French soprano, author, composer, and producer Emma Shapplin was born Crystêle Madeleine Joliton in Savigny, France in 1974. She spent her formative years studying classical music, but found herself drawn to rock, resulting in the creation of her own signature style which combines elements of opera, trance, and pop. Her debut album, the multi-platinum-selling Carmine Meo, was released in 1997. Etterna, which was produced by film composer Graeme Revell, arrived in 2002, followed in 2009 by the more commercial, pop-oriented Macadam Flower. ~ James Christopher Monger