Shelly Watson, various guest artists, Garage Band and Pro tools.
Influences
Bjork, Madeline Kahn, Renee Fleming,
Queen, PJ Harvey,Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee,
Frida Kahlo, all 80's music, K.D Lang,
Carol Burnette, Danny Elfman, Maria Callas,
Bette Midler, Hugo Wolf,Portishead, Strauss,
Bread, B-52's, Andrew Sisters, Bernadette Peters,
Verdi, movie musicals, Mozart, Linda Ronstadt,
drugs, Dolly Parton, relationships, Cloris Leachman,
Eva Cassidy, Lily Tomlin, Talking Heads, Steve Perry,
money, Patsy Cline, Eartha Kitt
and many many more...
"Rambunctious, over the top and of considerable charm" Bernard Holland - NY Times
"The centerfold of opera" Carson Daly - MTV
From Lincoln center to the Lower East side, uber talented Shelly Watson is conquering all things performance. Opera, jazz, pop, rock, cabaret and contemporary are among her musical talents with comedy, improvisation, costume/stage designing, emcee/hosting, acting, directing, producing, and voice-overs being just a few of her other artistic blessings.
After kicking ass in the band Alice I Wonder in Los Angeles and abroad in Amsterdam, she reinvented herself and received both a B.M. and M.M. degree in Opera performance from Juilliard. Shelly was the inspiration for and recipient of the first ever Inter Arts Award for her innovative and creative practice of combining the three Juilliard disciplines of Music, Dance and Drama into collaborative performances. These groundbreaking performances helped pave the way for the Jazz and Inter Arts programs in Juilliard's current curriculum.
Three years in a row the Metropolitan Opera had Shelly singing concerts commissioned by the Guild throughout the tri-state area. She also sang on the Met stage with Jaime Foxx for MTV's VMA's in 2001.Wearing her own latex and Brunhilde horns of course!
Blending her love of Opera and comedy Shelly created Yo Opera Lady! for YO Networks an online web series where she roamed the streets of NY getting unsuspecting people to do improv opera. This caught the eye of a talent scout and landed her nationally syndicated radio segment currently in it's fifth season called Hip Hopera where she arranges and performs Rap and Hip Hop as Opera.
The premiere of her musical The New Bohemia; A Burlesque Murder Mystery Musical at the NY Fringe Festival thrust her onto the Burlesque and Cabaret scene in 2005. Since then she's emceed and performed for The NY Burlesque Festival, Starshine Burlesque, Viva Burlesque, Kitty Nights, Joes Pub, Slipper Room, Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction, Bowery Poetry Club, Don't tell Mama's and many more. In 2007 the songstress won the coveted Mo Pitkins Cabaret Star of the Year award.April 2008 Shelly co-produced Blue, Bluer, Bluer with Burlesque dutchess Darlinda Just Darlinda and May begins Naked City: Burlesque Noir, the first of the four Female Troubles installments co-produced with fire femme fatale The Lady Aye.
You might also recognize her from a few of the t.v. shows she's been on : MTV's The State, TRL, The Video Music Awards, ABC's Hooking up and TLC's Dinner takes all. Be sure to watch for her audition on this season of America's Got Talent!
Aside from composing herself, Shelly enjoys making arrangements of popular songs. From a string quartet version of Iron Maidens Trooper to a hill billy version of Depeche Modes Flexible, she stretches and flexes her artistic imagination for all to experience.
June 2008 debuted Shelly's "Inter Arts Variety Show" at The Zipper Factory. A new monthly series that brings all forms of art together for a spectacular evening of music, dance, drama, visual and performance art. An all around performer, Shelly continues to take on all things artistic. Always looking for the next inspiration by keeping her eyes and ears open. She suggests you do the same...
WOW! What a voice! You're an amazing host and the Kitty Nights crowd absolutely LOVED you! Thank you for being super fun and fabulous -- but of course! You're a LEO!!!!!
You were ABSOLUTELY AMAZING tonight!!! I am so glad to have been able to perform with you!! I am ready for my sewing session!!! And I can't wait for your show!!!!
I think I met you at the benefit with Lady Aye? In that tiny tiny tiny little bar. My singing, especially as Sunshine is a bit more SLEDGEHAMMER than anything else, you are FAR more nuance, but you know how it is since we both sing we are like Burlesque Secret Twin Sisters!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELLY! What are we doing tonight to celebrate (got any quarters left)? Tell Dan I wanna see those pics from Coney Island last night... and, um- DON'T PEE on the third rail!
I'm looking forward to these upcoming shows: it was fun building the flyers/ postcards with you!
Yeah, if you know who he is...you are old. *snort* But so am I. I LOVED that show when I was a kid....that and H.R. Puffinstuff. Not too many drug references in that show, eh?
Thanks for the add! Hope to see you perform sometime! :)
If you have a moment, please check out my various photos and work. Rebuilding my portfolio this year so check back often! Feel free to stop by and say Hi anytime!
Hope you had a wonderful weekend and have a fantastic week! All the best in 2008! Don't be a stranger!
YOU Shelly are The Best- thank you for producing and preforming the shows to entertain all us folks! I'm telling every one I know about the next show... The Naked City: Burlesque Noir!
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