Being a music critic, albeit a quiet one at the moment, I was asked to review the latest Rhydian CD ‘O Fortuna’. I have no agenda; no axe to grind; and hopefully an objective view of that which I hear, so I invite you to read on….. Once in a while, along comes a voice which, like it or hate it, you cannot ignore. Take Rhydian Roberts for example. His rise to fame via the X factor showed him in many lights and defied anyone to categorise what he did. After a highly successful first CD there was a clue to the nature of the beast-a selection of thought provoking songs but definitely aimed at the mainstream marketplace. And yet the depths and messages of those offerings were telling; a reflection of someone with definite views on life and religion, and on someone who was not inclined to change those views to soar in the ratings and make his fortune. Not the easiest way to make your mark in the recording studio. The latest CD ‘O Fortuna’ both confuses and confirms what we thought we knew. With tracks ranging from Annie’s Song to Ave Verum Corpus, the content is certainly not aimed at the traditional classical or popular markets and once again from the conventional viewpoint there appears to be little logic in this assemblage of material. Yet convention may not apply and we must look a little closer if we are to unravel the puzzle that is Rhydian. Notice the involvement of such notables as Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Bryn Terfel and Karl Jenkins and it becomes evident that this only happ