“Once” has been described as an anti-musical, more a play with music. It’s a multi-million dollar show in the intimacy of your living room. "Once" is essentially a story of love; the love of music, the love of a Guy and a Girl who connect through a shared love of music, the love of a diverse Dublin community bonded by music, the love of a two strangers struggling with the burning and forbidden love they find through music, the love that takes them on a life journey and helps them and those around them understand themselves on a deeper level. “Once” is a modern day fairytale with a twist.
The set is a typical Irish pub, it could be any pub, it could be your local pub. The idea behind the single set design is to welcome the audience in, embrace them in the story, make it familiar and comfortable and invite them to draw on their own life experience as the story unfolds. In the words of the set designer, Bob Crowley, “If you look in the mirrors, you can see part of a face or part of a hand playing a guitar, they fracture the space, they fracture the events.” The ultimate goal of the production is to keep it small, to connect, to allow the audience to lose themselves in the story and not be distracted by multiple set changes, grandiose lighting, glitter and sparkle. There was never any intention to turn the book into a mammoth production, it would be detrimental to its simplicity and message and would suffocate the story and destroy its fragility. Its power lies in music, real, raw music teamed with vocals that are edgy, improvised and uninhibited, where any slight imperfection in delivery makes it ever more perfect. The song and dance numbers in the show transcend through the music in a way that is seamless and understated. As director John Tiffany describes, “Music is very unpresentational. It doesn’t have buttons and glitter guns. It’s about these characters finding a physical vocabulary to express in the music they are making.” In the two biggest choreographic moments in the show the cast are all playing their instruments and this is integrated into the dance element of the production. Although choreographically stripped down, the dance presence remains striking and monumental.
Though playing close attention to the play and the film, the musical enhances the comedy aspect of the story. This helps to warm a theatre audience to a storyline which before the theatre production leaned heavily to a darker, more depressing angle. Though in keeping with the honesty of the storyline, the brighter approach to its portrayal makes it more approachable to a live theatre audience. This desire to honour reality is strengthened by the creative director’s decision to not allow the cast to watch the film or see the Broadway production ahead of rehearsing for the West End production. The idea behind this was to allow them to bring their own traits to the roles they were developing, thus bringing a fresh European perspective to the storyline and adapting it to its demographic audience. “Guy” and “Girl” are not given names, they can be whoever the audience want them to be; a friend, a neighbour, strangers, even themselves. The purpose of this is to invite the audience to relate to the storyline in their own way, on their own level.
After having seen the original Broadway production I had a perfect casting in mind for the roles of “Girl” and “Guy” so when the announcement was made I was naturally intrigued as although I was familiar with Declan Bennett, I'd never heard of Zrinka Cvitešić. I decided not to research her past work and let my heart decide on her credibility as for me “Once” is all about the character relationships and their ability to connect with me. The fact that I didn’t have any preconceived ideas about how they would play out the roles actually made it a more emotionally connecting for me.
Zrinka Cvitešić, a Croatian native, playing a Czech girl in Dublin, quite prolific back in her homeland yet practically unknown in the U.K, takes the stage by storm as the headstrong, determined “Girl.” She is the driving force of the musical, the catalyst to the relationships developed in the show. The love in her soul reflects in her emotional energy, her desire to mend bleeding hearts. It’s just a shame the only heart she cannot fix is her own. Zrinka brings a genuine humbleness and natural quirkiness to the role and her comic delivery is perfect. Her portrayal of “Girl” is so empowering I actually left the theatre wanting to be Czech! Declan Bennett is also perfectly cast as “Guy.” His innate passion for music is evident, every performance he gives is packed with raw and unhinged energy. That energy shifts from an anger and frustration to desire and lust and later to a pure love and passion. He throws himself into “Guy’s” world and lives, breathes and sweats out his journey up on stage with a striking ease of character. Both Zrinka and Declan put their heart and soul into every aspect of their performance. Their vocal performances resonate with genuine passion and emotion, leaving the audience transfixed in the beauty of the music and hanging on every pause, every breath, every lyric. Through the two of them the audience learn the truth of “Once’s” tag line; “His music needed one thing…her.”
