2013 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World

"She is a great artist, no question, with an imperturbable steadiness of tone, and a nobility of utterance that invites comparison not so much with her contemporaries as with mid-20th century greats such as Kirsten Flagstad or Karin Branzell. Sibelius's Was it a Dream ideally demonstrated her voice's generosity and weight. The dynamic control of Je Vais Mourir from Berlioz's Les Troyens was exceptional. At the song prize final, which I watched on TV, her performance of Unbewegte Laue Luft, marked her out as one of the great Brahms interpreters of our times."
–Tim Ashley, The Guardian

"The 31-year-old’s cleverly structured programme comprised a perfect aria from Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur, displaying her smooth melting mezzo before giving a characterful Witch’s Aria from Hänsel und Gretel. Her Sibelius was hauntingly beautiful and her closing choice of Dido’s dark and gorgeous aria from Berlioz’s Les Troyens, meticulously sung and a clear competition clincher."
–Mike Smith, Wales Online

"Regal American with a twinkle Jamie Barton deserved the palm. The minute she opened her mouth as the fiery, melodramatic Principessa di Bouillon, love rival of Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur, you could feel not only the throb but also the quality of the velvet mezzo voice. Dio mio, thought I, a singer who could step into the shoes of Met regular Stephanie Blythe or mezzo-cum-soprano Violeta Urmana at a moment’s notice. Cilea’s gran scena gave Barton the chance to run the Italianate gamut from jealousy to rapture; Humperdinck’s Witch encouraged the twinkle and a fair bit of lip-smacking at her own plump expense; Sibelius’s opportunity for expansiveness in that wonderful song "Was that a dream?" allowed her to lay down a rich Nordic carpet of sound; and nothing was to go deeper all evening than the bittersweet farewell of Berlioz’s Dido."
–David Nice, The Arts Desk

"American mezzo Jamie Barton won the trophy, as well as the subsidiary Song Prize. Hers is a large, beautiful and secure voice, enhanced by an endearingly homely appearance and personality. She had fun as the cackling witch from Hansel and Gretel and stormed impressively through Cilea’s hammy “O vagabonda stella”..."
–Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph

"The competition's patron Dame Kiri Te Kanawa presented the trophy to Barton and, speaking exclusively to BBC Music Magazine after the performance, she said: 'Jamie Barton has a very good vocal technique and she had a very all-round polished performance. Her art in the songs that she sings is extraordinary and her personality shone through. Throughout the competition, the calibre of the singers has been excellent – and tonight's final was particularly special.'"
–Elizabeth Davis, BBC Music Magazine