On this episode of On the Rocks, it’s a little night music with the powerhouse trio CelloVoci made up of singer/pianist Branden James from America’s Got Talent, cellist James Clark who has played for Broadway divas and beyond, and musician Effie Passero from American Idol and Postmodern Jukebox as we chat about how they met, the music industry, playing Carnegie Hall, their creative process, what its like to tour, and details on their debut album Happy Days...with host Alexander Rodriguez. Raise a glass, it's On the Rocks!
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Strawt Media. Hello on the Rockers, get ready for our
little night music with a powerhouse trio. Cello Voce made
up a brand in from America's Got Talent. His husband
Challis James, who's worked with the A listers from Broadway
and beyond, and Effie Picero from American Idol and post
Modern Jukebox. I'm already getting all dunk t eid here
and me, your sassy host with the sassy most, raise
a glass of the drinks. Begin It's on the rocks.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
A hello, thank you for.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Life is a banquet, and most port Stuckers are.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Starving to death.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
I'd like to propose a toast.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
This is on the Rocks, Alexander, where I drink with
your favorite celebrities as you talk about fashion, entertainment, pop culture,
reality TV and well that's about so pop Acorn. Lean
back and raise a glass to arm the rocks. Lesson,
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(01:04):
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CELLAJ is a newly formed classical crossover group starring internationally
renowned Cello and vocal duo Brandon and James, along with
(02:08):
powerhouse singer songwriter Effie Picero. Since forming a group during
the pandemic, they have toured extensive slee all over the
West Coast, East Coast, and Midwestern United States, along with
several cities in Mexico. They recently recorded their first collaborative
album entitled Happy Days Girl. I listened to it twice
through without moving an inch. They also made their Carnegie
(02:31):
Hall debut to sold out audience, and separately, Brandon and
James have been impressing audiences around the globe for over
a decade with their unique arrangements and undeniable charm and wit.
Brandon James, the duo of singer and pianist, was a
finalist on season eight of America's Got Talent and is
an award winning published author. Australian cellis James Clark was
a feature cellist for Olivia Newton, John, Bernadette Peters and
(02:52):
at Dina Manzel before collaborating with Brandon and Effie. After
finishing as a semi finalist on American Idol, she's made
a name for herself touring the globe with Scott Bradley's
postmodern jukebox. Her viral music videos with the globally famous
Jazz Collective have a mass millions of views on YouTube.
Let's take a little sneak peek Atchell about your God
(03:18):
is boosting.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
A lot of people can expect a show from the
three of us. Epic musical collaborations, a lot of laughs
on stage. We try to take each other too seriously,
a lot of creative arrangements. I really just like to
have a good time. We're all kind of music nerds
at heart.
Speaker 5 (03:49):
The performance was magnificent. First of all, when I've seen
them before, it's been in the club. This was a
long performance.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
It was beautiful. I drove ninety.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
Miles from many anaplus I brought my cousins with me
to see because they're so wonderful.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
So it's a real joy just to create music together.
But I also think that working together we kind of
elevate each other's performance to a new levels.
Speaker 6 (04:20):
No singing with pop music and the arrangements, blending the
classical with the popular, inventive, and their stage presence is amazing.
They're engaging. It was just terrific from start to finish.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
All right, Please welcome tell about by Cheers, Cheers, cheers, cheers,
take a swig. Number one. I have to know where
are you all at, because I know you're all over
the globe. Where are you at right now?
Speaker 4 (05:02):
It is Wednesday in Australia for us.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, so we're back to the future or something. Yes
in Adelaide, Yes, welcome to the future, everybody.
Speaker 7 (05:12):
And I'm in beautiful Redding, California.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Not as exotic as Australia unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
But oh well, okay, I have a question. I've known
you guys for years and years. How is it that
I'm aging every day and you guys have not aged
one one like day? You guys look the same as
years and years ago.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
What's the secret to your success?
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Oh, that's why you're on Australia a little niptok down under.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Every six months.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Well, Mexico is the place to go, right Yeah. Now,
the three of you met during the pandemic in Puerto Varta.
But I want to back up a little bit as
artists separately, where were you careerized when the pandemic hit
and what was going through your mind when everything was
shut down?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
I just happened to be in Mexico when the world
shut down. I was. I was touring with Spencer Day.
Do you know Spencer Relics, Yes, yes, question. So I was.
Speaker 7 (06:12):
I was doing some work with him, and we were
working on kind of like a duo, just journey together,
and then everything shut down, so we decided to waiting
out in Mexico, and waiting it out turned into moving
there for me.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
So yeah, terrifying to be in like a foreign land
and then knowing that, hey, gigs are from one day
to the next gone.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, it was very terrifying.
Speaker 7 (06:36):
I remember we had one gig lined up in Porta
Arta and they didn't cancel it, but a lot of
the people that were supposed to come cancel their reservations
and flew home to wherever they came from, obviously, So
we ended up singing at the restaurant for all of
eight people, and we ended up only singing three songs
and just sobbing because everyone was so confused.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
And so the owner of the restaurant just portos all
a bunch of win and we all sat there just
kind of in a stupor because nobody knew what was
going on. So it was very terrifying.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Boys.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
We just we were in New York City, when the
world shut down, we'd actually just flown back from Los
Angeles and winter was approaching and we're like, it's so cold,
and we love Puerto Rica. We've been spending years there
before that, and we thought, let's go somewhere where it's warm.
We know we can be outside is at least an
(07:28):
outside culture. We can eat at some restaurants that are
open and it's safe, and we can be on the beach,
and that was kind of just a much happier idea
of a place to be than be shut in our
apartment in Manhattan.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
So it's true, but that was after we spent three
and a half months playing virtual shows every week. So
the day that the world shut down, we went to
Guitar Center in Times Square and bought everything we needed
to broadcast shows from our apartment with like.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Gloves on and masks and gas masks because no one
know what was going on.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Well, Mike's and lights and cameras and you name it.
We had it so we could do shows. And we
just came up with a new theme every week and
did that.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
And then yeah, but how how scary is it to
see our art? You know, as talented as you all are,
how fragile being an artist really is. We're at the
whim of so many different elements no matter what kind
of skill you have. That's to me the scariest thing.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
It was suppressing. It was and we saw shal Shana
Bean do an online thinking, We're like, oh, we've got
to jump on this because this is what's going to
keep people going for the next while, people like artists,
but also people at home who had nothing to do
that needed something to listen and tune into, like you keep.
So many people told us that our ship weekly shows
kind of kept them going and that we felt like
(08:48):
we were doing a community service in that way, and
they were super generous to us too. You know. It
kind of kept us financially afloat for those twelve weeks.
So it was crazy. And performing it in a broadcast studio,
as you were well aware, it feels like a performing
in a vacuum. There's no energy exchange with people either.
Get Eddie applause when you finish the song. We could
(09:09):
see emojis coming up on the screen. It doesn't have
the same kind of vibe though as live performance.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
No, but I have a flask buck in my hip
hop camera.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
All right, So the mythology for your trio goes is
you met while doing a benefit for staff at a
local theater. Can you tell us about the tale of
this infamous coming together of the Charmed Ones?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Go ahead, Brandon, you're getting this song.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Yeah, I mean we'd first seen I think maybe the
week previous or two wis Spencer Day, and like she mentioned,
there was like eight people in the audience that night.
Because it was just impossible. We kind of all it
seemed like it wasn't just our idea to rush down
to Portavira to in the middle of the pandemic. It
was what a wonderful place to be because it's warm
and lovely, but there were so many artists there in
(10:00):
maybe two or three shows a night, and just too
much entertainment for the lack of tourism that was in town.
The people that were we were in a place that
was semi enclosed, and a lot of people were just
afraid to come inside. No matter how many measures they
took to keep it safe. A lot of people just
weren't showing up. So it was really like if you
could get twenty people at your show at that time,
(10:21):
then you were doing well, So I always wanted to
see Fie. I knew about her. Spencer's a longtime friend.
So we went in and saw the stoke called Come Together,
and it was they opened I think with I want
to dance with somebody, which was like so funny to
watch Spencer Day sing a whitneys and song, But just
when she opened her mouth, I was like, I want
(10:42):
to be her friend.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
So then we didn't actually have that much chance to
hang out together before the palm where we were this
cabaret performance then you were at in Portabayata, we wanted
to do something to help out all the stuff there,
so the artist decided to put on this benefit where
we would live stream it and people would would were
able to make donations. And I will never forget this
(11:07):
moment because we had not I don't think i'd met
Effie yet, and she was on stage or like a
bunch of artists just hanging out in the in the
seating way for their turn and kind of chatting quietly
while people were doing their thing on stage. And as
soon as she opened her mouth and started singing her
original song simply Happy, the whole room went silent. You
could hear a pin Drop, and everyone was kind of
(11:29):
gobsmacked by the sound coming out of this beautiful woman
and that she'd written this song as well, where everyone
was couldn't couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
So and also in that moment at that time, for
the collect purpose that we came together to help the
staff where the venue was shut down for a month
and they literally need their salaries to eat. It was
just such a tender moment to listen to that beautiful
song and those lyrics and to share that moment collectively.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
It was really speciful. So we chatted as people do
in the green room after the show and just kind
of said, hey, we'll we've been doing these virtual shows.
We'd love for you to come along if you want.
And I believe that she rocked up to a rehearsal
with a tray of.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Yeah, oh my lord, you've never given me pastickers.
Speaker 7 (12:21):
I learned how to make them during the pandemic. You know,
some people learn how to make sourdough bread, yeah, you know,
garden or whatever, but uh, nope, I learned how to
make Asian food.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
That was my that was my my hobby.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
In the end of the world, yeah, it was that's
all you need, That's all you need.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Now, so you started doing live streaming during the pandemic.
During your first few jam sessions, what did you have
to learn right away about the other person in the
way that they worked, Like, what did you need to
like just grab onto and learn from the other person.
Speaker 7 (12:57):
Me personally, I've worked with Spencer before, but not ever
like a group, and I guess two people, three people
coming together as a group, so.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
I had to learn.
Speaker 7 (13:10):
I've always been on time, but I just I needed
to learn, like how to utilize other.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
People's time correctly and not and not fool around as much.
Speaker 7 (13:17):
You know, it's okay to be silly, but like you know,
the end of the world was upon us, and we
had this responsibility to do these these shows together online,
and so I had to learn how to appropriate my
time and do things with preddiction and realize that these
shows meant a lot to a lot of people. If
if it had just been me, I would have been
(13:38):
doing silly like getting wasted on the screen and making
jokes and trying.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
To make people feel better.
Speaker 7 (13:43):
But the three of us coming together really taught me
that what we were doing was really really important.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
So it was a good lesson to learn, for sure.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
I think that's very polite way of saying that. I'm
much ask let we're gonna get this shit done, Let's
do it. No, I didn't really have to learn anything
because you're so easy to work with.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Yeah, I mean, I think we've rehearsed for the hour
before the broadcast, and just in that time, I was
able to really understand how similar our musical sensibilities were,
and quickly the the adjustment just kind of happened naturally.