The extended lead roles and supporting cast are the most talented actor/musicians I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing in a show. Their performance skills blew me away. They are at one with their instruments to such a degree that as an audience member it becomes so natural that you barely notice the instrument they are carrying. Every single member of the cast shines individually and although it isn’t a rarity for an entire cast to be talented, it is a rarity to notice every single cast member individually and be able to remember their exact performance after the show.
The music in “Once” is not traditional musical theatre style. It lends itself more to an intimate gig in a small music venue or a local pub which is fitting given the stage set design is a Dublin bar. The songs lend themselves heavily to acoustic delivery, creating a platform for them to shine lyrically and vocally. Each song is packed with emotional connection; from the angst and intensity of “Guy’s,” “Leave” to the beauty and fragility of “Girl’s," “The Hill.” All the songs help to develop the script and their inclusion is seamless. “Falling Slowly” is one of the most simple melodies with beautiful harmonies. It touches the heart and soul and remains engrained in your mind from beginning to end. The script intertwines and blends with the songs, both work in harmony alongside each other. It cleverly links characters, moments and situations with respect for emotions and feelings. "Once" takes you on a musical journey, mends hearts, opens your eyes to a deeper you."
“Once” is the most beautiful, original and diverse piece of theatre I have seen in a long time. Simplicity is “Once’s” authenticity and I really do hope the public embrace it so it can enjoy longevity and the success it truly deserves in the West End.
I hate to hear people complain when they discover they will
have to see an Understudy perform as one of the lead roles in a musical. Theatre today is vastly powered by “names” in
lead roles which is a huge shame as there are so many talented West End
Understudies treading the boards who are more often than not far more talented
and better qualified to play the role.
What’s more these performers have such a desire and passion for their
art, they quite often hold down a 9-5 day job as well as being in the
cast of a musical. It’s an unfortunate reality
in the world of theatre that the wages are such that the ensemble members
cannot support themselves living in London on their theatre wage alone. These people give their all eight shows a
week and at times must be dead on their feet.
Respect! Their tremendous
heartfelt commitment inspires and humbles me.
I actually love going to the theatre with the sole intention
of seeing an understudy in action. That’s
exactly what I’ve done twice now with Ghost the Musical at London’s Piccadilly
Theatre. Rebecca Trehearn is a prime
example of an understudy who should be holding a permanent lead role as Molly
Jensen in Ghost. She currently only
covers the role when Siobhan Dillon, of the BBC’s competition show, “How Do You
Solve A Problem Like Maria,” is off sick or on holiday. Although I don’t dislike Siobhan’s
interpretation of the role, I much prefer that of Rebecca. Rebecca clearly relishes the opportunity to
get out on stage and show the theatre world what she’s made of. She’s so passionate about her craft and this
transcends into every breath she takes up on stage. It’s not like watching someone play Molly, it’
like she IS Molly, embodying the character and drawing the audience into her
world. Many performers can get up there,
deliver a note perfect performance and reel off the script but few have the
innate ability to become someone else up on stage. Rebecca Trehearn is one of the few who can
achieve all of this, she’s a rare gem and I don’t think she actually realises
how incredibly good she is. She knows
she can sing, I’m sure of that but she’s way too modest and humble to fully
admit this herself. She’ll always be
striving to improve, to better her last performance and that’s the mindset of
someone who’s in the trade because they love it, it’s embedded deep in their
heart and is the blood that keeps their soul alive.
From the moment Rebecca sets foot on stage she lives and
breathes Molly Jensen and no sooner has she interpreted the show’s opening
number, “Here Right Now” with Mark Evans as Sam Wheat, the audience already
“believe.” They believe in Molly. Certain performers connect with an audience
immediately. They draw them in, have
them hanging on their every word, feeling and emotion, taking them on a
journey. When Rebecca performs she does
exactly this, in fact she carries the show throughout. She’s the link to all the characters and
without her pulling off this genuine connection, the show would not flow, the
audience would not “feel.” The rest of
the cast, especially the other leads feed from her honesty and draw strength
and confidence through her.
