La Voix – the drag queen who went from the Vauxhall Tavern to Britain’s Got Talent – is now taking on the world, as she brings her new show Red Hot Globe Trot to Wales Millennium Centre’s cabaret bar, Ffresh.
In her shows, La Voix is known for her uncanny singing-sound-alikes of big names and voices. Asked how she chooses which ladies will feature, La Voix says it comes from personal love of these women’s style and performance: “The big bold camp women that we all love… when you get to do those women and replicate those costumes and music it gives you so much energy in your show, I think. So it came from an absolute passion for the women I like to listen to music-wise.”
With her impressive ear for vocal impressions, Red Hot Globe Trot sees La Voix bringing along divas like Cher, Judy Garland, Liza; and of course, La Voix can’t play a Cardiff gig without a certain Dame making an appearance: “She will definitely, definitely be there. I think I’d be beaten up by rowdy people if I didn’t do it. I love Cardiff and I love Shirley Bassey and put the two together, she can’t not appear. When I was there last time it got a great response… it’s always quite nerve wracking doing Bassey in Wales, of course I always think every Welsh person can sing and everyone knows their Bassey so when you’re doing it in their territory it’s in a different league, but no it should be great fun”.
The show isn’t all ‘old-time’ divas, to keep the show current, La Voix performs contemporary songs in the style of less modern artists: “I do Liza doing Adele, and I do Garland singing Whitney.” She does this to teach her younger audience members about the different divas: “Judy Garland might seem dated to a 20 year old, they might not even know who she is, but to do Liza (Minnelli) singing Adele is just bonkers – it makes me laugh doing it, it’s just so much fun.”
La Voix, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, Fri 30 June + Sat 1 July. Tickets: £15. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk
words CHRIS WILLIAMS