There wasn't any work involved. It's just like we just
had to open our mouths and sing and play our music.
(14:30):
And I knew that she was going to slot in
so well to what we're doing because literally our training
is the same that the way we approach music and
musicality is kind of all it's just right in the
same vein. So it was a really easy match.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
And that's interesting because Brandon James, you guys have toured together,
your music is together. You can communicate without even having
to like look at each other, and you can feel that.
And then you bring in this big voice, this big
personality to the mix. Did that change the way Brandon James.
The way that you community with each other, was it
like a fresh like oh, like just something so different.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
It was like it was like a layer of our
sound that was always missing in a sense, because you know,
we suddenly had this this treble voice musically speaking, you know,
just higher than what James and I produced instrumentally and vocally,
and it was just so magical.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Yeah, And it wasn't any effort for it didn't feel
like hard work at all. It just kind of came
together so naturally and it didn't like, it didn't interrupt
our flow of what we were able to do. It
just kind of added to what I would say.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
And right at the gate, the trio has been so
successful with all of your tour dates, obviously Carnegie Hall,
your debut album, Happy Days. What do audiences love so
much about the three of you?
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I think, well, I know what I love girls.
Speaker 7 (15:56):
I think what people see kind of right off the bat,
within the first three numbers is that there's a genuine
connection and friendship and that we love each other so
much and we're not afraid to be silly on stage together.
We have a lot of tender moments in our show,
but also we have some genuinely funny moments where we
(16:17):
get to showcase our personalities. And so when people see
those three things coming together, as well as here the
harmonies and the instrumentation and all the beautiful things that
we create together, I just think the combination of everything
all at once is really genuine, and people don't really
get to see that much anymore when they go to
(16:39):
a concert or a recital. So I think it's just
it's unique, and I think people really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
There are men of many were now. It's one thing
to jam together, it's one thing to get up on
stage and do a great show. But in creating a
new group, you have to look at the business side
of it, the travel side of it, the booking side
of it. What happened some of the biggest challenges is
get in getting this trio off the ground.
Speaker 7 (17:06):
I had to renew my driver's license after four and
a half years, and that that turned out to be
actually very difficult for me because I apparently forgot how
to drive.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
That was.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Beie's four eleven, Is that right, Yeah? Yeah, and we
rented a big giant to her vehicle. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (17:31):
Literally, I had to push the seat all the way
up and then it had his own booster seat that
it was able to rise, and so you just see
this little tiny minion sized girl with a hoodie and everything.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Again, it's just like and then I fall getting on
the cars too high.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
You know, I was scared.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Damn good driver, driver, Okay, don't ask.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Me for par a little park, but I'll get you
where you need to go, where you need to go.
But no, what what would be.
Speaker 7 (17:58):
A serious I guess I think because we both we
all travel so much individually as well. I think we
just happened to be in Portabosa at the same time
so that we could record this album and get it going.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
But it is it is difficult. Obviously, we're in two
very different places right now. Because James is so well
organized and not retentive at all, we're able to get
all of these interviews and all this excitement done and
off the ground and it's it hasn't been much trouble
at all. Honestly, it's been really really great.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
No, it's a little bit daunting, if I will say. Uh,
I do a lot of the bookings for us and
looking after social media to a certain extent, and starting
kind of from the ground up. Again is daunting, Like
we have our names and Fia has heard names, and
if we put the three of us on the bill,
everyone shows up. But now that we're Chellabochi and you know,
(18:56):
our Instagram is just starting from the ground up, and
our bookings have just starting the grounds, it's a whole
new game. It's like it's like being a brand new
artist again who's just starting out with you know, some recognition,
but the name in itself isn't enough to get us there.
So we have to do other creative things to make
sure people know that we're the people that they're coming
(19:17):
to speak.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Yeah, and Brandon and Effie, I want to talk to
you about your appearance on Reality TV. Talk to us
about the reality of being on Reality TV. Your final
episode airs, and then there's okay, most people think, oh,
they've been on TV, now they're famous, now this and that.
What is some of the actual reality that you had
to deal with when your time on the show was over.
Speaker 7 (19:39):
Actually not too dissimilar to what Brandon just said about
starting from the ground up again, because when you're on
the TV, you're getting all this like praise and people
are kind or they're tearing you apart. Which is a
whole different side of the internet that you don't like.
But when it came to, you know, getting work, when
I was eliminated, it was all about how much tenacity
(20:00):
you had and what you were willing to do with
your ambition. So ultimately, after a few months of working,
my reputation was because I was a good worker or
not because I was on TV, not because I made
it X amount into the show.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
It was a good.
Speaker 7 (20:16):
Experience, for sure, and I definitely appreciate what it's done
for my life, but it also has its fair share
of terror.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
It's a tricky world being an artist. I don't think
we're ever really satisfied with our work entirely, but you
kind of you know that at some point you realize
when you've been doing this for a long time that
your music, your sound, your talent touches other people. And
I think that's what continues. That's why you keep going
even though it's hard and income can being consistent work
(20:50):
and being consistent, But we keep persevering anyway, don't we.
Yes that it's been almost ten years.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
James, You've You've worked with many, many amazing artists. Who's
a bigger diva Brandon or Bernette Peters.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
Oh Brandon.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Bernadette was a constantly professional but definitely also a diva
for sure.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
But she's got she.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Find you can find the starting note of a tune
better than she can. Oh really, okay, okay, I can
I dish some tea right now?
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Yes? To have another sip? Take another sip.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
She she was a small orchestra that I played in
for her, like two cellos and other strings and whatnot
for her performance in the Adelaide Festival Theater as part
about Cabarety Festival. It's quite a big, big deal here
in Adelaide. And she wanted to sting fever. Okay, I
love you exactly that praise never know how much of
(22:02):
that one. And both nights she sucked it up because
she was doing an acapella and and didn't get the
right note and they had oh no, the post production
fixed the.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
Oh not have like ten years that.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Would But you know what, that's good to hear. Like
musicians are just like you know, other musicians. Just because
you have a big name and a Tony Award and all,
that doesn't mean you don't have your off days or
that you're just not prone to other things.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
Yeah, I think everyone makes a mistake in every single performance,
and us as classical musicians are trained to be perfect,
and that's just not the reality. Music is not a
perfect expression. It's sometimes it's the flaws are what makes
music beautiful, because the flaws are any expression. So it
drives me crazy that in classical music we're like it's
(22:50):
drilled into us that you can't make any mistakes. But
I think the mistakes are worth sometimes the magic life.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Yeah, No, Brendon and James, you create music together, you
work together, you tour together, but you also to take
care of all of the bullshit that a married couple
has to deal with, such as bills such as you know,
like household and all this. How do you keep the relationship?
How do you keep the spark in the relationship? How
do you keep a healthy relationship when you guys are
literally together twenty four to seven with all the added
(23:17):
pressures of work and home therapy and booze, Okay.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
We're not even anywhere around to do therapy if we
wanted to. We we are good communicators. Brandon is especially
a good communicator.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Does that mean he shouts a lot?
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Sometimes? He is not to bring up the.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Conversations that need to be had that you might not
want to have really if they're kind of whatever.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
You know, I have two important rules, actually just one
important rule and applies to the stage, and when we
go to bedanite and that's like that, we resolve conflicts
before it happens. I and sister can tell if you
go on stage and you're kissed at each other. They're
much more perceptive than we give them credit for sometimes,
so I'll never let that happen. Like, even if we're
in an argument, we give each other a hugging little
(24:10):
kiss and we go our separate ways and we have
a good show. And if we go to bed at
night and something's unresolved, to do the same thing. Because
life is too short to just be angry at each other.
I just don't believe in that. I just don't think.
I think we're adults and we can be mature about
it and agree to resolve our differences in that moment
and continue to discussion the next day.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
All right, it has actually been that's been one of
the biggest lessons I've had to learn, because I love
resentment and holding onto ship.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
But never me too. Girl, I'm Latino. We'll do it
till we hit the grave.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Yeah, but I always tell them, don't be better, be better?
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Oh I love that now, Okay, I'm so nosy. What
do you guys fight about the most?
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Like?
Speaker 1 (24:51):
What is You're like? Oh God, I know we're going
to fight about this stupid shit.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Honestly, we're both geminis. Making a decision about anything is ridiculous.
We can both see way too many sides of the coin,
and all we do is just kind of make all
the observations about what could be right or wrong about things,
and then never actually make a decisions.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
Where we're gonna eat for dinner tonight, what we're gonna
have the.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Food, what we're gonna which dip in the fridge to open.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
Which is.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Ridiculous. It's like nothing important. Actually, I feel like that
we're pretty on the same page in most of the
important life things, which I guess is why we're together, Like,
apart from the friendship, if we there and we don't
have any major sticking points about things, really.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
No, I don't really hold we're just good friends. I
feel like if we weren't romantically involved, that we would
be at the public hang out beer and just just
being friends.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Well, I mean part of any friendship, part of any relationship.
You know, there's ups and downs. You're going to have
your rough days and then you just you just barrel
through because no one's going anywhere.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
And as they say in Brides, Andy's to have this
whole back and forth about whether people change or not. Honestly,
people really change. I think they change all the time.
And there's also we talk about that quite a lot,
because I mean, you kind of have to let the person,
if we have to allow each other to evolve, we're
not going to be exactly the same as when we met.
And as Ben Platt says in his cute little song
(26:20):
grow as we Go, you can grow right next to me.
That's what. That's kind of our allowance for one another
is to just let life unfolded and do it together.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
And I'm sure and I'm sure many men have grown
next to you. Fie, no Effie, you have been very open.
You've talked about heartbreak. You know, it's inspired music from you,
it's inspired poetry from you, and it flows out because
of your ups and downs and relationships. Is it hard
(26:51):
to find love as a singer roaming the world.
Speaker 7 (26:55):
Oh, yes, it is as much fun as it is
to trapes around and have lots of little galliances around
the world, it is hard to find meaningful connections.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
I've met a few men and women here and there
who are.
Speaker 7 (27:13):
Really beautiful souls, and you know, if times were different
or if I wasn't a traveling person as much, then maybe.
But yeah, I mean, even when I'm back home in Mexico,
I'm only home for about two weeks at a time.
So usually I'll meet somebody and I just am enamored
by them, and then it's time for me to leave
for three or four months. So it's just it's exhausting.
(27:38):
But I get so much good material out of it, right.
I utilize the dating apps and see what's out there,
and if it's a bad date, then usually I get
some really great comedy material.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Out of it, or sometimes I get a really beautiful song.
You never know. I just met a guy from Baton
Rouge the other night, so we'll see.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
That's a song right there, I know, so.
Speaker 7 (28:00):
Maybe I'll get a song out of that one. But
you know what, it's okay, because yeah, it'll happen when
it happens, right, you know, I'm not really necessarily looking anymore.