Admittedly Rebecca is a tremendously talented actress but
when watching her you can’t help but think there’s a deeper connection to her
performance. When she sings she doesn’t
just belt out a song line for line, breath for breath. Something about the way Rebecca delivers a
song takes on a depth that runs beyond the lyrics and the script. When she sings, “With You,” a poignant moment
in the storyline, her eyes harbour a pain, the emotion audible and visible in
her delivery, her breathing rising and falling as she absorbs the emotion and
pulls it all back in to take the song to her head voice and deliver one of the
most moving and heartfelt moments I’ve ever witnessed in Musical Theatre. I’ve heard Caissie Levy, (Original London
Cast), deliver the song with equal power and grace but even she can’t give it
the emotional intensity and connection I feel when Rebecca sings the song. The same can be said for Rebecca’s
interpretations of all the songs she sings in the show. Her vocal tones are beautiful and
diverse. She gives a song light and
shade, she has an angelic grace to her head voice and when she opens up her
chest voice there’s no holding her back.
Some of the notes she powers out will leave an audience in awe, mouths
aghast. Rebecca’s “Suspend My Disbelief
/ Rain Hold On” is packed full of vocal acrobatics that few could deliver
whilst acting out a role simultaneously.
One of her ultimate shining vocal moments in the show actually goes
unapplauded due to the tight script linking and scene change. “Nothing Stops Another Day” is one of the
show’s most memorable songs and Rebecca’s delivery on all levels is
perfection. This is without doubt her
crowning moment in the show.
Rebecca’s American accent is seamless throughout. This is no doubt partly due to extensive
study and practice on Rebcecca’s behalf but also I’m pretty convinced a lot of
it boils down to her connection to the character and her complete immersion
into Molly’s life and experiences. I can
honestly say I haven’t come across any British Musical Theatre lead, be it male
or female who can carry off an American accent the whole way through without
faltering. It’s rare to come across a
performer who not only delivers vocal excellence but can also make an audience
relate and connect emotionally through their acting. So how does Rebecca do all of this with such
apparent ease? Simple, she’s not acting
the role, she feeling the role.
Rebecca Trehearn is a credit to the West End and without a
flicker of doubt one of Ghost the Musical’s finest assets. As you can gather this is not a review of
“Ghost the Musical” per se, more a focus upon an individual cast member’s
outstanding contribution to the show’s success.
Rebecca is a tour de force, she’s sensationally talented, immensely
passionate and thoroughly committed and hard working. She would fully deserve to take over lead
as Molly from Siobhan Dillon when her contract expires. I really do hope cast and creative team and
the show’s producers recognise what a glittering superstar they have in
Rebcecca. However the future may pan out
for her, one thing is certain, Rebecca’s future is written in the stars!
Rebecca Trehearn - Nothing Stops Another Day
(no copyright infringement intended)
Be sure to catch
Rebecca in Ghost the Musical at London’s Piccadilly Theatre.
I simply have to introduce you to Rebecca Trehearn. She's a sensationally talented singer/actress hailing from Rhyl in Wales and she can currently be found treading the boards in London's West End.
Rebecca is one of those rare jewels of a singer who can carry off a whole host of vocal styles. Her voice has light and shade, beauty and grace, grit, power, soul and whole lotta rock n roll!
Rebecca studied and obtained a degree in performance at Mountview Academy of Theatre and Arts in London. She has always lived and breathed singing and performance. From the age of 7 she began competing as a singer and she started her professional stage career at the tender age of 10.
Her professional stage debut was as Princess Dim-Sum in Aladdin (City Varieties Theatre, Leeds, 2004). Since then Rebecca has performed in the following roles: Annie in the premiere of Alfie the Musical (Palace Theatre, Watford, 2005) Covered & played Meat and Killer Queen in We Will Rock You (Dominion, 2007)
Dirty Dancing (Aldwych, 2008) Covered and played Rose in Aspects Of Love (Menier Chocolate Factory, 2010) Bernada Alba played Martirio (Union Theatre, Southwark, 2011) Covered and played Jenny in Love Story (Duchess, 2012/2011)
Title roles in Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella (Pavilion, Rhyl, 2009/2010). Workshops include Jack Dagger (Greenwich Theatre) Moonshadow - featuring the music of Cat Stevens - and Playsong (Tristan Bates) Television includes Casualty and A470. Rebecca won The Wow Factor for S4C (Welsh version of X-Factor) which led to the release of her self-titled solo CD.
