Hello everyone!
Have you blocked your calendars for the next Spotlight on YOU Open Mic? Tuesday, October 22nd!!! Pick your favorite song and come sing with the fabulous Jon Weber on piano!
I am sure you were all waiting for this... my exclusive interview with the beautiful and talented, multi-award winning Marissa Mulder!
For those of you who don't know Marissa, here is her bio for starters:
Marissa Mulder has performed her shows at the Carlyle, 54 Below, Birdland, and Joe's Pub. She is the recipient of three MAC (Manhattan Association Of Cabarets and Clubs) awards, for Major Artist and Recording Of The Year for her show "Tom...in his words, the songs of Tom Waits", which the New York Times called "far and away the season's best cabaret show, everything the genre can be but almost never is." Her latest album “Two Tickets Left” Won the 2019 MAC award for album of the year. She is the recipient of the Julie Wilson and Noel Coward Award. Her show "Marilyn in Fragments" an homage to Marilyn Monroe received a rave review in the New York Times that said "The rising cabaret singer wove passages from Monroe’s diaries and 20 songs into a compelling portrait of the star in a confessional mood. A remarkable performance." She was a guest on Piano Jazz on NPR. TimeOut New York calls her "One of the cabaret world's biggest breakout successes of the past five years.”She is thrilled to be making her West Coast debut this November with her show “I’ll Follow The Sun, the songs of Lennon/McCartney” at Feinstein’s at Vitellos in LA and Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater In Fresno. Ms. Mulder’s albums are available on ITunes, Amazon, Spotify and Cdbaby. For more information about upcoming dates, visit her website. www.marissamulder.com
I met Marissa many years ago at the Salon and have admired her style from the start! Her sweet and down to earth nature made a lasting impression on me. It is my honor to feature her as my celebrity Spotlight of the month!
For the interview, I asked Marissa the following questions:
1) Can you share with us some interesting facts that most people don’t know about you?
I used to Irish step dance when I was little
2) You are an amazing performer and so much more. What kicked off your passion? How did you discover your passion for music and realized that it was what you wanted to do?
I’ve been singing since I was 4. It was always something I loved. I grew up in Syracuse around the corner from my grandparents. I was extremely close to them. My grandpa was my best friend. He introduced me to the music of Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. The first time I saw The Wizard of Oz was watching it with my grandpa. I still remember the first time I saw and heard Judy Garland sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I was 5. Even as a little kid I felt like she had so much heart and feeling when she sang so that’s when I knew I wanted to be a singer. My grandma had a piano in the basement. She could play and we used to go through her books of standards and show tunes, singing through the songs for hours. She also directed many Christmas concert and musical revues at the church St. Ann’s down the hill. She gave me my first solo” Tomorrow” from Annie in a musical revue she directed. It was held in the gymnasium at St. Ann’s school, I was in kindergarten.
3) Do you have a couple of particularly interesting stories that you'd like to share with the readers?
I met Barbara Cook, one of my heroes after seeing her in Sondheim on Sondheim on broadway. When I went to give her my playbill to sign I burst into tears, thanking her for how much her singing and her interpretations of songs touched me. She took my hand and said “ now you’re going to make me cry.” Her eyes were the bluest eyes I’d ever seen.
I also fell off the stage one night when I was co hosting at Salon. I have no idea how I did that but luckily it’s not a very big or high stage.
4) What is your "go-to" before you perform? It can be a routine, physical or mental space.
Drinking bubbly water and being alone. I usually always try to do my makeup in my appartment before I leave. I like the peacefulness of doing my makeup at home. It gets me in the right mindset. I quietly speak through my songs and patter and imagine the audience there in front of me.
5) What motivates your creativity and passion for life? Name three things that never fails to put a smile on your face!
Seeing films, plays, musicals and cabarets. I love watching performers who are brave and are truth tellers. Performers who make every moment clear who really tell the story! Three things that make me smile. My family, my family’s dog Finn, and my friends.
6) Share with us what you have in the pipeline for us to be on the lookout for!
I’ll be bringing my show "I’ll folllow the sun, the songs of Lennon/McCartney" to LA and Fresno, CA in November. I’m also planning to go into the studio to record my Lennon/McCartney show...when I get the money.
HAVE I PIQUED YOUR INTEREST IN MARISSA? BRING YOUR FAVORITE SONG TO SING WITH THE FABULOUS JON WEBER, INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND COME TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE GOT COMING UP!
COME JOIN US TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22ND AND EXPERIENCE MARISSA MULDER, LIVE AT THE SPOTLIGHT WITH JON WEBER!
UNTIL THEN, WISHING YOU ALL LIGHT AND LOVE!