45 facts about Karen David

She had passion for singing and acting since childhood. Learn 45 facts about Karen David.

1. Karen David is an actress, singer and songwriter.

2. Is known for portraying "Princess Isabella Maria Lucia Elizabetta of Valencia" in ABC's fairytale-themed musical-comedy television series, Galavant.

3. She is also known as Francesca "Cesca" Montoya in the BBC television series Waterloo Road, and Layla in the American action film The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior.

4. Starred in Pixelface, a CBBC children's television series, where she plays Alexia, the glamorous legend hunter.

5. David was born in Shillong, Meghalaya, India.

6. She is of what she calls "Chinese, Indian and a sliver of Jewish heritage".

7. Was raised in Canada.

8. At age 17, David moved to London.

9. In London she studied at the Guildford School of Acting.

10. At age 20, upon finishing drama school, David joined the original cast of the West End musical Mamma Mia!.

11. She made her professional acting debut as part of the ensemble and as understudy of Ali and Lisa.

12. A. R. Rahman, asked David to assist him and Don Black in the development of the material for the Bollywood-themed musical Bombay Dreams.

13. She performed songs on the show's US and Canada tour, and continued collaborating with Rahman at his Panchathan Record Inn and AM Studios in Chennai, India.

14. She appeared in two short television videos, Dancers: The Trailer, playing the role of Jenny, and The Paper Round, playing the role of a policewoman.

15. She then landed a role in the musical Bollywood Queen, as a member of the R&B band at the story's center.

16. Through 2004 and 2005, she played Scarlet in MTV's Top Buzzer.

17. David played Lyla, a main character in the London-based film Take 3 Girls.

18. Her other work include Steven Seagal's Flight of Fury as Barnes' Operational Soldier Flanders, The Colour of Magic as Liessa, the Dragonlady, and The Legend of Dick and Dom as Fairy Frampton.

19. David appeared as the female lead, Layla, in The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior, filmed in Cape Town, South Africa.

20. In September 2010, David played the Spanish teacher, Francesca "Cesca" Montoya, in series six of BBC One's drama, Waterloo Road. While Waterloo Road was still airing, David landed the role of legend hunter Alexia Alderton in Pixelface, a CBBC children's comedy series about six video game characters and what they do when they are not inside their games. The second series aired on 3 January 2012.

21. David appeared on American television with a guest role on the Fox series Touch in 2012, playing Kayla Graham. On the episode she performed the song "Three Little Birds", which was then released as a soundtrack single with Wendy & Lisa by 20th Century Fox TV Records on 28 February 2012.

22. In February 2013, David appeared in the two-part episode "Target" of the ABC TV series Castle, in the USA. David played Sara El-Masri, daughter of Egyptian tycoon, Anwar El-Masri.

23. Whilst filming Castle episodes, David and a stuntman were injured when the door to the moving van they were in failed to close properly. David was placed in a neck brace, while the stuntman sustained serious head injuries.

24. David has reappeared on US televisions, as "Princess Isabella Maria Lucia Elizabetta of Valencia", in the ABC television series Galavant, which premiered on 4 January 2015, for a four-week extravaganza.

25. Was signed to BMG Music.

26. David released her first single, "It's Me (You're Talking To)", in 2003, when she was signed to BMG Music. This single was a top 10 airplay hit in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

27. She collaborated with A. R. Rahman on the main theme song for the film Provoked in 2006.

28. After working alongside Rahman to produce the soundtrack for this movie, she found herself back with him in his Chennai studio, in 2007, to write and record the song, "Alive".

29. Released her first EP, The Live Sessions EP in 2008.

30. In 2009 she released her next EP, Magic Carpet Ride.

31. In May 2010, David released the single "Hypnotize", along with three mixes and a Hypnotize Desi Mix EP.

32. In 2011 she released the album The Girl in the Pink Glasses.

33. 20th Century Fox TV Records released "Three Little Birds", as sung by Kayla Graham (David), on Touch, on 28 February 2012.

34. In 2013 David released the EP Dust to Stars, on which she collaborated with songwriter-producers, Stefan Skarbek, Carl Ryden, Boots Ottestad, Adam Argyle and Martin Brammer.

35. David is active in Designers Against Aids, the SOS Children's Villages Foundation, and Breast cancer awareness.

36. Did a fundraiser fashion show for London Fashion Week at The Dorchester Hotel.

37. She produced a T-shirt to raise money for ActionAid's PoverTee Day, which was auctioned off on 18 June 2010.

38. One of her songs is titled after the place she was born, the song is titled "Shilong, Shilong."

39. In December 2010, David released a charity Christmas EP, My Christmas List, to raise money for the housing and homelessness charity Shelter.

40. Along with others, David painted a self-portrait to help raised funds for Face Britain, a project of The Prince's Trust Foundation.

41. In mid-2013, she married Swedish songwriter and music producer Carl Ryden at La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes, California.

42. Singing and acting was her childhood passion.

43. At age 17, won a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston where she studied jazz and gospel.

44. She had an older sister named Tracy.

45. Her mother is half Chinese.