She is also a session singer and has contributed to film soundtracks including Sweeney Todd, The Da Vinci Code and Mamma Mia! She can also be heard as Rosalia on the 50th Anniversary recording of West Side Story and on the Love Story original cast recording. Rebecca is currently ensemble/cover for Molly Jensen in Ghost The Musical
(Piccadilly Theatre, London West End, 2012)
Confirmed Molly dates for Rebecca are: Sat 26th May
July 23rd - August 4th August 30th - September 1st
Follow Rebecca on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RebeccaTrehearn Rebecca will also be performing in "Laugh And Be Happy" at Chichester Festival Theatre on 8th July 2012 http://www.cft.org.uk/3983/Laugh-and-Be-Happy/321I recently attended West End In Concert at The Actors Church, Covent Garden on Sunday 20th May 2012 where I had the pleasure of hearing Rebecca perform two songs.
I captured her stunning performances on video here:
When I heard Kara Dioguardi was releasing a book, I was genuinely excited at the prospect of reading it. When she sent out pre-releases of the book to the media, there was immediately a deluge of press interest surrounding her revelations about her childhood molestations and her sexual harassment by industry insiders. And yeah, yeah of course American Idol is huge achievement for sure but out of all of the book’s likely content this wasn't what I was most intrigued about reading. Kara DioGuardi has long been on my radar, way before American Idol catapulted her quite literally into the public eye. I've always immersed myself in music and song, my soul seeks it to survive. I lose myself in moments and escape reality as it consumes me. There's the other side of me that dreams of being a writer and a singer, neither of which I am likely to become but I haven't switched the lights out completely. If it only ever serves to heal me as a passion then that's what its purpose shall be. I'm one of these people who still likes to buy hard copies of CDs with the inlays containing pictures, lyrics and songwriting credits. I came to discover that so many of songs I loved over the years were written or co-written by Kara DioGuardi. When I learned of her other achievements in the music industry I was instantly impressed and had so much admiration and respect for her. I'm only at the beginning of my quest in the industry and who knows if I will have the courage, strength, belief or commitment to progress but knowing that it's possible is extremely enlightening and encouraging.
Now I have to admit, I've never bought an audiobook in my life till now but as Amazon were not going to deliver my hard copy till after the double bank holiday here in the UK and the stores over here are not stocking the book till May 15th, I took a plunge and bought the audiobook. I fought with technology to get it to install on my laptop but in the end I came out of the experience victorious. Once synched and on my iPod, I grabbed a cup of tea, how very British of me, and sat on my bed with fluffed up pillows to start on the book. At this point I have to say it was 9.30pm and there was 6 hours, 6 minutes and 28 seconds of book ahead of me. It was never my intention to stay up overnight and read, well listen to, the entire 13 chapters in one shot but it compelled me to. Listening to Kara talk about her life so candidly was captivating and the topics she spoke of in detail were like blood to my veins. The thing is when you can relate and connect with something or somebody whether it be through song or through experience, it's hard to pull away. I felt like a junkie seeking a fix. So many things she talks about ring true with me, some directly relatable to my own personal and family life and others serving as a wealth of knowledge, a life lesson, an insight into a world I'm only just touching upon, the music industry. Like a kid at school in a lesson being taught by a teacher I had huge respect for, who was passionate about their subject, I absorbed Kara's words like a sponge. How could I switch off the audiobook, it sparked such a positive energy in me. It'd be rude to cut her off mid way through, especially as she narrates it herself. Yes Kara took time to read her own book for her audience and it only serves to enhance emotion and capture the true sense of her words. It also brings out her true sense of humour. Some of her phrases and references left me laughing out loud and talking, yes talking back to an audiobook. She's passionate about her life and her craft and this comes across to perfection in her reading.
Kara's hope for her book is that "quote / unquote"
"May you find your passion in life and make it your purpose. May you find the resolve to face your deepest fears and overcome them. And lastly may you have the courage to follow your dreams so that you will never know regret. On a lighter note when listening to this memoir I hope you laugh at times and are able to find humour in your own dark moments too."
