Russell Watson is a tenor from the UK who has found success releasing both pop and operatic music. He first gained the worlds attention by singing the National Anthem at multiple sporting events throughout Europe, and his debut album The Voice, a combination of operatic arias and pop covers released in 2001, made him the first British artist to hold the number one spot on the UK and US Classical Charts. After the success of his debut, Watson became known as "The Voice" and "People's Tenor." After a few stints on reality television, Watson suffered severe headaches before specialists discovered a pituitary tumor in his head. After he recovered, he released his album That's Life, that he supported with his acclaimed 2007 tour of the UK. Shortly after, he discovered another pituitary tumor that he had removed and recovered from in the course of a week, somehow finding time to finish recording his sixth studio album Outside In, a month later in 2007. Though Watson has been criticized for not having a voice up to operatic standards, he is recognized for his endurance and as one of the first artists to successfully cross back and forth between classical and pop music.