I'm just kind of in that zone trying to do
as best for me and my career is is really
important to me, and this project with the boys is
really important. So I have my head on a little
(28:23):
straight straighter than it used to be.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
But it's it is what it is. It'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
And you've also shared parts of your life that have
been challenging your growing up, your current challenges. You aren't
afraid to shy away from the reality of life with
your fans. Do you ever have any trepidation about sharing
so much of yourself?
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Every once in.
Speaker 7 (28:45):
A while, I wonder if my vulnerability and transparency comes
through as disingenuous, But it is honestly one of my
favorite parts about being kind of in the in the
spotlight with X amount of people, because I think they
appreciate hearing somebody they look up to or really like.
(29:06):
I think they appreciate just hearing that other people are
going through things that are relatable and regardless of what
it is, whether it's a heartbreak or if it's weight gain,
or I'm having a hard time with my diet, you know,
or I have pcos, which a lot of women have,
but don't realize, and not a lot of people talk
(29:27):
about it or my mental health. There's so much stigma
around mental health, and I just feel like if you
have a following and you have that voice and you
can make people understand that they're not alone, I think
that's really important. So no trepidations. Besides maybe like maybe
I overshare, but I don't mind. I don't really care anymore.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
Why not?
Speaker 1 (29:51):
And the more we talk about it, the more we
realize that we all have kind of the same issues.
We all deal with mental health, we all deal with depression,
we all deal with the eighs and lows of love.
Like that's something that unifies all of us, no matter
who you are.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Okay, let's talk about the album Happy Days. It sounds
like you guys have been together for years and years
and years. The album is so pristine, it's so perfect.
What was the most important thing you wanted to get
across and putting the album together? What's the mission of
the album other than showing off your amazing talents.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
I think we wanted people to know or to like
be able to take away with the highlights reel of
what our shows are like. Actually, so it's kind of
a lot of collaborative stuff, but there's also moments where
Braindon and I do things, and moments where Fie does something,
and then a moment where Fie and I do things.
We wanted it to feel. I mean, we kind of
(30:47):
joked that our shows should be called musical chairs because
where all play the piano, that we all sing, and
we all kind of switch around a little bit, and
we kind of wanted the album to do people a
glimpse of that.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
That's it, that's it.
Speaker 4 (31:07):
I think the biggest thing that I wanted to communicate
in that product was the sincerity that we carry on stage.
I wanted it to come through in the recordings, and
I feel like for the most part, we were able
to achieve that. Listening to recordings that myself is always
something I never want to do twice, but that's just
(31:27):
the nature of the Beast and importing studio. But I
think communicating our sincere friendship, our musical connection, and then
our musicality was something that was really important to me,
and I think we captured a lot of those both
tender moments but also really exciting moments on the album.
Speaker 7 (31:44):
Yeah, Yeah, I agree, And I think I really love
the way that this album kind of has a nostalgic
feel to it, but then you're hearing these songs for
the first time, like this, you know, you know, you know,
I put a spell on you, but you've never heard
it with Beethoven on and you've heard Hotel California, but
you've never heard it was best me mucho. And so
(32:05):
it's just like this exciting little kind of game, like
a like, ooh, can you guess what this is before
before it reaches the chorus or something. So I also
like audiences to get the playfulness out of this album
as well, because as moving as some of this music is,
I think we have a playful relationship with music as
(32:26):
well as a serious one, and I just I love
that and I hope that audiences and listeners appreciate and
see that as well.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
So I don't want to give away too much of
the album, but we're going to take a little sample.
We're going to listen to the Prayer, which is a
single from the album, just for our audience to get
a little taste of that. Tony, if you will.
Speaker 8 (32:56):
Seem be for a tell time.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
SCA she Die, It's crazy.
Speaker 8 (33:14):
Dario pa Hello, it's just.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Not crow me up me somewhere.
Speaker 8 (33:27):
To my agos.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Let this be off, Let this be.
Speaker 8 (33:42):
Justn every child you need to find up blo.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
I swear your brow you the say so we.
Speaker 8 (34:23):
Talk s.
Speaker 5 (34:44):
Ol.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
I wanted to play that because we see and we
hear so many different textures in that one song and
just that little phrase. So everybody has to go get
happy days, Brandon, how do you think your voice has
changed the most since your time on America's Got Talent.
Speaker 4 (35:04):
When I was on the show, I was still singing
at the Opera in Chicago, and I definitely had less
experience with crossover and pop than I do now.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
So I feel like over.
Speaker 4 (35:16):
The years I've gone to control my vibrato more and
to adapt to different styles than I ever could before.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
And do you think you've added maybe you know, life
experiences as well, and that adds a different texture.
Speaker 4 (35:29):
Yes, I actually love the way that a singer progresses
over time. Who's been doing it a long time, because
you hear, yeah, there's all kinds of more experience. There's
more pain, there's more anguish, there's more joy, there's more
just life in someone's voice or someone sound. I always
think about the recordings that Johnny Cash did so late
in life when he covered all these amazing rock songs
(35:51):
and pop songs and just to hear all the pain
that was in him. And I always say that I
want to have old man voice, but because you know,
I'm a classical singer and it's that that perfection thing
that to me. But I think it's okay someday. Someday.
If I if I don't sound as good as I
(36:12):
used to, as long as I'm still communicating heart, then
that's what.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
And Effie, we know you're the chameleon of voices rock, musical, theater, jazz, opera,
classic like just whatever. I mean, that's you can master it.
How do you fashion? How did you fashion all these
voices growing up? How did you cultivate that? And how
do you change your mindset when you sing in these
different genres?
Speaker 2 (36:38):
I honestly never know how to answer this question.
Speaker 7 (36:41):
But I think I think it's because I was lucky
enough to have parents that incubated my my love for
music instead of kind of keeping me away from it.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
So I started voice lessons by the time I was five.
I started piano when I was five.
Speaker 7 (36:56):
And my mom found a really good teacher who didn't
really put me in a lane because I was five,
so she was just kind of teaching me little, you know,
warm ups and easy songs for me to kind of
learn how to keep on melody and how to sight
read and all this stuff. And then as I got older,
(37:16):
I started doing musical theater and community theaters, and so
I grew up with musical theater. And then by the
time I was eleven, I was doing opera, which I
thought I was gonna hate, and I thought I was
the lamest thing ever. But my mom just said, you know,
I'll give it a shot. And then when I did,
it was parts of Penzance is the first opera I
(37:38):
ever operetta that I ever did, and I fell in
love with it. And it's difficult, and I liked the challenge.
And then I worked in kids music for a while,
a YouTube channel that did his music, and I just
loved being able to do anything, and so I kind
of taught my voice how to change.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
And then with all of the different techniques, it's easy.
My brain just kind of switches into different modes of fie.
I guess I love it. I love it.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
We got questions about your time with postmodern jukebox. We
know that that for a lot of singers, that's just
that's a bucket list, you know, thing to have on
your resume. How did you get to be part of
that group and then you go viral with them? How
did that affect you?
Speaker 7 (38:21):
I mean, the last three it'll be three years that
I've been with them coming up, and that's it's just
blow my mind. So I actually met with Scott Bradley
in March of twenty twenty, right before I left for Mexico,
which is just hilarious.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
I met with him.
Speaker 7 (38:37):
He was still working out of La So I met
up at his house in the studio city and we
were just going through music.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
He had heard of me from Spencer actually.
Speaker 7 (38:48):
And and so we did like a quick little snippet
of the Malcolm in the Middle theme song.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
And we had decided on a video.
Speaker 7 (38:57):
I was going to do Wild Horses by Rolling Stones,
which I still want to do. But he was like, hey,
when you get back from Mexico, you know, have a
good vacation. When you get back, let me know and
we'll record Rolling Stone song.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
And I was like great, cool.
Speaker 7 (39:11):
I was so excited, you know, and then the world
crashed and burned, and we went through that whole thing,
and I thought, that's it.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
You know, I lost my chance to have this bucket list.
Speaker 7 (39:22):
Experience because it totally is for music nerds, a bucket
list experience to work with them. And then at the
end of twenty twenty, like towards the end of twenty
twenty one, I noticed they were starting to put out
new content.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
So I reached out to Scott and I said, Hey,
I would.
Speaker 7 (39:40):
Love to still do that video if that's okay, And
then it just he was busy and I was in
Mexico and it just never worked. He moved to Nashville,
and so I was like, damn it, you know this,
it's not working out. And then January of twenty twenty two,
I got an email from PM Jay's manager and he said, hey,
(40:01):
I know you haven't worked with anybody yet, but we're
putting our post pandemic tour together and we were wondering
if you want to hop on, and it was so overwhelming.
Speaker 2 (40:12):
I was in I was literally in the club, you.
Speaker 7 (40:14):
Know, checking my email as like a totally norrible person,
and then I.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
See I got this email, and so I was just
like crying.
Speaker 7 (40:23):
In the Palm Club where where Brandon James and I
and Spencer thing in the club in the cler I
was just sobbing and I was like, and I called
my mom and so yeah. By February it was I
was off in Nashville, my first time in Nashville, and
like thrust upon all of these strangers, all of whom
I consider literal family now. So it's been such a
(40:45):
life changing experience and I'm so grateful for every every moment,
even in a hotel room in Reading, California, and.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
With them, like you literally got to travel the world
in so many different parts of the world too, not
just the usual what the globe. How did that change
your outlook on life as all?
Speaker 7 (41:04):
I think I've always been more open to experiences. I'm
a very adventurous and curious person in general, but seeing
the world at this rate, it's kind of it's difficult,
and it's beautiful and it's incredible. Sometimes we're in a
city for less than ten hours. Sometimes we're in a
(41:25):
country for less than ten hours before we leave for
the next one. But it's definitely taught me how to
be more patient with people from all walks of life.
I've always had a long fuse. But you know, sometimes
you depend on a complete stranger to tell you how
to get to a train station, or maybe you really
need a cup of coffee and you're like, please, my
phone is dead and I just really need a Starbucks.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
Can you tell me where to go? And it's taught
me that, you know, people are so kind everywhere.
Speaker 7 (41:52):
Of course, you get a few bad eggs here and there,
but the world has so much beauty to offer, and
you got to be open to it.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
All right, Voci, what is one of the funniest our
craziest on stage experiences or why you were touring? Like, what,
what's a memory that sticks out? You're like, oh, my lord,
I can't believe that.
Speaker 7 (42:10):
On stage or just from tour either. Okay, because we
got stuck in Colorado. That was a fun one.
Speaker 4 (42:18):
Oh a car broke down.
Speaker 2 (42:20):
Yeah, what did you do?
Speaker 1 (42:22):
Did you just like to hang out Colorado?
Speaker 3 (42:24):
And we had like quite a while. It was like
a five hour drive, wasn't it six hours? Maybe the
other side of Denver to Glynnwood Springs in our carbrom
But Baby Reindeer got us through while we were waiting
for another car to be delivered.
Speaker 4 (42:38):
Oh, watch that we called everyone in the area about, like,
can we get a new car because we had to
get to Denver at least to exchange the old car.