Kara taps into the pieces of her life through her art, songwriting, and brings this memoir to life in a collection of songs that drew influence from her own life experience. Through these experiences the reader grows to know Kara through her incredible lows, her desperation, her suffering, her rejection, her failures but above all her perpetual drive, her inner passion, her tremendous strength and at times her exceptional bravery, her self belief and ultimately her natural intelligence and human approach. All of these qualities have influenced the person she is today and reflect her achievements in life. It wasn't easy reaching that "Helluva High Note!". This girl deserves all the success she has earned because she has earned every single ounce of it herself and she shall continue to do so as this is book does not mark the end in Kara DioGuardi's lifetime goal.
So what about the book and its content? Kara is brutally honest in this book, dotting every "i" and crossing every "t" that is relevant to her life. She delves into her family background. She loves her parents of course but notes they were not perfect and in some ways provoked some of her personal issues in life, stifled the creative person she was and forced beliefs and expectations on her that frustrated her made her rebel. Looping back she credits them for aspects of her life that carved her way to success. There were times in reading some of this story that I related to my own upbringing, it made me view the way I'd been thinking differently. My parents were quite conservative back when I was growing up and until now I considered them a factor in my stifled creativity. Upon delving into Kara's book I realised that they didn't hold me back, they just didn't encourage that creative flare in me, more an educational one. I was the one holding me back, my own insecurities plaguing me. It’s starkly clear on reading about Kara's eating disorder that the struggles I went through in adolescence both with my body and my confidence were in fact stemmed in my own inability to break out from the conditional and express myself creatively. Looking back I was happiest when I lost all inhibitions, singing with my hairbrush in front of the bedroom mirror. I wrote melodies and songs back then as I isolated myself in my room. They were probably rubbish and I've thrown them away since but one thing is for certain, Kara is right, "songwriting is the best therapy never paid for." Kara's book will offer the reader a chance to self examine and more than likely discover something about themselves they've either denied or blocked from memory. She has an inbuilt skill to connect with people and their feelings and this is more than probably one of the reasons she is so successful as a writer/co-collaborator. She can channel people in a positive way and delivers!
If you think this memoir is going to be all about songwriting then you couldn't be more wrong. Of course Kara's life is centred around being a songwriter but by no means does she make this book "how to make it as a songwriter." She provides and insightful, and at times shocking reality to the music industry. She paints it in its many colours both light and dark but all strikingly true. If you're planning a career in the music industry, as a songwriter, producer or other, you will learn a lot from Kara's experiences as an aspiring recording artist which unintentionally leads her to her ultimate career in songwriting. Whilst some of the stories she shares, stories of date rape and sexual harassment are frankly degrading and harbour a violent disgust in me for certain individuals, they are part of her life and have made her who she is today. The girl is one of bravest I know and has more strength than I imagine I could ever possess. I cried out for her whilst reading these stories but I understood by the end of her words that she didn't react, she didn't sue because she was afraid it would damage her career path. Her career was her stability, her craft kept her alive and she wasn't going to let sleazeball men destroy the part of her life she lived for! Kara was and still is a fighter!
She shares stories of her early career and the people who helped set her up in the industry. In the early days there was Larry Flick who had a belief in her that went beyond her own. He hooked her up with Paula Abdul and out of that connection came her first number one hit in the UK, "Spinning Around" cut by Kylie Minogue. Producers naturally played a big part in her career, Steve Morales, Tommy Mottola to name a couple. There are many life experiences she shares about this period in her growth as a songwriter. Other stories about working with artists in the studio are revealing, educational and hilarious. Enrique Iglesias played a huge role in her early writing career and she has some pretty funny anecdotes to share about her time working with him. "Escape" her first US number One hit was born from this partnership.
Her own personal relationships were core to her songwriting career too and many a hit song came out of a bad relationship experience, like "Walk Away" and "I Do Not Hook Up" both songs cut by Kelly Clarkson. Now that’s cashing it in, way to go girl! There are so many events in her life that are defined in song. "Pieces Of Me" sets her up to tell the story about letting pieces of her life not only transcend into songs but also connects with her struggle to let her songs, pieces of her life go. Until a point Kara only ever wanted to be a recording artist and couldn't quite grasp back then why her songs weren't good enough for her to sing yet they were deemed to be potential hits for other artists in the market. Now of course she is more than happy to let her "babies" fly. "Sober" co-written and cut by Pink addresses her dysfunctional behaviour and relates strongly with a time in her life when she was haunted with an eating disorder. "Ain't No Other Man" cut by Christina Aguilera steers her to talk about happier times in her life, about her now husband, Mike McCuddy, how their relationship came about and ultimately she then talks about her marriage to him and how she sang this song on their wedding day.
