POWERHOUSE vocalist Emi Secrest truly lives up to the name of the production she currently stars in: The Unbelievables.
“Music is a universal language and something people understand no matter their race, colour or creed,” Secrest said.
“When I’m singing it’s coming from my soul and I’m giving you everything that I have. I want you to be inspired and know that whatever it is that you want to do, you can go after it too.”
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWSecrest, a pastor’s daughter from Tennessee who lives in LA, is leading by example in following her dreams as an independent artist after spending five years as a background singer, touring 46 countries as Macy Gray’s backing vocalist.
“With that particular gig I was singing 70 per cent of the show and our cheques were very different,” Secrest said.
“I just saw how people were responding to me and it’s always been my goal to share my gift with as many people as possible. So I got ‘fearless’ tattooed on me and just went for it.”
She joined The Unbelievables after her good friend and the production’s director Neil Dorward gave her a call, saying she would be a perfect fit.
“He asked me to come out and audition and I’d never been to an audition before,” Secrest said.
“So I auditioned, met everyone, realised I’d get to miss the cold winter weather at home and said ‘Sign me up’.”
Secrest is joined in the show, from the producers of The Illusionists, by other ‘Unbelievables’ including former The Illusionists comic Harrison Greenbaum, The Transformationalists, The Virtuoso, The Titan, The Ventriloquist, a Deadly Games duo, The Dexterous Dynamo and more.
The format presents an entertaining spectacle of circus, magic, music, dance and acrobatic performances.
It is a world away from five-year-old Secrest’s first paid gig: singing in the square of Franklin, Tennessee.
“From there I went to a performing arts school when we moved to Memphis and that’s when I submerged myself in soul,” she said.
“Stax Records was there, so was Otis Redding, The Staple Singers, all these people are birthed from Memphis. It’s in the water, so I was drinking the water and got the bug too.”
THE ESSENTIALS
What: The Unbelievables
Where: Crown Theatre Perth
When: until January 28
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.au