Buckingham. Celeste Buckingham. That may very well be the name that audiences remember after her riveting performance of songs from classic James Bond movies with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Slovakia last month.
The artist intoned her own unique versions of such distinctly different mega-hits as Skyfall, Diamonds are Forever, GoldenEye and Nobody Does It Better by luminaries Adele, Shirley Bassey, Tina Turner and Carly Simon with confidence and aplomb to the delight of critics and audiences alike. In fact, a critic from My Culture said, “Probably everyone was literally shaking with the excitement of how she handled Skyfall … And it must be said that it was the absolute peak of the evening.”
At just 24, Buckingham’s vocal stylings defy her age and refuse to be defined. They have been described as everything from jazz to pop to soul to hip-hop and beyond. Regardless, her performances with the Philharmonic were memorable and uniquely her own: traits that have defined her rich musical career to date.
Born in Switzerland to a Swiss-American family, Buckingham first flexed her musical muscles at age 15 as a contestant on Cesko Slovenska Superstar, making it to the finals and firmly establishing her place as a self-supporting singer/songwriter who today has hundreds of thousands of fans around the world. In the nine short years since her debut, she has earned status as a certified platinum artist, taken home a coveted MTV Music Award and was nominated for Disney Radio’s Best New Artists Award. She already has four studio albums to her credit and this year was a featured artist at the Sziget Festival, one of Europe’s largest music events, where she received rave reviews.
Just as James Bond is an iconic, multi-faceted character, so too is Buckingham with her many talents. With a musical career that is one to watch, shehas also made an impact in the entertainment and humanitarian realms. She was the youngest X-Factor judge and the second-youngest Cosmopolitan cover model, is an official ambassador for L’Oreal, and has starred in several television programs and films. Her philanthropic and charitable pursuits are broad and focus on women’s rights and children’s health and welfare.
“I truly enjoyed performing with the National Philharmonic and was delighted by the positive reviews and the experience overall. It was a thrill to share my interpretations of iconic hits with an audience that appreciates the music from the Bond films,” said Buckingham. “The best part of my job is that, through the power of music, I can express myself, push limits and share messages that resonate with and inspire audiences and make people smile.”
For more information about Celeste Buckingham and to listen to her music, go to celestebuckingham.com, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.