And the guy on the phone was like, there's not
so much as a wheelbarrow to in this area.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
I'll never forget that.
Speaker 4 (42:53):
We thought we're going to be stuck there a week,
all right.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
Pretty chaotic. It was pretty chaotic. But I don't I
don't know.
Speaker 7 (43:01):
We don't really have any any crazy stories yet. I'm
sure the travel together and the more.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
One little moment at the Carnegie Hall where Brendon and
I were reading from a different set list than the
rest of the people on stage, and I started one
song and no one joined in.
Speaker 2 (43:18):
Oh yeah, I forgot.
Speaker 4 (43:19):
I forgot about that.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
That was a special moment.
Speaker 1 (43:22):
That Peters going, that's what you get, all right, let's
talk about Carnegie Hall. What is going through your mind
minutes before you're supposed to take the stage. It's Carnegie Hall.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
I think I was.
Speaker 7 (43:40):
We were all very excited, and I wouldn't say Jerry,
but we were.
Speaker 2 (43:45):
We were just like kind of just taking in the moment.
And I the day of.
Speaker 7 (43:51):
I just woke up and I was like, I feel
like we're genuinely where we are meant to be at
this time. Like I just felt like so at peace
and so happy. And I managed to get through the
whole show without crying until the very end because James
wrote this really beautiful arrangement before one of our pieces
and it just moved me to tears, which then other
(44:13):
people started crying in the audience because I was sobbing.
But it was just it was such an amazing, amazing day,
and the half hour leading up to the show was
just like wow, I can't I can't believe we were
here and we're doing this together, and I just love
these guys so much and yay all.
Speaker 3 (44:31):
That, and there was a lot of love in the room.
That was the thing I was actually most nervous about,
because when you get married, for both of you, if
you do, there's someone.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
If you do. If you do, I really appreciate anything.
Speaker 3 (44:55):
It's a thing. But one of our friends who was
married and told us leading up to our wedding that
has it's like a care bear stare with, like all
this love energy at you, and it's it's kind of
beautiful and quite overwhelming, and I kind of felt like
that was going to be the energy in the room
(45:15):
in Countie because literally a lot of our friends and
fans and family had made an effort to be there,
and so I knew, like we probably knew ninety percent
of the audience there, like it was a lot of
people that really care about us, And so as soon
as all three of us were on stage, walked out
on stage, there was just a giant care bear stare
(45:38):
at us. Yeah, of like love and affection and wanting
us to succeed and all this kind of beautifully positive energy.
It's the only way I can describe it. But in
hooting and hollering and applause and stuff, it just was
electric and it just felt so special.
Speaker 4 (45:58):
It was definitely our dream to performing that stage, but
it's also the audience's dream and wish to have us
there one of the best for us and to feel
that love and to see the ovations in the middle
of songs. Sometimes it's just yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
You can't help but like smile. I just felt like
I was giggling off the time, like this is ridiculous, yea.
Speaker 4 (46:22):
Still yeah, all right.
Speaker 1 (46:25):
We see the polus celloch uh, We see you know,
all dressed up on social media. We see the clips.
We hear this beautiful album, But what do you guys
really do to put that all away, to unwind, to
really have fun. What's the most unco thing that you
guys do to unwint.
Speaker 4 (46:44):
Uh talk about?
Speaker 1 (46:47):
Wait? What about or shakes and culverts? Has the cheese curds? Right?
Speaker 3 (47:00):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (47:02):
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 3 (47:05):
We all do like to drink quite a bit. So
there's there's like drunken bowling moments.
Speaker 1 (47:12):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (47:12):
Oh yeah, bowling.
Speaker 4 (47:17):
Places in the Midwest. And we stuffed the world's largest
jolly green giant.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
Yeah, we try to see as many roadside attractions.
Speaker 1 (47:28):
I love that ship Like here's the biggest Reynolds wrap
ball or something? Right?
Speaker 4 (47:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
The spam music, spam music in my kitchen.
Speaker 3 (47:40):
Presenting quite sophisticated music. We can all be pretty basic.
I would say we like to dress down quite a
lot to become Are you.
Speaker 1 (47:50):
Guys like listening to Brittany in the car though? Like,
what are you listening to in the.
Speaker 4 (47:54):
Car crime podcast?
Speaker 1 (47:58):
Okay?
Speaker 4 (47:58):
These new album? Yes, I've run the whole gamut.
Speaker 3 (48:01):
We really run the gamut of pastal house music sometimes yeah,
choral music.
Speaker 1 (48:08):
I love music.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
We do it all.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Give me a Rudder Requiem any day.
Speaker 7 (48:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
Now, as queer artists, your shows are not necessarily queer,
your audiences are not necessarily queer. Is that important to
your music? Does that play a part in it?
Speaker 7 (48:22):
I think our music is just generally universal and I
don't think it's really leading towards any specific type of person.
And I think that's what makes it even more beautiful,
Like anyone can enjoy this and love it and feel
connected to it.
Speaker 1 (48:39):
Yeah, organization, but you know, I love that because audiences
are coming together. You're with audiences of all ages, and
I think in the upcoming years that's going to be
so important as building bridges with let's say, the conservative
side or an older side who can hear your story
and get to to experience your music and your love
(49:02):
in such a non prophetizing way.
Speaker 5 (49:05):
You know.
Speaker 4 (49:05):
It's like that's the power of what music can do, right. Yes,
it's a healing language that we all understand and brings
us all together. I just feel so grateful to be
able to communicate that to other people because it's God
now more than ever. I feel like we're saying that
every year, but it's true. We need to be unified.
We need to find some common ground. It's a tricky time.
Speaker 1 (49:28):
Yeah on a per Okay, we know Dix sex sexces.
Well what did I just say? Yeah? I am going
to who after this? The success that you the trio
has already have, the success that you have had individually.
We know that someday there's going to be a biopic
(49:49):
about the formation and the success. Let's say that movie
is being made today. Who's playing you in the film.
Speaker 3 (49:56):
I'll take a Hymnsworth brother.
Speaker 1 (49:57):
Yeah, okay, totally see yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 7 (50:02):
I don't know if Pink could bank shrink a couple
and then she just has to dye her dark brown
butt or Kelly Osborne.
Speaker 2 (50:12):
I'm trying to think of like other women who are badass.
Speaker 1 (50:15):
Yeah yeah, yeah, but.
Speaker 4 (50:19):
Fake blonde, pushing fifty. Ryan Seacrest, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
Oh you're talking about me.
Speaker 1 (50:24):
I was like, I was like, wow, Wow, that was
under the bush.
Speaker 2 (50:32):
Golly.
Speaker 3 (50:33):
Actually, there's a heap that wants to learn the cello
to play me. I'd be willing to teach him.
Speaker 1 (50:38):
Now, I'm sure you would, like this is how you
finger the bout girl. What kind of legacy do you
want to build as an individual and what kind of
legacy do you want to build with cello voc.
Speaker 2 (50:51):
Golly, I don't really know.
Speaker 7 (50:53):
I know that I would love to just be remembered
as a good soul and a good person and be
respected in my feet old.
Speaker 2 (51:00):
As a musician, and I think just being a.
Speaker 7 (51:03):
Good person and doing what was right at the time,
and always standing by my values and opinions more so
than myself as a musician.
Speaker 2 (51:15):
So we'll see what my legacy turns out to me
it is.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
That's a very it's a great question. Actually, I don't know.
I've struggled so much with feeling like I have anything
to say as a cellist who's not the world's best jelloist,
if you catch my drift. I mean there's like concerto
playing cellis who are technically much better than me. And
I've always felt like that means that I don't what
(51:39):
I have to say doesn't matter as much. But I
don't think that's true, and so I think I want
my legacy to be that I made people feel something.
Speaker 2 (51:48):
Yeah, yeah, for.
Speaker 4 (51:50):
Me, it's it's about kindness. I think conveying kindness and
being known as a person who purported kind ideas, and
that treating people fairly and with respect is something that
I would like people to remember me and bobbing.
Speaker 1 (52:06):
All right, So I know you have more tour dates
for the new year. When are you coming to the
West Coast Palm Springs La San Diego, San Francisco?
Speaker 3 (52:15):
Where doing Palm Springs in mar But not with Ei?
Speaker 1 (52:19):
No, how dare you?
Speaker 3 (52:22):
She was busy.
Speaker 4 (52:26):
We will have some summer dates on the West Coast
in San Francisco. That's in the works. I just don't
have contacts to announce them, but.
Speaker 1 (52:35):
Stay tuned, all right, all right, you know I love
just chatting with you. So in our final question, what
is your message to your fans?
Speaker 4 (52:43):
Follow us at Telebo dot com. Yeah, so if you
want to send all your friends there, that'd be great.
Speaker 3 (52:54):
My message is that in this current climate all over
the world, I would say, but particularly in North America,
that I want people to lead with tolerance and kind
of in all of their interactions. I think that we
have to choose to be the kind of people that
(53:17):
we want the world to be, and I think that
we need to not let division and hate continue to
divide us. We have to choose light and love and
choose to see commonalities and humanity and other people, even
if they voted for someone different than us, or look different,
or whatever it is, whatever their creed is. I think
(53:40):
that no matter what the things are that separate us,
there are still more that makes us similar than not,
and I think we need to remember.
Speaker 4 (53:48):
That a little more.
Speaker 7 (53:50):
Yeah, that's beautiful, James. I guess my message would be
for those who are new to our music, thank you
for giving us to try, and we hope that you
follow us for the years to come. And then for
those of you who have been following us, either individually
or since you saw us for the first time in
(54:11):
Mexico together, thank you for coming on this journey with
us together, and we hope you stick around because it's
only up from here and we hope to see you
every step of the way.
Speaker 2 (54:21):
So thank you all for being with us. I guess
that's my main.
Speaker 1 (54:24):
Thing, and I'm telling all of our listeners listen to
Happy Days album. A great gift for the holidays, great
album to play with the family when you're a Thanksgiving.
It is truly a special, special album. It takes you
on an emotional journey and it's very in the world
where we have so much noise. Auto tune and electric beats.
(54:47):
It's so nice to remember what real music is and
what real musicians sound like. So I definitely encourage everybody
to go do that. I miss you guys. When you
guys come here on the West Coast, we're gonna party.
Speaker 8 (54:58):
Yes, let's do it all.
Speaker 1 (55:02):
Right, boys, go have fun for the rest of your afternoon. FI,
I hope you order another bottle of line in room
service and like party the night away. Yes. Love seeing
you guys, Thank you, Thank you so much. And that's it, folks.
It's always a grab bag of fun here every weekend
on the Rocks. Big thank you to our engineer and
station owner Tony Sweet. Please like, share, subscribe so we
(55:23):
can continue to bring in this fabulous program and coming
your way for free until next time. Stay happy, stay healthy,
stay sexy, and if you drink, stay tipsy.
