Dionne Bromfield celebrates her birthday at “Art on Ice” in Zurich

Happy Birthday Dionne!

At the dress rehearsal of the “Art on Ice” skating gala yesterday evening the crew surprised Dionne Bromfield with a birthday cake.

Dionne, a soul singer from London, turned 16 on February 1st.

She looked really happy when two ladies from the Zurich Konditorei Kleiner brought her a large chocolate truffle cake. After blowing her candles, answering a few questions and pausing for pictures with young pianist, Emily Bear, Dionne tried a piece of cake.

“Wow”said Dionne while eating her first bite. “It’s really good”, she added. When asked if she was going to eat some of it or if she was on a diet, she replied  she was not on a diet, “I am only sixteen!”

The cake was delicious. I had a piece on the side of the ice rink, waiting for the dress rehearsal to continue.

Dionne has been singing for 4 years and was discovered by the singer Amy Winehouse a few years ago. Dionne could be as successful as Amy was, some say. She came out with her first CD in 2009 and in 2011 “Good for the Soul” was released.

She is in Switzerland for the first time. She likes Zurich but it is really cold, she added. She was going to celebrate last night at a restaurant but not sure where. When I asked her if there was a special place she would like to see while in Zurich, she replied thinking “Hm, what will I want to do?… I don’t think I will have much time. Too busy here. I am here until Sunday and then leaving to Germany.”

 

Young American star from Illinois, Emily Bear, smiled for the photographers before going to rehearse with the other singers and musicians.

Emily is only ten years old but has been in so many shows and galas since 2007. In December 2010, she performed at Carnegie Hall in the United States.

 

When I asked her, how many hours a day she practices, Emily was quite talkative explaining how she started. “My parents never pushed me. I started when I was three years old but took lessons two years later. I used to practice about 15 minutes a day when I had time. Yes, I do about 2-3 hours a day, it is about right”.

 

So Emily, do you want to become a professional pianist?, I asked. “No, I would like to become a film composer”.

At the speed Emily is going, she could realize her dream quite soon and be one day receiving a prize at the Oscars.

It is her third visit in Switzerland but she does not speak any German yet.

 

During the dress rehearsal all musicians and skaters practiced in front of the journalists. Sarah Meier did a couple flips and seemed ready for tomorrow’s Premiere.

 

 

Tanja Bachmann from Tinkabelle sung with her band members. Emily Bear went on the piano. And Mick Hucknall rehearsed for over one hour on old and newer songs like “Holding back the years” and “Fairground” with the skaters practising on the ice around him.

Everything and everyone seem ready for this year six performances. Now “Art on Ice” 2012 can begin.