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Singer, songwriter, and burlesque performer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ariana Savalas is an American host, burlesque performer, singer, and songwriter. She has performed in burlesque cabarets worldwide, including as the emcee and singer for Dita Von Teese and the Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris.
Ariana Savalas | |
|---|---|
| |
| Background information | |
| Born | January 9, 1987 [1] Los Angeles, California, U.S.[1] |
| Genres | Burlesque, Cabaret, Alternative |
| Occupation(s) | Host, Singer, Songwriter, Burlesque Performer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, Piano |
| Website | arianasavalas |
She was one of the original members of Postmodern Jukebox[2] alongside Haley Reinhart, Casey Abrams, Robyn Adele Anderson, and Morgan James, and the group's first female emcee. Savalas tours with the band and has appeared in a number of the group's YouTube videos, two of her videos in the top five most popular videos in the group's history.[3][4][5][6]
Fusing her original music with elements of traditional vaudeville and cabaret,[7] Savalas has been named a "Burlesque Icon" [8] and described by Las Vegas Magazine as "the musical burlesque queen" and "the mistress of the modern Moulin Rouge".[9]
She is the daughter of Greek-American actor Telly Savalas.
Savalas was born in Los Angeles, California, but was raised in Minnesota following the death of her father Telly Savalas in 1994.[1] She attended an all-girls Catholic convent school in her teenage years before graduating early and moving to London to pursue a career in performance. She studied Shakespeare and acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and was a member of Playhouse West, a repertory theater directed by Jeff Goldblum.[10] She eventually graduated from Harvard University years later and has a masters degree from the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute in Italy.[11]
Before turning to burlesque, Savalas toured and recorded in Europe as a pop singer in her teens with European producer Jack White.[12] She made a guest appearance as Bobby Lainsford on the CBS hit drama Criminal Minds in 2010. Savalas began her music career in Los Angeles as a singer/songwriter playing venues on the Sunset Strip,[13] such as the Whisky a Go Go and Hard Rock Cafe.
Savalas' first jazz EP, Sophisticated Lady, was a combination of her original compositions as well as two standards from the Great American Songbook, including the song "Sophisticated Lady" by Duke Ellington, Mitchell Parish, and Irving Mills which she named the record after.[14] Savalas was widely known in the cabaret world headlining in venues such as the New York Friars' Club and Michael Feinstein's late New York cabaret Feinstein's.[15] She was the opening act for saxophone legend Kenny G[16] and has toured the world with 14 time Grammy nominee Dave Koz.[17]
Savalas was introduced to Scott Bradlee in 2015 and began collaborating on online videos and touring with the band soon after. They have performed at venues such as Radio City Music Hall, The Greek Theater, and the O2 Academy in London.[18] Savalas was their first female emcee, and hosted the first-ever PMJ PBS special "Postmodern Jukebox: The New Classics". Savalas has garnered praise for her singing and also for her skill at jazz whistling.[19]
Savalas began incorporating her own music into live shows, drawing influences from the Weimar Republic era of German Cabaret and the Moulin Rouge. Her 2019 live album, "The Ménage a Tour! Live from Las Vegas" was a showcase of music, songwriting, dance, comedy, and burlesque.[20] Savalas released a single and music video for her original song "Legendary Lover" in early 2020.
Savalas released her debut full studio record, The Dead Dance, in early 2020. The album was released exclusively under Cargo Records in Germany and digitally worldwide.[citation needed] The first single, "Memory", features trumpet player Brian Newman.[21]
Savalas released her sophomore full studio record, "Dark Lady", in 2024. The first single, "What Do You Wanna Know", was produced by Savalas' long time friend Steve Power. The album was inspired by Shakespeare's Dark Lady sonnets.
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