Of course she dedicates a whole chapter of the book to American Idol. It was one of the hardest personal challenges of her life, other than the death of her mother. If she hadn't been on the frontline throughout her mother's struggle in the fight against ovarian cancer then she admits Idol may have killed her but nothing could even come close to touching her after her mother's death. She gives a detailed insight into the show behind the scenes, how it wasn't all glitter and shine. That first year of Idol, Season 8 was a constant fight to fit in, to go against all she believed, to want in a way to be loved not just by the public but the panel too. She reveals that she felt like she was part of a game plan, that something didn't fit and tells of her daily struggles with the show on many levels. She speaks frankly about that "bikini" moment and the workings of the show. Season 8 when she was branded the “4th judge” was pretty harrowing on her in the press coverage and it must have been so hard for her to handle. It doesn't matter who you are, it still hurts. Kara is always honest and open and rather than being embarrassed she picked herself up, like she did back in her early days of rejection as an artist and came back packing a punch in Season 9. She began to find her groove and went on to get a lot of positive energy from the show that season. She credits American Idol with being her toughest challenge to date. And those thinking Kara was sacked from American Idol ahead of Season 10 couldn't be more wrong. You'll have to read the book for the truth but it'll surprise you!
Through songs and stories, all of which coming from a place of truth this book allows you a rare glimpse into the world of Kara DioGuardi, singer, songwriter, producer, publisher, A&R Executive, writer and most importantly human being! The book evoked a huge range of emotions in me. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I felt her sorrow. I also felt her strength, her drive, her ambition, her hope, her celebration. From all of this knowledge, I derived an ever growing respect, admiration and inspiration for her. Kara has opened my eyes and awoken my spirit on many levels! Through reading her memoir not only have I discovered so much about her, I feel I've learned so much about myself too and boy do I still have so much to learn, to work for and discover both on a career and personal level! One thing is for sure my respect for Kara, that was already huge, has pardon the pun, hit one "Helluva High Note!"
In the words of Kara DioGuardi – “Life Is A Song, Sing It!”
She sure has and I hope she continues on her journey as a songwriter in the future!
Buy your copy of "A Helluva High Note: Surviving Life, Love and American Idol here:
Having reviewed the book I’d now like to share with you a piece of Kara through my own eyes.
It exposes her for the humble, kind and beautiful soul she is.
I was in New York last year and had the opportunity to go to one of Kara’s shows in Atlantic City. There I witnessed Kara DioGuardi the artist. She could have been a recording artist, that I don't doubt for one minute but I'm pleased she found happiness in songwriting and judging by the book, in life. "Happiness in all kinds of weather, for worse or for better" she'll have it anyway!
One of the most unplanned and random experiences of my life occurred on April 9th 2010. After her show “An Evening Of Songs And Stories” at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City, Kara opened up a Q&A session. The girls I'd met at the concert who were sitting next to me took the mic and asked her if she would consider doing a meet and greet to which she responded, "maybe I could do something at the front of the stage after this."
Then the mic landed itself in my hands. I was a little dumbfounded and didn't have a question planned so shakily blurted out like a pleb, "Hey Kara, I'm from England."
The guy behind me whispered, "I bet she's Simon Cowell’s sister or something!"
Yes of course all us Brits are related to Simon you know! Kara seemed to be in a state of shock, though quite frankly I felt like I should have been. "Wow you've come all the way from England, we're definitely having a meet and greet now."
I had the jitters by now and started to ramble, "well I could come sit on the sofa on stage and you could sign something maybe?"
What was I thinking, my inner voice was saying shut up Lou, you sound like a babbling idiot!
"No," Kara said, "you, me, my room after the show. We'll have a sleepover!"
Erm OK I thought, "will Mitch Allan be there cos he's kinda hot." At least I internalised that thought but what actually came out of my mouth was even worse. "Oh by the way Kara, what you just did tonight, That Is Artistry!" Oh God did I just say that! She laughed, I sat back down and hid! So the Q&A ended and some people stayed back at the front of the stage to take part in the meet and greet. About ten minutes passed and the venue manager came out and was the bearer of bad news for the thirty odd people who were waiting.
