Aigul Akhmetshina is a mezzo-soprano born in 1996, a Russian citizen of Bashkir and Tatar descent who has spoken of wanting to become a British citizen given her career base in the UK. She graduated from the Ufa State Institute of Arts in 2016 and joined the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House, London, which launched her international career.

Akhmetshina won the Grand Prix at the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in 2017 and the International Opera Awards in 2023, and has become one of the most sought-after Carmens of her generation, debuting the role at the Metropolitan Opera on New Year’s Eve 2023 and at the Royal Opera House in 2024. Her 2024 debut solo album on Decca Classics, featuring arias with conductor Daniele Rustioni and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, received five-star reviews from critics including The Guardian.