Dame Shirley Bassey and David Arnold to produce new album (update)

Dame Shirley Bassey has signed a new major label record deal - at the age of 72.

The Welsh star, who is Britain's most successful female artist of all time, has signed to Geffen Records, part of the massive Universal group.

Bassey performed the themes to the James Bond films "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever", and "Moonraker".

She is working with the man who has been behind the last five Bond soundtracks, David Arnold, on a set of 'contemporary songs' which will be released in the autumn.

Update
According to the Daily Mail, "the singer has put pen to paper on a deal that will see her earn £500,000 to record just one album. The deal is with Geffen Records, owned by music giants Universal, and whose roster includes acts such as Guns and Roses and Snoop Doggy Dogg. She will record around 12 'contemporary songs' and the as yet untitled album will be released in November.

Arnold said of the collaboration: 'There is a whole generation out there which has never sat in front of an amazing singer like Dame Shirley Bassey and experienced the power, the performance and the commitment that she has. Hopefully this album will introduce that audience to her as well as bringing her many fans along with them. There are not that many truly great singers in the world and Dame Shirley Bassey is one of them. She is still here, still relevant and still quite brilliant.'

Discuss this news here...