"I'm sorry but Kara didn't realise the licensing rules so I'm afraid we can't keep you in here so there can't be a meet and greet."
There were sighs of disappointment. I had never expected to be in this position in the first place and to be quite honest how could I face her after my last embarrassing comment?
"Ah well,” I said to the girls I had met.
Then came, "but where's the girl from England?"
"I'm here." I replied.
"She still wants to see you." He smiled.
"Really?" I replied, taken aback. "Wow, I don't know what to say!"
I felt guilty that the girls I'd been talking to all evening didn't get asked so I jumped in and said "do you mind if these girls come with me?"
"Sure but just you four." He replied.
Cutting glares came from the rest of the people who were starting to leave. Not my fault I thought, don't feel bad.
We entered Kara's dressing room like mice and sat waiting for her to come through. Stephen Finfer introduced himself and then Kara arrived, bouncy and beaming.
"Hi guys! Who wants a drink?" She said reeling off our options. Everyone else had diet coke but I accepted red wine, after being asked if I was old enough. Thanks Stephen! She stood near me, a long glass in hand as she didn't have any wine glasses clean.
"That's fine I said,"smiling graciously.
As she poured I said, "just don't fill it to the top hey or I'll be dancing on tables!"
"You do that too!" She giggled.
This was so surreal but she was so humble and real, she soon calmed any nerves there were in the room. So I'd left a space between me and one of the other girls for her to sit down if she so chose to but no, Kara had other ideas. She slid down the chair arm onto my knee, squished herself down, throwing her arm around me and launching herself into conversation about...well me being from England of course. She chatted with everyone, I don't remember every detail but we talked about songs, about American Idol, Simon Cowell, her singing, concerts, hair, makeup, boots, shoes, all sorts. Everyone that came in the room she introduced to us, her friends she'd met on holiday, Mitch and her husband Mike. The words, "this is Lou from England" were batted around frequently. I was beginning to feel like I was the famous one. Her husband Mike was sweet, very calm and unassuming and I remember he spoke about his bee keeping that he’d just started. Some journalists came in to do some quick interviews. I got up to make space or leave her in private but was ushered back to the sofa. "No you sit down, you're my guests." Kara said as she sat cross legged on the floor to conduct her interviews. This was crazy! But that's Kara, humble to the core. She kept looking to us to chip in an opinion as she answered the questions, mainly American Idol based or along the lines of why didn't she become a singer to which there was a chorus of "here here," from all present. Before I knew it we'd been in there well over an hour. I think she enjoyed having company in the interviews. She made me feel so special that night. It was a totally random and unexpected encounter but sometimes those are the most memorable!
Back in England, the week after, I was watching American Idol, smiling with admiration at her as she sat at the judges table and shouting at my brother Simon. Who knew I was related! Haha. Kara DioGuardi had shown me genuine warmth and affection when I met her and I just hoped that the American public would stop being so critical of her on the show. She deserved their respect. As I watched the show, I opened my email and there was a message from Kara, thanking me for coming to her concert. Yes she'd taken email addresses that night when I met her but I didn't in a zillion years think she'd ever get in contact. She did because that's the kind of girl she is, true to her word.
I filmed a song that night in Atlantic City. If anyone is in any doubt about whether Kara can sing then here's all the proof you need. Here Kara sings "Terrified" with Mitch Allan on guitar. This song was cut by Katherine McPhee but in my opinion, the true feeling in the song is best conveyed by the person who wrote it. In this case Kara DioGuardi with Jason Reeves.
Enjoy!
For more information about Kara check out her official website www.karadioguardi.com
In this day of super synthesised, auto tuned, power production, it’s refreshing to strip back the trimmings and reveal a truly extravagant raw vocal talent, reminiscent of times gone by.A true diamond, Elouise carries herself exquisitely on stage and ignites a passion in her performance that transcends effortlessly to her audience who she mesmerises with her voracious vocals.
Elouise is a diva personified.Being a diva is not about demands, strops and an entourage the size of a small country.Being a diva is being confident in your skin, having faith in your talent, stepping up to the spotlight and shining like a star.But being a diva is also about being humble and appreciative so you can savour the success.Elouise is all of the above and more!