Speaker 2 (55:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (55:35):
Tweeting and sliders dms on Twitter and Instagram. On the
Rocks on air, find everything on the Rocks for free
at on the Rocks Radio Show dot com. Subscribe, like, review,
and share,
Strawt Media. Hello on the Rockers, get ready for our
little night music with a powerhouse trio. Cello Voce made
up a brand in from America's Got Talent. His husband
Challis James, who's worked with the A listers from Broadway
and beyond, and Effie Picero from American Idol and post
Modern Jukebox. I'm already getting all dunk t eid here
and me, your sassy host with the sassy most, raise
a glass of the drinks. Begin It's on the rocks.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
A hello, thank you for.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Life is a banquet, and most port Stuckers are.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Starving to death.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
I'd like to propose a toast.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
This is on the Rocks, Alexander, where I drink with
your favorite celebrities as you talk about fashion, entertainment, pop culture,
reality TV and well that's about so pop Acorn. Lean
back and raise a glass to arm the rocks. Lesson,
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(01:04):
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(01:25):
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We probably tape at UBN Ghost Studios. You're one stop
places for podcasting. Let's get this show on the road.
CELLAJ is a newly formed classical crossover group starring internationally
renowned Cello and vocal duo Brandon and James, along with
(02:08):
powerhouse singer songwriter Effie Picero. Since forming a group during
the pandemic, they have toured extensive slee all over the
West Coast, East Coast, and Midwestern United States, along with
several cities in Mexico. They recently recorded their first collaborative
album entitled Happy Days Girl. I listened to it twice
through without moving an inch. They also made their Carnegie
(02:31):
Hall debut to sold out audience, and separately, Brandon and
James have been impressing audiences around the globe for over
a decade with their unique arrangements and undeniable charm and wit.
Brandon James, the duo of singer and pianist, was a
finalist on season eight of America's Got Talent and is
an award winning published author. Australian cellis James Clark was
a feature cellist for Olivia Newton, John, Bernadette Peters and
(02:52):
at Dina Manzel before collaborating with Brandon and Effie. After
finishing as a semi finalist on American Idol, she's made
a name for herself touring the globe with Scott Bradley's
postmodern jukebox. Her viral music videos with the globally famous
Jazz Collective have a mass millions of views on YouTube.
Let's take a little sneak peek Atchell about your God
(03:18):
is boosting.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
A lot of people can expect a show from the
three of us. Epic musical collaborations, a lot of laughs
on stage. We try to take each other too seriously,
a lot of creative arrangements. I really just like to
have a good time. We're all kind of music nerds
at heart.
Speaker 5 (03:49):
The performance was magnificent. First of all, when I've seen
them before, it's been in the club. This was a
long performance.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
It was beautiful. I drove ninety.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
Miles from many anaplus I brought my cousins with me
to see because they're so wonderful.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
So it's a real joy just to create music together.
But I also think that working together we kind of
elevate each other's performance to a new levels.
Speaker 6 (04:20):
No singing with pop music and the arrangements, blending the
classical with the popular, inventive, and their stage presence is amazing.
They're engaging. It was just terrific from start to finish.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
All right, Please welcome tell about by Cheers, Cheers, cheers, cheers,
take a swig. Number one. I have to know where
are you all at, because I know you're all over
the globe. Where are you at right now?
Speaker 4 (05:02):
It is Wednesday in Australia for us.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, so we're back to the future or something. Yes
in Adelaide, Yes, welcome to the future, everybody.
Speaker 7 (05:12):
And I'm in beautiful Redding, California.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Not as exotic as Australia unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
But oh well, okay, I have a question. I've known
you guys for years and years. How is it that
I'm aging every day and you guys have not aged
one one like day? You guys look the same as
years and years ago.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
What's the secret to your success?
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Oh, that's why you're on Australia a little niptok down under.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Every six months.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Well, Mexico is the place to go, right Yeah. Now,
the three of you met during the pandemic in Puerto Varta.
But I want to back up a little bit as
artists separately, where were you careerized when the pandemic hit
and what was going through your mind when everything was
shut down?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
I just happened to be in Mexico when the world
shut down. I was. I was touring with Spencer Day.
Do you know Spencer Relics, Yes, yes, question. So I was.
Speaker 7 (06:12):
I was doing some work with him, and we were
working on kind of like a duo, just journey together,
and then everything shut down, so we decided to waiting
out in Mexico, and waiting it out turned into moving
there for me.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
So yeah, terrifying to be in like a foreign land
and then knowing that, hey, gigs are from one day
to the next gone.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, it was very terrifying.
Speaker 7 (06:36):
I remember we had one gig lined up in Porta
Arta and they didn't cancel it, but a lot of
the people that were supposed to come cancel their reservations
and flew home to wherever they came from, obviously, So
we ended up singing at the restaurant for all of
eight people, and we ended up only singing three songs
and just sobbing because everyone was so confused.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
And so the owner of the restaurant just portos all
a bunch of win and we all sat there just
kind of in a stupor because nobody knew what was
going on. So it was very terrifying.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Boys.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
We just we were in New York City, when the
world shut down, we'd actually just flown back from Los
Angeles and winter was approaching and we're like, it's so cold,
and we love Puerto Rica. We've been spending years there
before that, and we thought, let's go somewhere where it's warm.
We know we can be outside is at least an
(07:28):
outside culture. We can eat at some restaurants that are
open and it's safe, and we can be on the beach,
and that was kind of just a much happier idea
of a place to be than be shut in our
apartment in Manhattan.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
So it's true, but that was after we spent three
and a half months playing virtual shows every week. So
the day that the world shut down, we went to
Guitar Center in Times Square and bought everything we needed
to broadcast shows from our apartment with like.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Gloves on and masks and gas masks because no one
know what was going on.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Well, Mike's and lights and cameras and you name it.
We had it so we could do shows. And we
just came up with a new theme every week and
did that.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
And then yeah, but how how scary is it to
see our art? You know, as talented as you all are,
how fragile being an artist really is. We're at the
whim of so many different elements no matter what kind
of skill you have. That's to me the scariest thing.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
It was suppressing. It was and we saw shal Shana
Bean do an online thinking, We're like, oh, we've got
to jump on this because this is what's going to
keep people going for the next while, people like artists,
but also people at home who had nothing to do
that needed something to listen and tune into, like you keep.
So many people told us that our ship weekly shows
kind of kept them going and that we felt like
(08:48):
we were doing a community service in that way, and
they were super generous to us too. You know. It
kind of kept us financially afloat for those twelve weeks.
So it was crazy. And performing it in a broadcast studio,
as you were well aware, it feels like a performing
in a vacuum. There's no energy exchange with people either.
Get Eddie applause when you finish the song. We could
(09:09):
see emojis coming up on the screen. It doesn't have
the same kind of vibe though as live performance.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
No, but I have a flask buck in my hip
hop camera.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
All right, So the mythology for your trio goes is
you met while doing a benefit for staff at a
local theater. Can you tell us about the tale of
this infamous coming together of the Charmed Ones?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Go ahead, Brandon, you're getting this song.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Yeah, I mean we'd first seen I think maybe the
week previous or two wis Spencer Day, and like she mentioned,
there was like eight people in the audience that night.
Because it was just impossible. We kind of all it
seemed like it wasn't just our idea to rush down
to Portavira to in the middle of the pandemic. It
was what a wonderful place to be because it's warm
and lovely, but there were so many artists there in
(10:00):
maybe two or three shows a night, and just too
much entertainment for the lack of tourism that was in town.
The people that were we were in a place that
was semi enclosed, and a lot of people were just
afraid to come inside. No matter how many measures they
took to keep it safe. A lot of people just
weren't showing up. So it was really like if you
could get twenty people at your show at that time,
(10:21):
then you were doing well, So I always wanted to
see Fie. I knew about her. Spencer's a longtime friend.
So we went in and saw the stoke called Come Together,
and it was they opened I think with I want
to dance with somebody, which was like so funny to
watch Spencer Day sing a whitneys and song, But just
when she opened her mouth, I was like, I want
(10:42):
to be her friend.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
So then we didn't actually have that much chance to
hang out together before the palm where we were this
cabaret performance then you were at in Portabayata, we wanted
to do something to help out all the stuff there,
so the artist decided to put on this benefit where
we would live stream it and people would would were
able to make donations. And I will never forget this
(11:07):
moment because we had not I don't think i'd met
Effie yet, and she was on stage or like a
bunch of artists just hanging out in the in the
seating way for their turn and kind of chatting quietly
while people were doing their thing on stage. And as
soon as she opened her mouth and started singing her
original song simply Happy, the whole room went silent. You
could hear a pin Drop, and everyone was kind of
(11:29):
gobsmacked by the sound coming out of this beautiful woman
and that she'd written this song as well, where everyone
was couldn't couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
So and also in that moment at that time, for
the collect purpose that we came together to help the
staff where the venue was shut down for a month
and they literally need their salaries to eat. It was
just such a tender moment to listen to that beautiful
song and those lyrics and to share that moment collectively.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
It was really speciful. So we chatted as people do
in the green room after the show and just kind
of said, hey, we'll we've been doing these virtual shows.
We'd love for you to come along if you want.
And I believe that she rocked up to a rehearsal
with a tray of.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Yeah, oh my lord, you've never given me pastickers.
Speaker 7 (12:21):
I learned how to make them during the pandemic. You know,
some people learn how to make sourdough bread, yeah, you know,
garden or whatever, but uh, nope, I learned how to
make Asian food.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
That was my that was my my hobby.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
In the end of the world, yeah, it was that's
all you need, That's all you need.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Now, so you started doing live streaming during the pandemic.
During your first few jam sessions, what did you have
to learn right away about the other person in the
way that they worked, Like, what did you need to
like just grab onto and learn from the other person.
Speaker 7 (12:57):
Me personally, I've worked with Spencer before, but not ever
like a group, and I guess two people, three people
coming together as a group, so.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
I had to learn.
Speaker 7 (13:10):
I've always been on time, but I just I needed
to learn, like how to utilize other.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
People's time correctly and not and not fool around as much.
Speaker 7 (13:17):
You know, it's okay to be silly, but like you know,
the end of the world was upon us, and we
had this responsibility to do these these shows together online,
and so I had to learn how to appropriate my
time and do things with preddiction and realize that these
shows meant a lot to a lot of people. If
if it had just been me, I would have been
(13:38):
doing silly like getting wasted on the screen and making
jokes and trying.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
To make people feel better.
Speaker 7 (13:43):
But the three of us coming together really taught me
that what we were doing was really really important.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
So it was a good lesson to learn, for sure.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
I think that's very polite way of saying that. I'm
much ask let we're gonna get this shit done, Let's
do it. No, I didn't really have to learn anything
because you're so easy to work with.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Yeah, I mean, I think we've rehearsed for the hour
before the broadcast, and just in that time, I was
able to really understand how similar our musical sensibilities were,
and quickly the the adjustment just kind of happened naturally.
There wasn't any work involved. It's just like we just
had to open our mouths and sing and play our music.
