From the local stage to the big time, The American Sirens are dazzling audiences of all ages with their glamour and style. They’re set to join us here at the Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center on Thursday, December 19 for an unforgettable pairing with entertainer Chris Ruggiero for the ‘Sleighbells and The 60’s’ show. If you missed their last stop at The Fitz, catch up with them now.
1. What inspired your group to begin singing this era and genre of music?
We have always loved Vintage Jazz music and felt such a passion for creating something together that was very unique in the genre with our own signature footprint. While in the past we had sung arrangements by fabulous groups like the Andrews Sisters and the Puppini Sisters, we felt inspired to move forward and deepen our craft, creating our very own vocal arrangements! That inspiration grew into this very special group which now has over 100 original vocal arrangements, 8 custom shows, and countless performances on Television, Film, and in Live Music venues around the world. We like to think we are working to bring back the classics, fusing classic vintage music with a modern twist.
2. What is the first song that got your group noticed by a music industry person?
We launched our group with a cover of Jingle Bells and it caught on like wildfire! After that, we knew we wanted to continue building and creating beyond the holidays, so roughly a year later we debuted a second video that showcased what our group was all about. We spent a lot of time choosing the perfect song, conceptualizing and storyboarding, choreographing, costuming, and even casting for the video. We were very intentional about how we wanted to present ourselves to the world, and Puttin’ On The Ritz was all the things that resonated with us and more. It encompasses the Old Hollywood glitz and glamor that we love, custom vocal arranging and choreography that are uniquely ours, and best of all the entire thing was dreamed up by us. It’s one of our favorites because the spark of that idea is what continued to fuel our future endeavors together.
After that, the ideas kept coming! Some of our most notable arrangements and videos with hundreds of thousands of views can be found on YouTube, including a collaboration of “Mele Kalikimaka” with Voiceplay and Bass Vocalist Geoff Castelluci, a Hocus Pocus Medley, a WandaVision Medley, a tribute to Cruella Devillle, Tough Love (which is a collaboration with our friends at Pattycake Productions) and dozens more. We have been arranging, choreographing, directing, and performing hundreds of our original works ever since. We feel so grateful to not be able to share it with people around the globe, but also that we have found a community that this style of music has resonated with!
3. The American Sirens are a fan favorite here. How did you connect with Chris Ruggiero and what makes this the perfect pairing for a holiday show?
Thank you so much!! We love performing for you! We were actually lucky enough to connect with Chris Ruggerio through the staff at The Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center and are so excited to be able to perform with him this holiday season! He is such a talented singer and we are so excited to be a part of this special seasonal collaboration.
4. What can patrons expect from this show? (energy, songs, solos, etc.)
This show is chock full of your holiday favorites done with a vintage twist! We love incorporating our iconic tight harmonies and classic movement to these mid-century big band arrangements—and we hope our guests especially love all of the original choreography they’ll see by our very own local star, Ale Martinez! Every step we do is from her brain. Patrons can come ready to be dazzled and have their hearts filled with nostalgia and Christmas cheer!
5. What do you think it is that makes holiday songs so special and do you have a favorite to sing?
Holiday songs are special to us because they remind us of what is important during the holiday season—being with the ones you love and making lasting memories together. For us particularly, we formed our group starting with Holiday music, so there is a special nostalgia we share as this was the beginning of our journey together as The American Sirens. Years later, it is always so wonderful to see how far we have come since and to reflect on where it all began.
As far as a favorite song, it’s so hard to choose! Every time we create a new arrangement for our group, we consider a lot of variables. Does it resonate with us? Will it be a crowd pleaser? Does it work for three part female voices? That said, when songs make the final cut, we know they’re worth it! Thusly, all of the songs we sing are timeless and truly something we look forward to revisiting year after year—treasuring each other and the journey in the process.
Pick up tickets at www.FlaglerEntertainment.com.