“Little Belter,” a new show written by Terry Ronald and with specially crafted production from musical director, Steve Anderson, showcases Elouise’s stupendous talent to the maximum.“Little Belter” tells the story of Elouise’s life through epic interpretations of ballads from the likes of famed Diva’s who have influenced her life; Dusty Springfield, Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand.Cleverly and humourously scripted, we learn how Elouise would sing into her Mum’s curling tongs and this is how she earned the name of “Little Belter.”
The audience instantly warms to this petite, tiny framed young woman who stands before them, who with endearing personality, takes them on a journey through her life and through song.Bright lights, big hair and extravagantly sparkly dresses are all part of the night but what stands out by a mile is Elouise’s belter of a voice.
Every song is a vocal masterpiece requiring the stamina of an athlete.If ballad singing was an Olympic sport then Elouise would bring home gold!
The intimacy of Madame Jo Jos offers Elouise the opportunity to connect with her audience and mingle with them throughout some of the numbers.From divas, to disco, to original interpretations, there’s something to tantalise everyone’s taste buds.“Could it be magic” will have you dancing in your seat, “Enough is enough” will have you singing along, “Diamonds are forever” will leave you in awe and “The Winner Takes It All” will send shivers through your spine and leave you with goose pimples galore.Mixed into a show packed with juicy classics is some original material.“Pretender,” co-written by Terry Ronald fits right in there with the plethora of epic ballads.This fabulous song has everything a timeless ballad is made of and with the Elouise stamp on it this song steals the show for me.It’s sultry and gutsy and sends Elouise’s vocal to soaring heights.
Another breathtaking show stopper is “Another Day,” written by Terry Ronald and Steve Anderson, a song which interestingly was turned down by Dame Shirley Bassey.Too bad for Shirley as Elouise takes this song to another level.“Fireman of My Dreams,” sees Elouise bring her own life into the mix.He may not have been the fireman of her dreams but the hunky young man she brings on stage is certainly eye candy for the audience and brings a light hearted atmosphere to the venue.A brave change in the set sees Elouise steer away from the classic ballad and give her take on a more modern track.Lady Gaga’s, “Born This Way” is given the Elouise sparkle.With just her raw vocal and a keyboard Elouise delivers perfection.This leads me to suggest a cover for a future show, I’d love to hear her put her own vocal vision on Bruno Mars’s “Talking To The Moon.”
Accompanying Elouise on her journey are her two stunning backing vocalists, Bonita Delaney and Alex Robertson .Together, along with talented keyboard player, theyadd class and sophistication to the show’s splendiferous production.
If this show has wet your appetite then don’t despair, Elouise will be doing two more dates at Madame Jo Jos, 8-10 Brewer Street, Londonon 17th April and 18th May.Tickets can be booked via Ticketweb http://bit.ly/hxeFjMand earlybird tickets are available for a limited period so hurry along and book now.
She’s no pretender, Elouise is a veritable little belter!
Sometimes I go out and search for new music and sometimes I stumble across it. It was actually a Facebook suggestion that led me to discover the talents of singer songwriter RJ Thompson. RJ Thompson is from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England and formerly released music as Richard John Thompson. He began his career in music at the young age of 15 performing at gigs and open mic sessions around North East England. It was after seeing U2 back in 2001 that he picked up his guitar and wrote his song, “Angel In The Undergrowth.” He released his debut album “Hidden Daylight” in 2003 and his follow up album, “Illogical Life” was released in 2005. In 2007 he released the “Acoustic Sessions EP” which took his career to the next level.
Over the years RJ Thompson has supported many artists including Midge Ure, Duke Special, Gabriella Cilmi, Ultravox, John Mayall and John Martyn amongst others. He shines on stage and draws the audience in with his raw, true and heartfelt live performances. His unique, fresh style enables him to cross over with ease from pop to rock to a twist of folk. He is most comfortable strumming an acoustic guitar wherever that may be. Here are two tracks stripping RJ Thompson down to the bare bones and exposing his naked talent.
If you like what you hear then by clicking “Like” on RJ’s Facebook page you will be rewarded with a free downloadable track: Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/rjthompsonmusic