(14:30):
And I knew that she was going to slot in
so well to what we're doing because literally our training
is the same that the way we approach music and
musicality is kind of all it's just right in the
same vein. So it was a really easy match.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
And that's interesting because Brandon James, you guys have toured together,
your music is together. You can communicate without even having
to like look at each other, and you can feel that.
And then you bring in this big voice, this big
personality to the mix. Did that change the way Brandon James.
The way that you community with each other, was it
like a fresh like oh, like just something so different.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
It was like it was like a layer of our
sound that was always missing in a sense, because you know,
we suddenly had this this treble voice musically speaking, you know,
just higher than what James and I produced instrumentally and vocally,
and it was just so magical.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Yeah, And it wasn't any effort for it didn't feel
like hard work at all. It just kind of came
together so naturally and it didn't like, it didn't interrupt
our flow of what we were able to do. It
just kind of added to what I would say.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
And right at the gate, the trio has been so
successful with all of your tour dates, obviously Carnegie Hall,
your debut album, Happy Days. What do audiences love so
much about the three of you?
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I think, well, I know what I love girls.
Speaker 7 (15:56):
I think what people see kind of right off the bat,
within the first three numbers is that there's a genuine
connection and friendship and that we love each other so
much and we're not afraid to be silly on stage together.
We have a lot of tender moments in our show,
but also we have some genuinely funny moments where we
(16:17):
get to showcase our personalities. And so when people see
those three things coming together, as well as here the
harmonies and the instrumentation and all the beautiful things that
we create together, I just think the combination of everything
all at once is really genuine, and people don't really
get to see that much anymore when they go to
(16:39):
a concert or a recital. So I think it's just
it's unique, and I think people really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
There are men of many were now. It's one thing
to jam together, it's one thing to get up on
stage and do a great show. But in creating a
new group, you have to look at the business side
of it, the travel side of it, the booking side
of it. What happened some of the biggest challenges is
get in getting this trio off the ground.
Speaker 7 (17:06):
I had to renew my driver's license after four and
a half years, and that that turned out to be
actually very difficult for me because I apparently forgot how
to drive.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
That was.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Beie's four eleven, Is that right, Yeah? Yeah, and we
rented a big giant to her vehicle. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (17:31):
Literally, I had to push the seat all the way
up and then it had his own booster seat that
it was able to rise, and so you just see
this little tiny minion sized girl with a hoodie and everything.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Again, it's just like and then I fall getting on
the cars too high.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
You know, I was scared.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Damn good driver, driver, Okay, don't ask.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Me for par a little park, but I'll get you
where you need to go, where you need to go.
But no, what what would be.
Speaker 7 (17:58):
A serious I guess I think because we both we
all travel so much individually as well. I think we
just happened to be in Portabosa at the same time
so that we could record this album and get it going.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
But it is it is difficult. Obviously, we're in two
very different places right now. Because James is so well
organized and not retentive at all, we're able to get
all of these interviews and all this excitement done and
off the ground and it's it hasn't been much trouble
at all. Honestly, it's been really really great.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
No, it's a little bit daunting, if I will say. Uh,
I do a lot of the bookings for us and
looking after social media to a certain extent, and starting
kind of from the ground up. Again is daunting, Like
we have our names and Fia has heard names, and
if we put the three of us on the bill,
everyone shows up. But now that we're Chellabochi and you know,
(18:56):
our Instagram is just starting from the ground up, and
our bookings have just starting the grounds, it's a whole
new game. It's like it's like being a brand new
artist again who's just starting out with you know, some recognition,
but the name in itself isn't enough to get us there.
So we have to do other creative things to make
sure people know that we're the people that they're coming
(19:17):
to speak.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Yeah, and Brandon and Effie, I want to talk to
you about your appearance on Reality TV. Talk to us
about the reality of being on Reality TV. Your final
episode airs, and then there's okay, most people think, oh,
they've been on TV, now they're famous, now this and that.
What is some of the actual reality that you had
to deal with when your time on the show was over.
Speaker 7 (19:39):
Actually not too dissimilar to what Brandon just said about
starting from the ground up again, because when you're on
the TV, you're getting all this like praise and people
are kind or they're tearing you apart. Which is a
whole different side of the internet that you don't like.
But when it came to, you know, getting work, when
I was eliminated, it was all about how much tenacity
(20:00):
you had and what you were willing to do with
your ambition. So ultimately, after a few months of working,
my reputation was because I was a good worker or
not because I was on TV, not because I made
it X amount into the show.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
It was a good.
Speaker 7 (20:16):
Experience, for sure, and I definitely appreciate what it's done
for my life, but it also has its fair share
of terror.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
It's a tricky world being an artist. I don't think
we're ever really satisfied with our work entirely, but you
kind of you know that at some point you realize
when you've been doing this for a long time that
your music, your sound, your talent touches other people. And
I think that's what continues. That's why you keep going
even though it's hard and income can being consistent work
(20:50):
and being consistent, But we keep persevering anyway, don't we.
Yes that it's been almost ten years.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
James, You've You've worked with many, many amazing artists. Who's
a bigger diva Brandon or Bernette Peters.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
Oh Brandon.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Bernadette was a constantly professional but definitely also a diva
for sure.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
But she's got she.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Find you can find the starting note of a tune
better than she can. Oh really, okay, okay, I can
I dish some tea right now?
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Yes? To have another sip? Take another sip.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
She she was a small orchestra that I played in
for her, like two cellos and other strings and whatnot
for her performance in the Adelaide Festival Theater as part
about Cabarety Festival. It's quite a big, big deal here
in Adelaide. And she wanted to sting fever. Okay, I
love you exactly that praise never know how much of
(22:02):
that one. And both nights she sucked it up because
she was doing an acapella and and didn't get the
right note and they had oh no, the post production
fixed the.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
Oh not have like ten years that.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Would But you know what, that's good to hear. Like
musicians are just like you know, other musicians. Just because
you have a big name and a Tony Award and all,
that doesn't mean you don't have your off days or
that you're just not prone to other things.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
Yeah, I think everyone makes a mistake in every single performance,
and us as classical musicians are trained to be perfect,
and that's just not the reality. Music is not a
perfect expression. It's sometimes it's the flaws are what makes
music beautiful, because the flaws are any expression. So it
drives me crazy that in classical music we're like it's
(22:50):
drilled into us that you can't make any mistakes. But
I think the mistakes are worth sometimes the magic life.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Yeah, No, Brendon and James, you create music together, you
work together, you tour together, but you also to take
care of all of the bullshit that a married couple
has to deal with, such as bills such as you know,
like household and all this. How do you keep the relationship?
How do you keep the spark in the relationship? How
do you keep a healthy relationship when you guys are
literally together twenty four to seven with all the added
(23:17):
pressures of work and home therapy and booze, Okay.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
We're not even anywhere around to do therapy if we
wanted to. We we are good communicators. Brandon is especially
a good communicator.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Does that mean he shouts a lot?
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Sometimes? He is not to bring up the.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Conversations that need to be had that you might not
want to have really if they're kind of whatever.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
You know, I have two important rules, actually just one
important rule and applies to the stage, and when we
go to bedanite and that's like that, we resolve conflicts
before it happens. I and sister can tell if you
go on stage and you're kissed at each other. They're
much more perceptive than we give them credit for sometimes,
so I'll never let that happen. Like, even if we're
in an argument, we give each other a hugging little
(24:10):
kiss and we go our separate ways and we have
a good show. And if we go to bed at
night and something's unresolved, to do the same thing. Because
life is too short to just be angry at each other.
I just don't believe in that. I just don't think.
I think we're adults and we can be mature about
it and agree to resolve our differences in that moment
and continue to discussion the next day.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
All right, it has actually been that's been one of
the biggest lessons I've had to learn, because I love
resentment and holding onto ship.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
But never me too. Girl, I'm Latino. We'll do it
till we hit the grave.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Yeah, but I always tell them, don't be better, be better?
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Oh I love that now, Okay, I'm so nosy. What
do you guys fight about the most?
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Like?
Speaker 1 (24:51):
What is You're like? Oh God, I know we're going
to fight about this stupid shit.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Honestly, we're both geminis. Making a decision about anything is ridiculous.
We can both see way too many sides of the coin,
and all we do is just kind of make all
the observations about what could be right or wrong about things,
and then never actually make a decisions.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
Where we're gonna eat for dinner tonight, what we're gonna
have the.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Food, what we're gonna which dip in the fridge to open.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
Which is.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Ridiculous. It's like nothing important. Actually, I feel like that
we're pretty on the same page in most of the
important life things, which I guess is why we're together, Like,
apart from the friendship, if we there and we don't
have any major sticking points about things, really.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
No, I don't really hold we're just good friends. I
feel like if we weren't romantically involved, that we would
be at the public hang out beer and just just
being friends.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Well, I mean part of any friendship, part of any relationship.
You know, there's ups and downs. You're going to have
your rough days and then you just you just barrel
through because no one's going anywhere.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
And as they say in Brides, Andy's to have this
whole back and forth about whether people change or not. Honestly,
people really change. I think they change all the time.
And there's also we talk about that quite a lot,
because I mean, you kind of have to let the person,
if we have to allow each other to evolve, we're
not going to be exactly the same as when we met.
And as Ben Platt says in his cute little song
(26:20):
grow as we Go, you can grow right next to me.
That's what. That's kind of our allowance for one another
is to just let life unfolded and do it together.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
And I'm sure and I'm sure many men have grown
next to you. Fie, no Effie, you have been very open.
You've talked about heartbreak. You know, it's inspired music from you,
it's inspired poetry from you, and it flows out because
of your ups and downs and relationships. Is it hard
(26:51):
to find love as a singer roaming the world.
Speaker 7 (26:55):
Oh, yes, it is as much fun as it is
to trapes around and have lots of little galliances around
the world, it is hard to find meaningful connections.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
I've met a few men and women here and there
who are.
Speaker 7 (27:13):
Really beautiful souls, and you know, if times were different
or if I wasn't a traveling person as much, then maybe.
But yeah, I mean, even when I'm back home in Mexico,
I'm only home for about two weeks at a time.
So usually I'll meet somebody and I just am enamored
by them, and then it's time for me to leave
for three or four months. So it's just it's exhausting.
(27:38):
But I get so much good material out of it, right.
I utilize the dating apps and see what's out there,
and if it's a bad date, then usually I get
some really great comedy material.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Out of it, or sometimes I get a really beautiful song.
You never know. I just met a guy from Baton
Rouge the other night, so we'll see.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
That's a song right there, I know, so.
Speaker 7 (28:00):
Maybe I'll get a song out of that one. But
you know what, it's okay, because yeah, it'll happen when
it happens, right, you know, I'm not really necessarily looking anymore.
I'm just kind of in that zone trying to do
as best for me and my career is is really
important to me, and this project with the boys is
really important. So I have my head on a little
(28:23):
straight straighter than it used to be.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
But it's it is what it is. It'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
And you've also shared parts of your life that have
been challenging your growing up, your current challenges. You aren't
afraid to shy away from the reality of life with
your fans. Do you ever have any trepidation about sharing
so much of yourself?
