Interview: Cult 'Caberlesque' Favorite Lady Rizo Graces The Stage Of The Copa Palm Springs 11/1

By: Oct. 30, 2014
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Grammy-winning Chanteuse and Comedienne, Lady Rizo, appears for one "standing room only" performance at The Copa palm Springs on November 1 at 8:00 pm. The cult entertainer New York magazine hails as a 'Cabaret Superstar' has made her mark creating vintage arrangements & theatrical explorations of pop songs from every decade. Lady Rizo (nee Amelia Zirin-Brown) co-created the cult caburlesque spectacular Lady Rizo & the Assettes in 2005.In January 2010 she won her first Grammy on a duet with acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma that was released on a Holiday album featuring Diana Krall, James Taylor and Alison Krauss among others. She also sings and records with multi-platnum recording artist Moby and was nominated for an MVPA for the choreography the video for the single New York, New York featuring Debbie Harry. I had the chance to chat with Lady Rizo about her upcoming performance at The Copa, and more. Here are a few highlights form that conversation:

DG: I am so intrigued by the genre you have created for yourself. I have read so many wonderful superlatives describing you and what you do - how would you describe yourself?

LR: Umm...well...I introduce myself as a chanteuse and a comedienne, When people ask me what I do for a living I say I'm a chanteuse.

DG: Give me a thumbnail sketch of your background. Where did you grow up? How did you get started?

LR: I was born in Oregon. My parents were in sort of a communal theatre environment ... you know ... they were Hippies - in that movement. They were producing Shakespeare and Brecht and some musicals - sometimes in barns, and my Dad was doing the lights and everything. I remember him actually using coffee cans.

DG: So, show business was literally in your blood.

LR: (with great enthusiasm) Yeah!! Way back to my grandmother. She worked in vaudeville - my Jewish grandmother. And my father is a clown. My Mom is a director. And my father is also a musician and we always sang together.

DG: Do you remember the first time you ever performed in front of an audience?

LR: I was a baby in some Checkov plays. And, I was in "The Sound Of Music" as Gretl. Gretl? Is that her name? I was four. And I picked my nose on stage and I waved to the audience. Apparently that was enough to get some raves. (she laughs) Yeah. I can't remember a time when I didn't want to perform on stage. It's what I was put on earth to do, so ...

DG: What was the impetus behind you creating the "Caberlesque" concept?

LR: You know, I was an actor and I went to school for theatre, and that was the way I was going to combine ... you know, theatre is the ultimate combination of all the arts - you can present it all in theatre. Because I was a dancer, I was singer and an actor I thought that was the best focus - and I'm a visual artist - it was possible to put them all together. The life of an actor requires incredible patience and a total willingness to accept rejection and things you have no control over, you know, for your whole life. I did quite well and then moved to New York. And then I had this realization that I would have to start again and beg to be seen - to even be seen by someone who could get me auditions, much less jobs. And I just had this real insight into my own character and realized I would become ... ummm ... (long pause) ... bitter. (She laughs) That's the word. And so I had to put something in my own hands. I created this alter ego initially with the idea of inviting agents. But then it kinda took off. It became a little bit of a cult success in New York and then I continued - and it was just so fun to create my own work and to be in charge of that - I continued, you know, and now it has taken me all over the world. The ultimate goal was always that it would bring me back to the theatre, and it has.

DG: What is your proudest career accomplishment to date?

LR: Ummm ... it feels like every day that I can do it is a proud accomplishment. It was a huge, amazing honor - I sang for the Princess of Sweden's wedding last year. Even though it was mainly Yo Yo Ma's album that got the Grammy - to HAVE a Grammy is ... to win, ummm ... I was happy to go to Edinburgh and win an award my first year in Edinburgh - having worked on something and sort of figured it out in the U.S. and then going over to Europe to present this thing I had already worked so hard and so long on - and they respect the art of live performance more in Europe, just as a basic thing. America is a TV and movie kind of country. So they really just took a shine to it and that was exciting. The Edinburgh Award, The Grammy - but awards aren't it, really. It's just such a huge thing to have made up this dream career. I'm the product of Hippie parents always saying be whatever you want to be. So I said, okay I want to be a dream-maker in a sparkly gown and heels and crippling glamour. I want to be a strong woman who is incredibly attractive to everyone in the audience and spinning a tale about the truth that we all experience, but caged in something that is not mundane - in a vessel that is of the feminine design so that we can all have a moment of fantasy and glamour and beauty and a celebration of femininity.

DG: On the converse, what have you not yet achieved as an artist that you hope to achieve? Where do you want to go with things?

LR: I, ahhh ... would really love to ... I'd like to have a big show again with a big budget. You know, and even ... a dream could be the TV variety show, bringing that back. I love that genre. And there hasn't bee a successful resurgence of that --- In the style of The Judy Garland Show-or Dean Martin or Doris Day.

DG: What can audiences expect from your show at The Copa?

LR: It's, you know - they'll get to know me. It's a more intimate story than I usually get to share. It's about relationships. It's about love and loss --- and killer songs by an amazing vocalist. There's a couple of original songs. And I'll be doing "Lilac Wine", I'll be doing a little Burt Bacharach - a mixture of "Close To You" and "Pure Imagination" from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory - what else? Oh, I'm doing a cover of a DiAngelo song - and some Gladys Knight.

DG: Tell me something about you that no one would know by looking at your resume?

LR: Ummm ... (long pause) ... That, umm ... I'm a great person to bring along to a party? I love parlour games - like, I love to host competitive Charades. That I'm incredibly adventurous and that, at the moment, I'm probably the most glamorous homeless person you've ever seen - because I've been on tour for the last nine months and so I gave up my New York apartment. That I'm timeless. That nobody knows how old I am. (She laughs)

DG: What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

LR: I have pretty clear two-fold advice. Take risks. And that is so confusing - I was told that as a young artist and it made no sense. Just as blanket advice - but really means doing things that you're afraid of but your have that instinct inside that you should do. So, if you have a little wigglimg voice inside that says you should do it but you're fearful, go towards that. But, the two-fold part is that you must gather people around you that you trust that can give you feedback - honest feedback. And listen them with a grain of salt - you can't just listen to other people, but you cant just follow your crazy dreams without hearing any feedback. My whole life as an artist has been going for things and then taking off the training wheels and going in a different direction, and then taking off the training wheels again. It's torturous - it's like being lost in a German Forest - but you come out of it feeling really proud. It requires incredible work and incredible belief in yourself because so may people are willing to tell you "no" all the time. You can't just follow your dreams - you need to go toward specific dreams that are well thought out and then gather people around that you trust to give you feedback and then take that feedback and push yourself further.

DG: Ok, finally ... when all is said and done, how do you want to be remembered?

LR: I would like to be remembered ... you mean when I'm dead? (She laughs) The things that stays with me is when people, especially women, share with me that just seeing me do what I do inspires them to take a further step in a direction of their own - authentic, you know, creativity.

The Copa Palm Springs presents Lady Rizo on November 1 at 8:00 pm. For tickets or further information about Lady Rizo and upsoming performances at The Copa, visit www.coparoomps.com



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