The stage has always been home to me since I was a child. With a background in musical theatre, the prospect of making my debut album into a live show has always been so exciting. The time had finally come to create a tour!

The first thing I wanted to decide upon was a world where the show would take place. This whole process started shortly after the release of my first Remix EP. A previously unreleased track called “Voodoo” that I wrote with Sam Sparro gained a lot of praise. I was inspired to write it after my first trip to New Orleans. The city has such a rich history and an incredible energy. I was listening to the song on a plane ride and all of a sudden was hit with an epiphany! What if the entire concert was set there?! Images started coming to mind as I anxiously began jotting down notes. The common thread amongst most of my songs is relationship in some form or another. So now I had a world out of which I could weave an emotional story based on my music! The Glam Nation Tour was born!

The next step was to find someone to help me make these concepts a reality. I had the perfect woman in mind; Stephanie Roos. Stephanie is a former dancer who has helped direct tours with some of the biggest names in music. (Madonna) I had worked w her previously on the AMA production and we clicked right away. She and I think very much alike and she too is willing to take risks. (and she’s a fellow Aquarius, like me) She has worked with my guitar player Monte Pittman (thru Madonna) years and had a great report with my dancer Brooke Wendle during the AMA’s and FYE video. Monte had been made musical director for the tour and Brooke the Choreographer. For costumes and styling I brought in the insanely talented and beautiful Trish Summerville who hails from New Orleans. Along with my amazing Tour manager David Ellison, our creative team was complete!

When putting together the set list, the flow was a priority. From a technical angle, I knew I’d be performing in roughly 70 cities over the summer! Many of my songs are VERY vocally strenuous. So I worked w a vocal coach to get the keys right and to make sure I’d be able to give the audience my best voice each night. Artistically, I wanted to tell a story with my songs. Certain songs are more classically band driven, and then there are songs that are theatrically staged with choreography. The show is 60 minutes long, so we also had to pick which songs to perform and which to leave on the shelf for another time. The theme in the beginning of the show is about seduction and venturing into uncharted, mystical and enlightening territory. The second half is a lighter celebration of friendship and love and liberation. In the middle is a mostly acoustic set that explores heartache and vulnerability. Something I wanted to avoid, particularly at the beginning was allowing the set to feel like it was starting and stopping. The first section of the show is carefully crafted to transition seamlessly from song to song so that the action never stops, Coming from the theatre, I’ve learned that this is one of the methods a great show uses to keep the audiences attention.

I have one of the most talented group of musicians working with me! I’ve written music with Monte for years. He’s the best guitar player I know. He has a huge heart and I’m so glad he’s with me on this journey. (A tender Scorpio) Not only can Tommy kill on the bass, but also he and I believe so faithfully in the glam look and lifestyle. He is also willing to get controversial all in the sake of great entertainment. Friend for life. (Beautiful Libra) Longineu is a powerhouse! He has amazing talent and his energy is intense and dominant. Perfect for my music! (Another Aquarius) Our newest addition, Cam is the icing on our cake. She is so highly skilled on the keys, and she has a gorgeous voice. Her addition blew my mind. I knew we’d be lucky to have her. She’s grounded and smart and often a welcome voice of reason. (earthy Capricorn)

Dance is something that I’ve always been close to. I’ve danced in practically every musical I’ve been in. When putting together the album, I wanted songs with heavy dance beats to move to. It was vital to bring a small group of dancers with me on this tour because I felt they would help physicalize the emotion in these songs and help me tell the story. All four of them have their own distinct personalities, look and style. Brooke and Terrence were actually in “Wicked” the musical with me for years all before Idol. We are like siblings. When we’re together we laugh nonstop. (Brooke is another Aquarius and Terrence another Libra.) Taylor and Sasha have so much raw talent and represent the next generation. They are both relatively new to “the biz” and it’s a treat to give them this opportunity for growth. They are both fiery Leos. (I LOVE astrology. Can you tell?) I’ve always been fond of the idea that you are the company you keep. My family of musicians and dancers are vital to this show. They are part of my vision to keep the audience fully entertained and inspired. But what happens when I need inspiration? Love? I will surely receive tons of positive energy from the audiences night after night, but when I get back on the bus or have a day off, life on the road can become draining. These 8 performers are my family. They will be the one constant over the next few months. They have all been carefully chosen because of the combination of their talent and spirits. When we come together onstage we will create magic because of our offstage magic.

The look of the show is an element that is almost as important to me as the music itself. When discussing the look with Trish, I knew I wanted to go a little turn of the century mixed with modern elements. We partnered up with one of my favorite fashion lines, Skingraft Designs, to create some custom pieces and give our world a fashion thru line. We also wanted to throw in tribal elements to bring out an earthier, gypsy look. We of course want to ultimately pull it all together in leather and rhinestones so that the whole thing is GLAM and clearly not taking itself too seriously. Our rock n roll inspirations were Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Jim Morrison and Adam Ant. There is definitely a psychedelic edge to everything. Trish and I have so much fun creating together!
Visually, I knew I wanted super- saturated lighting that created this dreamlike environment. I got my lasers too!!! I put lots of time into the projections we are using as well. I even went online to seek out lots of the key imagery we are working with. I want this world to be a full sensory experience.

I am confident we have put together a show FAR beyond the price of the ticket. I am looking forward to connecting with fans all across the world with this show. My intention is to promote Love, acceptance, self-empowerment, and joy thru moments of sheer escape and others of disarming honesty. I hope you all get all glammed up and enjoy it!