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Every once in.
Speaker 7 (28:45):
A while, I wonder if my vulnerability and transparency comes
through as disingenuous, But it is honestly one of my
favorite parts about being kind of in the in the
spotlight with X amount of people, because I think they
appreciate hearing somebody they look up to or really like.
(29:06):
I think they appreciate just hearing that other people are
going through things that are relatable and regardless of what
it is, whether it's a heartbreak or if it's weight gain,
or I'm having a hard time with my diet, you know,
or I have pcos, which a lot of women have,
but don't realize, and not a lot of people talk
(29:27):
about it or my mental health. There's so much stigma
around mental health, and I just feel like if you
have a following and you have that voice and you
can make people understand that they're not alone, I think
that's really important. So no trepidations. Besides maybe like maybe
I overshare, but I don't mind. I don't really care anymore.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
Why not?
Speaker 1 (29:51):
And the more we talk about it, the more we
realize that we all have kind of the same issues.
We all deal with mental health, we all deal with depression,
we all deal with the eighs and lows of love.
Like that's something that unifies all of us, no matter
who you are.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Okay, let's talk about the album Happy Days. It sounds
like you guys have been together for years and years
and years. The album is so pristine, it's so perfect.
What was the most important thing you wanted to get
across and putting the album together? What's the mission of
the album other than showing off your amazing talents.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
I think we wanted people to know or to like
be able to take away with the highlights reel of
what our shows are like. Actually, so it's kind of
a lot of collaborative stuff, but there's also moments where
Braindon and I do things, and moments where Fie does something,
and then a moment where Fie and I do things.
We wanted it to feel. I mean, we kind of
(30:47):
joked that our shows should be called musical chairs because
where all play the piano, that we all sing, and
we all kind of switch around a little bit, and
we kind of wanted the album to do people a
glimpse of that.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
That's it, that's it.
Speaker 4 (31:07):
I think the biggest thing that I wanted to communicate
in that product was the sincerity that we carry on stage.
I wanted it to come through in the recordings, and
I feel like for the most part, we were able
to achieve that. Listening to recordings that myself is always
something I never want to do twice, but that's just
(31:27):
the nature of the Beast and importing studio. But I
think communicating our sincere friendship, our musical connection, and then
our musicality was something that was really important to me,
and I think we captured a lot of those both
tender moments but also really exciting moments on the album.
Speaker 7 (31:44):
Yeah, Yeah, I agree, And I think I really love
the way that this album kind of has a nostalgic
feel to it, but then you're hearing these songs for
the first time, like this, you know, you know, you know,
I put a spell on you, but you've never heard
it with Beethoven on and you've heard Hotel California, but
you've never heard it was best me mucho. And so
(32:05):
it's just like this exciting little kind of game, like
a like, ooh, can you guess what this is before
before it reaches the chorus or something. So I also
like audiences to get the playfulness out of this album
as well, because as moving as some of this music is,
I think we have a playful relationship with music as
(32:26):
well as a serious one, and I just I love
that and I hope that audiences and listeners appreciate and
see that as well.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
So I don't want to give away too much of
the album, but we're going to take a little sample.
We're going to listen to the Prayer, which is a
single from the album, just for our audience to get
a little taste of that. Tony, if you will.
Speaker 8 (32:56):
Seem be for a tell time.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
SCA she Die, It's crazy.
Speaker 8 (33:14):
Dario pa Hello, it's just.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Not crow me up me somewhere.
Speaker 8 (33:27):
To my agos.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Let this be off, Let this be.
Speaker 8 (33:42):
Justn every child you need to find up blo.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
I swear your brow you the say so we.
Speaker 8 (34:23):
Talk s.
Speaker 5 (34:44):
Ol.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
I wanted to play that because we see and we
hear so many different textures in that one song and
just that little phrase. So everybody has to go get
happy days, Brandon, how do you think your voice has
changed the most since your time on America's Got Talent.
Speaker 4 (35:04):
When I was on the show, I was still singing
at the Opera in Chicago, and I definitely had less
experience with crossover and pop than I do now.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
So I feel like over.
Speaker 4 (35:16):
The years I've gone to control my vibrato more and
to adapt to different styles than I ever could before.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
And do you think you've added maybe you know, life
experiences as well, and that adds a different texture.
Speaker 4 (35:29):
Yes, I actually love the way that a singer progresses
over time. Who's been doing it a long time, because
you hear, yeah, there's all kinds of more experience. There's
more pain, there's more anguish, there's more joy, there's more
just life in someone's voice or someone sound. I always
think about the recordings that Johnny Cash did so late
in life when he covered all these amazing rock songs
(35:51):
and pop songs and just to hear all the pain
that was in him. And I always say that I
want to have old man voice, but because you know,
I'm a classical singer and it's that that perfection thing
that to me. But I think it's okay someday. Someday.
If I if I don't sound as good as I
(36:12):
used to, as long as I'm still communicating heart, then
that's what.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
And Effie, we know you're the chameleon of voices rock, musical, theater, jazz, opera,
classic like just whatever. I mean, that's you can master it.
How do you fashion? How did you fashion all these
voices growing up? How did you cultivate that? And how
do you change your mindset when you sing in these
different genres?
Speaker 2 (36:38):
I honestly never know how to answer this question.
Speaker 7 (36:41):
But I think I think it's because I was lucky
enough to have parents that incubated my my love for
music instead of kind of keeping me away from it.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
So I started voice lessons by the time I was five.
I started piano when I was five.
Speaker 7 (36:56):
And my mom found a really good teacher who didn't
really put me in a lane because I was five,
so she was just kind of teaching me little, you know,
warm ups and easy songs for me to kind of
learn how to keep on melody and how to sight
read and all this stuff. And then as I got older,
(37:16):
I started doing musical theater and community theaters, and so
I grew up with musical theater. And then by the
time I was eleven, I was doing opera, which I
thought I was gonna hate, and I thought I was
the lamest thing ever. But my mom just said, you know,
I'll give it a shot. And then when I did,
it was parts of Penzance is the first opera I
(37:38):
ever operetta that I ever did, and I fell in
love with it. And it's difficult, and I liked the challenge.
And then I worked in kids music for a while,
a YouTube channel that did his music, and I just
loved being able to do anything, and so I kind
of taught my voice how to change.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
And then with all of the different techniques, it's easy.
My brain just kind of switches into different modes of fie.
I guess I love it. I love it.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
We got questions about your time with postmodern jukebox. We
know that that for a lot of singers, that's just
that's a bucket list, you know, thing to have on
your resume. How did you get to be part of
that group and then you go viral with them? How
did that affect you?
Speaker 7 (38:21):
I mean, the last three it'll be three years that
I've been with them coming up, and that's it's just
blow my mind. So I actually met with Scott Bradley
in March of twenty twenty, right before I left for Mexico,
which is just hilarious.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
I met with him.
Speaker 7 (38:37):
He was still working out of La So I met
up at his house in the studio city and we
were just going through music.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
He had heard of me from Spencer actually.
Speaker 7 (38:48):
And and so we did like a quick little snippet
of the Malcolm in the Middle theme song.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
And we had decided on a video.
Speaker 7 (38:57):
I was going to do Wild Horses by Rolling Stones,
which I still want to do. But he was like, hey,
when you get back from Mexico, you know, have a
good vacation. When you get back, let me know and
we'll record Rolling Stone song.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
And I was like great, cool.
Speaker 7 (39:11):
I was so excited, you know, and then the world
crashed and burned, and we went through that whole thing,
and I thought, that's it.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
You know, I lost my chance to have this bucket list.
Speaker 7 (39:22):
Experience because it totally is for music nerds, a bucket
list experience to work with them. And then at the
end of twenty twenty, like towards the end of twenty
twenty one, I noticed they were starting to put out
new content.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
So I reached out to Scott and I said, Hey,
I would.
Speaker 7 (39:40):
Love to still do that video if that's okay, And
then it just he was busy and I was in
Mexico and it just never worked. He moved to Nashville,
and so I was like, damn it, you know this,
it's not working out. And then January of twenty twenty two,
I got an email from PM Jay's manager and he said, hey,
(40:01):
I know you haven't worked with anybody yet, but we're
putting our post pandemic tour together and we were wondering
if you want to hop on, and it was so overwhelming.
Speaker 2 (40:12):
I was in I was literally in the club, you.
Speaker 7 (40:14):
Know, checking my email as like a totally norrible person,
and then I.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
See I got this email, and so I was just
like crying.
Speaker 7 (40:23):
In the Palm Club where where Brandon James and I
and Spencer thing in the club in the cler I
was just sobbing and I was like, and I called
my mom and so yeah. By February it was I
was off in Nashville, my first time in Nashville, and
like thrust upon all of these strangers, all of whom
I consider literal family now. So it's been such a
(40:45):
life changing experience and I'm so grateful for every every moment,
even in a hotel room in Reading, California, and.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
With them, like you literally got to travel the world
in so many different parts of the world too, not
just the usual what the globe. How did that change
your outlook on life as all?
Speaker 7 (41:04):
I think I've always been more open to experiences. I'm
a very adventurous and curious person in general, but seeing
the world at this rate, it's kind of it's difficult,
and it's beautiful and it's incredible. Sometimes we're in a
city for less than ten hours. Sometimes we're in a
(41:25):
country for less than ten hours before we leave for
the next one. But it's definitely taught me how to
be more patient with people from all walks of life.
I've always had a long fuse. But you know, sometimes
you depend on a complete stranger to tell you how
to get to a train station, or maybe you really
need a cup of coffee and you're like, please, my
phone is dead and I just really need a Starbucks.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
Can you tell me where to go? And it's taught
me that, you know, people are so kind everywhere.
Speaker 7 (41:52):
Of course, you get a few bad eggs here and there,
but the world has so much beauty to offer, and
you got to be open to it.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
All right, Voci, what is one of the funniest our
craziest on stage experiences or why you were touring? Like, what,
what's a memory that sticks out? You're like, oh, my lord,
I can't believe that.
Speaker 7 (42:10):
On stage or just from tour either. Okay, because we
got stuck in Colorado. That was a fun one.
Speaker 4 (42:18):
Oh a car broke down.
Speaker 2 (42:20):
Yeah, what did you do?
Speaker 1 (42:22):
Did you just like to hang out Colorado?
Speaker 3 (42:24):
And we had like quite a while. It was like
a five hour drive, wasn't it six hours? Maybe the
other side of Denver to Glynnwood Springs in our carbrom
But Baby Reindeer got us through while we were waiting
for another car to be delivered.
Speaker 4 (42:38):
Oh, watch that we called everyone in the area about, like,
can we get a new car because we had to
get to Denver at least to exchange the old car.
And the guy on the phone was like, there's not
so much as a wheelbarrow to in this area.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
I'll never forget that.
