Virtual Vadge
Washington DC native Melissa
Totten has been a Madonna impersonator,
one who actually sings instead of lip-synching, for nearly 25
years. She has appeared all over the world, in Australia, Turkey,
Japan, India, Mexico and London, UK, where she is now based. She
also played Vadge for six years in Las Vegas with Legends
in Concert, the largest touring impersonation company in
the world. In the last couple of years, Totten has started releasing
CDs of her Madonna covers, including her latest, the brilliant
Madonnalicious: A Dance Floor Dedication to Madonna,
available on all major music download sites. The CD is a collaboration
with remixers Klubkidz and includes the completely
recreated hits “Erotica,” “Ray of Light,” “Express Yourself” and
“Like A Prayer.” For any serious Madonna fan who just can’t get
enough, Madonnalicious is quite entertaining. Not only
does Totten sound eerily like Madonna, but the remixes themselves
are well done, catchy and a lot of fun. Hearing the older tracks
updated for today’s dancefloor is exhilarating.
It’s quite shocking, with Toronto exhibiting
such rabid Madonnamania, that Totten hasn’t been hired to perform
here yet. “I’ve heard amazing things about Toronto and have some
fabulous fans and great friends there,” she gushes in her first
Canadian interview. “I work in a show in Berlin that’s kind of
a variety show for impersonators. Some of the most talented acts
are from Toronto. When it’s time to move back across the pond,
Toronto is on my list of possibilities.”
“My singing is always totally live,” emphasizes Totten, who still
practises a skill that even major performers like Britney
have abandoned. “Singers have the ability to truly entertain an
audience on several levels and are able to communicate and connect
with the audience.”
Totten has yet to meet or hear any feedback from the world’s most
famous cougar, but she does know some of her friends. “I know
people who have worked with her, for her, danced on tour with
her, dated her, etc,” dishes Totten. “Luis Camacho
is a dear friend. He toured with Madonna on the Blonde Ambition
tour and choreographed ‘Vogue.’ He knew her before that. Luis
has been an amazing friend and supports me a lot. I also toured
Japan with Oliver Crumes [a dancer from the Blonde
Ambition tour who appeared in the Truth or Dare
movie along with Camacho]. It was bizarre to do that dance break
in ‘Vogue’ with him; it gave me chills every time.”
Totten is working
on something that she hopes will finally get the divine diva’s
attention. “I have a great opportunity, this week actually, to
do some recording that Madonna will most likely hear,” she gushes.
“That’s all I can say at the moment, but I hope she likes it,
as I love her so.”
Reviews:
 |
Corinne Bailey Rae – The Sea (EMI)
Her husband died a year and a half ago after tragically mixing
meth and alcohol, so one might expect the sophomore release
from this Grammy award-winning UK artist to be depressing.
There are a couple of downer tracks, but Rae has somehow outdone
her first album, which sold four million copies, by filling
The Sea with gorgeous, sweet neo-soul pop done to
perfection. Rating: 8/10 |
 |
Anjulie – Rain (single remixes) (Hear Music)
The Toronto native is likely to score another major Billboard
dance hit with “Rain,” from her debut album released by the
Starbucks label, Hear. This caffeinated boutique label has
taken on fewer than a dozen artists, but those artists include
Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell
and Sia. After several massive US dance hits,
this remix is aimed squarely at the gay club scene, with the
cute and well-loved DJ Escape and Tony
Coluccio turning “Rain” into a driving, fun anthem.
Rating: 7/10 |
daniel
paquette
tunes@fabmagazine.com
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