🎤 Questions and Answers || Singers Edition! 🎶

Tunney
Jul 31
5 min read

Hey friends!!

How have you all been?

I know, I know… I’ve been terrible at keeping up with this blog thing. I swear, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do all the things I need to do. Like seriously—where is my clone already?!

I thought stepping away from procurement and logistics in the mining world would lighten my load, but surprise! Somehow I’ve managed to pile on even more. Classic me. 😅

Anyway, enough about that—let’s get into something way more fun: some of your burning questions answered, Singers Edition! 💃🎤✨

💫 What inspired you to start performing?

My mum swears I could sing before I could even talk!

In 1987, she signed me up for #TheJohnnyYoungTalentSchool, and that's when the music bug officially bit me. I was all in—#singing, #dancing, #tap, #jazz—you name it, I did it.

We were always out and about performing at shopping centres, carnivals, and festivals—those early days were wild!

I entered every singing comp I could get my hands on throughout school, and eventually got accepted into WAAPA’s Musical Theatre Cert III program. 🎭

Once I hit 18, the pub gigs, bars, clubs, and corporate events rolled in—and it’s been a ride ever since!

🌟 Who were your biggest influences growing up?

Musical Theatre had my whole heart! Think Annie, The Wizard of Oz, Grease—and every single Disney classic. But I never landed the "lead" roles. My voice has always had that husky, mature tone—not exactly “sweet princess” vibes, you know? 😂

My idols? Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson. And then the vintage queens: Connie Francis, Doris Day, Dusty Springfield, Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline.

My mum raised me on the classics—which is why I know and love them so much.

💡 When did you realize this was what you wanted to do?

Funny thing—I didn’t exactly plan for this to become “my thing” again. Life happened. Marriage, priorities, and I shifted gears into the car scene for years. Weekends were all about meets and cruises.

But in 2022, I felt like I had lost me.

So, I auditioned for a few bands, got into one, and started gigging again in 2023—until I broke my leg at work in November. (Yes, that’s a whole other wild story.)

That injury took a toll—not just physically, but mentally. By April 2024, I needed music again. I started singing in aged care facilities, easing back into it with the songs my mum raised me on.

Seeing the joy on people's faces—especially those with dementia—when they sang along word for word? I knew I had to keep doing this.

I then started to gain my confidence back and boom—my calendar started filling up. Wineries, clubs, parties—you name it, I sing it! 🎶

🎤 What was the first song/performance that made people really notice you?

Hands down—“And I Am Telling You” from Dreamgirls.

BentKnee Creative needed someone to play Effie for a big corporate show at Crown Casino. My friend vouched for me, and even though they’d never heard me sing, they gave me a shot.

During soundcheck, I belted it out—and the whole ballroom froze.

Plates clinking? Conversations? Background chaos? All stopped. Tony and Bill (the producers) just stood there with shocked faces.

The applause after that soundcheck was insane—and that’s how I started working with them. Unforgettable moment.

😰 Do you get nervous before going on stage?

ALL. THE. TIME. 😅

I’m naturally an anxious person, and I also take live requests—which can be a blessing and a curse!

If I know the song, I’m good. If I kinda know it, I’ll give it a crack—but the nerves definitely spike!

And yeah, some people come just to see me squirm through a tough song (you know who you are 😉). But I roll with it—it’s all in good fun!

😵‍💫 Ever had anything go wrong on stage?

Ohhh YES. Too many to count!

Electronics not working, speakers blowing, tech fails galore (I am NOT tech savvy, okay?). 😂

Story time:

Back in the day, I was Dorothy the Dinosaur in WA. Once, I fell up the stairs coming onto stage… in that huge awkward suit. Couldn’t get up. Total turtle-on-its-back moment.

A random dad in the audience had to lift me! Bless him.

Honestly, you just laugh it off and keep going. Cry later. LOL.

💃 What do you love most about performing live?

Seeing people’s faces light up.

Watching them dance, sing along, feel something—it’s magic.

Being able to bring joy to someone’s day through music? That’s a gift I never take for granted.

🧠 How do you deal with negative comments?

Let’s be real—haters gonna hate.

Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but that doesn’t mean it has to matter to you.

Most of them are keyboard warriors who wouldn’t dare say those things to your face. I’ve had people I thought cared say worse things to me in real life—so when a stranger tries to tear me down online, it just doesn’t hit the same.

I know who I am. That’s what matters.

⏰ How long does it take to get ready?

If I’m not going live—about 45 minutes to an hour (down from 3 hours in the old days, ha!).

If I am going live? Add extra time… because I’m chatting, explaining things, getting sidetracked. You know how it goes. 😄

💇 Why do you wear wigs?

Wigs = fun + freedom! 💁‍♀️

My real hair is super damaged and thin—years of extensions, weight loss, and over-styling haven’t been kind. It’s long and curly, but way too hard to maintain.

Wigs let me switch it up whenever I want. I used to wear toppers, but wigs are way more versatile (and fabulous!).

🎵 Do you know all your lyrics?

Haha—nope! Not even close.

I used to be amazing at memorizing songs, but these days… my brain has limits. 😂

Thank goodness for iPads and scrolling lyrics! Every session is different, so I’m always keeping things fresh—and that means I need lyrics sometimes. No shame in that game.