Speaker 4 (42:53):
We thought we're going to be stuck there a week,
all right.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
Pretty chaotic. It was pretty chaotic. But I don't I
don't know.
Speaker 7 (43:01):
We don't really have any any crazy stories yet. I'm
sure the travel together and the more.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
One little moment at the Carnegie Hall where Brendon and
I were reading from a different set list than the
rest of the people on stage, and I started one
song and no one joined in.
Speaker 2 (43:18):
Oh yeah, I forgot.
Speaker 4 (43:19):
I forgot about that.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
That was a special moment.
Speaker 1 (43:22):
That Peters going, that's what you get, all right, let's
talk about Carnegie Hall. What is going through your mind
minutes before you're supposed to take the stage. It's Carnegie Hall.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
I think I was.
Speaker 7 (43:40):
We were all very excited, and I wouldn't say Jerry,
but we were.
Speaker 2 (43:45):
We were just like kind of just taking in the moment.
And I the day of.
Speaker 7 (43:51):
I just woke up and I was like, I feel
like we're genuinely where we are meant to be at
this time. Like I just felt like so at peace
and so happy. And I managed to get through the
whole show without crying until the very end because James
wrote this really beautiful arrangement before one of our pieces
and it just moved me to tears, which then other
(44:13):
people started crying in the audience because I was sobbing.
But it was just it was such an amazing, amazing day,
and the half hour leading up to the show was
just like wow, I can't I can't believe we were
here and we're doing this together, and I just love
these guys so much and yay all.
Speaker 3 (44:31):
That, and there was a lot of love in the room.
That was the thing I was actually most nervous about,
because when you get married, for both of you, if
you do, there's someone.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
If you do. If you do, I really appreciate anything.
Speaker 3 (44:55):
It's a thing. But one of our friends who was
married and told us leading up to our wedding that
has it's like a care bear stare with, like all
this love energy at you, and it's it's kind of
beautiful and quite overwhelming, and I kind of felt like
that was going to be the energy in the room
(45:15):
in Countie because literally a lot of our friends and
fans and family had made an effort to be there,
and so I knew, like we probably knew ninety percent
of the audience there, like it was a lot of
people that really care about us, And so as soon
as all three of us were on stage, walked out
on stage, there was just a giant care bear stare
(45:38):
at us. Yeah, of like love and affection and wanting
us to succeed and all this kind of beautifully positive energy.
It's the only way I can describe it. But in
hooting and hollering and applause and stuff, it just was
electric and it just felt so special.
Speaker 4 (45:58):
It was definitely our dream to performing that stage, but
it's also the audience's dream and wish to have us
there one of the best for us and to feel
that love and to see the ovations in the middle
of songs. Sometimes it's just yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
You can't help but like smile. I just felt like
I was giggling off the time, like this is ridiculous, yea.
Speaker 4 (46:22):
Still yeah, all right.
Speaker 1 (46:25):
We see the polus celloch uh, We see you know,
all dressed up on social media. We see the clips.
We hear this beautiful album, But what do you guys
really do to put that all away, to unwind, to
really have fun. What's the most unco thing that you
guys do to unwint.
Speaker 4 (46:44):
Uh talk about?
Speaker 1 (46:47):
Wait? What about or shakes and culverts? Has the cheese curds? Right?
Speaker 3 (47:00):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (47:02):
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 3 (47:05):
We all do like to drink quite a bit. So
there's there's like drunken bowling moments.
Speaker 1 (47:12):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (47:12):
Oh yeah, bowling.
Speaker 4 (47:17):
Places in the Midwest. And we stuffed the world's largest
jolly green giant.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
Yeah, we try to see as many roadside attractions.
Speaker 1 (47:28):
I love that ship Like here's the biggest Reynolds wrap
ball or something? Right?
Speaker 4 (47:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
The spam music, spam music in my kitchen.
Speaker 3 (47:40):
Presenting quite sophisticated music. We can all be pretty basic.
I would say we like to dress down quite a
lot to become Are you.
Speaker 1 (47:50):
Guys like listening to Brittany in the car though? Like,
what are you listening to in the.
Speaker 4 (47:54):
Car crime podcast?
Speaker 1 (47:58):
Okay?
Speaker 4 (47:58):
These new album? Yes, I've run the whole gamut.
Speaker 3 (48:01):
We really run the gamut of pastal house music sometimes yeah,
choral music.
Speaker 1 (48:08):
I love music.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
We do it all.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Give me a Rudder Requiem any day.
Speaker 7 (48:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
Now, as queer artists, your shows are not necessarily queer,
your audiences are not necessarily queer. Is that important to
your music? Does that play a part in it?
Speaker 7 (48:22):
I think our music is just generally universal and I
don't think it's really leading towards any specific type of person.
And I think that's what makes it even more beautiful,
Like anyone can enjoy this and love it and feel
connected to it.
Speaker 1 (48:39):
Yeah, organization, but you know, I love that because audiences
are coming together. You're with audiences of all ages, and
I think in the upcoming years that's going to be
so important as building bridges with let's say, the conservative
side or an older side who can hear your story
and get to to experience your music and your love
(49:02):
in such a non prophetizing way.
Speaker 5 (49:05):
You know.
Speaker 4 (49:05):
It's like that's the power of what music can do, right. Yes,
it's a healing language that we all understand and brings
us all together. I just feel so grateful to be
able to communicate that to other people because it's God
now more than ever. I feel like we're saying that
every year, but it's true. We need to be unified.
We need to find some common ground. It's a tricky time.
Speaker 1 (49:28):
Yeah on a per Okay, we know Dix sex sexces.
Well what did I just say? Yeah? I am going
to who after this? The success that you the trio
has already have, the success that you have had individually.
We know that someday there's going to be a biopic
(49:49):
about the formation and the success. Let's say that movie
is being made today. Who's playing you in the film.
Speaker 3 (49:56):
I'll take a Hymnsworth brother.
Speaker 1 (49:57):
Yeah, okay, totally see yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 7 (50:02):
I don't know if Pink could bank shrink a couple
and then she just has to dye her dark brown
butt or Kelly Osborne.
Speaker 2 (50:12):
I'm trying to think of like other women who are badass.
Speaker 1 (50:15):
Yeah yeah, yeah, but.
Speaker 4 (50:19):
Fake blonde, pushing fifty. Ryan Seacrest, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
Oh you're talking about me.
Speaker 1 (50:24):
I was like, I was like, wow, Wow, that was
under the bush.
Speaker 2 (50:32):
Golly.
Speaker 3 (50:33):
Actually, there's a heap that wants to learn the cello
to play me. I'd be willing to teach him.
Speaker 1 (50:38):
Now, I'm sure you would, like this is how you
finger the bout girl. What kind of legacy do you
want to build as an individual and what kind of
legacy do you want to build with cello voc.
Speaker 2 (50:51):
Golly, I don't really know.
Speaker 7 (50:53):
I know that I would love to just be remembered
as a good soul and a good person and be
respected in my feet old.
Speaker 2 (51:00):
As a musician, and I think just being a.
Speaker 7 (51:03):
Good person and doing what was right at the time,
and always standing by my values and opinions more so
than myself as a musician.
Speaker 2 (51:15):
So we'll see what my legacy turns out to me
it is.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
That's a very it's a great question. Actually, I don't know.
I've struggled so much with feeling like I have anything
to say as a cellist who's not the world's best jelloist,
if you catch my drift. I mean there's like concerto
playing cellis who are technically much better than me. And
I've always felt like that means that I don't what
(51:39):
I have to say doesn't matter as much. But I
don't think that's true, and so I think I want
my legacy to be that I made people feel something.
Speaker 2 (51:48):
Yeah, yeah, for.
Speaker 4 (51:50):
Me, it's it's about kindness. I think conveying kindness and
being known as a person who purported kind ideas, and
that treating people fairly and with respect is something that
I would like people to remember me and bobbing.
Speaker 1 (52:06):
All right, So I know you have more tour dates
for the new year. When are you coming to the
West Coast Palm Springs La San Diego, San Francisco?
Speaker 3 (52:15):
Where doing Palm Springs in mar But not with Ei?
Speaker 1 (52:19):
No, how dare you?
Speaker 3 (52:22):
She was busy.
Speaker 4 (52:26):
We will have some summer dates on the West Coast
in San Francisco. That's in the works. I just don't
have contacts to announce them, but.
Speaker 1 (52:35):
Stay tuned, all right, all right, you know I love
just chatting with you. So in our final question, what
is your message to your fans?
Speaker 4 (52:43):
Follow us at Telebo dot com. Yeah, so if you
want to send all your friends there, that'd be great.
Speaker 3 (52:54):
My message is that in this current climate all over
the world, I would say, but particularly in North America,
that I want people to lead with tolerance and kind
of in all of their interactions. I think that we
have to choose to be the kind of people that
(53:17):
we want the world to be, and I think that
we need to not let division and hate continue to
divide us. We have to choose light and love and
choose to see commonalities and humanity and other people, even
if they voted for someone different than us, or look different,
or whatever it is, whatever their creed is. I think
(53:40):
that no matter what the things are that separate us,
there are still more that makes us similar than not,
and I think we need to remember.
Speaker 4 (53:48):
That a little more.
Speaker 7 (53:50):
Yeah, that's beautiful, James. I guess my message would be
for those who are new to our music, thank you
for giving us to try, and we hope that you
follow us for the years to come. And then for
those of you who have been following us, either individually
or since you saw us for the first time in
(54:11):
Mexico together, thank you for coming on this journey with
us together, and we hope you stick around because it's
only up from here and we hope to see you
every step of the way.
Speaker 2 (54:21):
So thank you all for being with us. I guess
that's my main.
Speaker 1 (54:24):
Thing, and I'm telling all of our listeners listen to
Happy Days album. A great gift for the holidays, great
album to play with the family when you're a Thanksgiving.
It is truly a special, special album. It takes you
on an emotional journey and it's very in the world
where we have so much noise. Auto tune and electric beats.
(54:47):
It's so nice to remember what real music is and
what real musicians sound like. So I definitely encourage everybody
to go do that. I miss you guys. When you
guys come here on the West Coast, we're gonna party.
Speaker 8 (54:58):
Yes, let's do it all.
Speaker 1 (55:02):
Right, boys, go have fun for the rest of your afternoon. FI,
I hope you order another bottle of line in room
service and like party the night away. Yes. Love seeing
you guys, Thank you, Thank you so much. And that's it, folks.
It's always a grab bag of fun here every weekend
on the Rocks. Big thank you to our engineer and
station owner Tony Sweet. Please like, share, subscribe so we
(55:23):
can continue to bring in this fabulous program and coming
your way for free until next time. Stay happy, stay healthy,
stay sexy, and if you drink, stay tipsy.
Speaker 2 (55:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (55:35):
Tweeting and sliders dms on Twitter and Instagram. On the
Rocks on air, find everything on the Rocks for free
at on the Rocks Radio Show dot com. Subscribe, like, review,
and share,
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