015, and be free for nationals and expatriates as part of the Ministry of Health’s Phase One of Salmanyia Medical Complex new Radiography and Diagnostic Centre.
l The Gala Evening Event will be directed towards the final payment of the machine. Tickets are BD50 and can be collected via Al Alai Mall or contact 39076717 for further information. The ticket includes refreshments and a three-course meal. The platinum sponsors for this year’s 10th anniversary celebrations include LOWE Mena, Gulf Brands International, Royal Golf Club, RCSI and the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa.
