The Melbourne cabaret scene gets très magnifique as Michele trades her hiatus for high heels and aerial hoops.
Viva is undoubtedly flying the flag for cabaret in Melbourne, and at the end of the month, they are bringing in a touch of Paris via their new production, L’Amour.
L’Amour will be a journey through the French cobblestone streets, diving into the elegant, fashion-filled days and seductive, mysterious nights. We caught up with one of the performers, Michele Braid Topcu, to understand more about the concept behind the show.
“The theme of the show is based on Emily in Paris and encompasses all kinds of performances from aerialists to singing through to ballet and even pole,” explains Topcu. “I will be performing as a vocalist, dancer and also have a moment on the lyra hoop. Singing my two singles, These Boots Are Made for Walking and Take Me for a Ride.
“Jason and Sinasi from Iconic Events are not only masters at creating shows that are big, bold spectacles but they still manage to hold safe spaces for artists to fully express themselves and their talents. That is powerful!”
L’AMOUR
- When: 6:30pm on Sunday, 31 August
- Where: VIVA Melbourne
- Tickets on sale now
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It’s been a minute since Michele has performed on stage, and being lowered from the ceiling on an aerial lyra hoop, in 6-inch diamante heels whilst singing, seems like the perfect re-entry.
“I have been practising at an incredible aerial and pole school where they have been teaching me incredible tricks. The artists who do this are absolutely phenomenal, and I take my hat off to them all. I have been rehearsing with the cast and trying to include lots of strength training so that I can at least try and keep up.”
No stranger to performing on stages all over the world, Michele has been a part of Top of the Pops, MTV, and the Brit Awards, as well as performing for many years in Paris as a showgirl in the famous Pink Paradise, which was owned by David Guetta.
“Each of those experiences has shaped me, and so when I was offered the opportunity to perform in L’Amour, I couldn’t refuse. After a long hiatus, being on stage felt scary, but everyone in the cast was so supportive that there was no way I could pass up the opportunity to perform again.”
Michele’s new single, Take Me For a Ride, will be the focus of her performance, a song that she explains is close to the bone.
“Take Me for a Ride is softer than most of my other songs; it’s a love song. Usually, I lean into that sassy, bold, kick-ass feminine energy. Still, I have a deep interest in empowering others and have also been heartbroken, so this song was the start of me letting go and really getting vulnerable and raw, which subsequently provided so much healing.
“As a woman, I found that I had lost my voice in relationships. This song is about knowing that you have the potential of being hurt by someone, but trusting that the universe has your back and just wholeheartedly leaning into it, fearlessly.”
When Topcu was invited to join L’Amour and heard it would be at VIVA, she knew it was the perfect fit.
“Cabaret is about variety, about bringing all the arts together, singers, dancers, aerialists, burlesque, pole, the lot. It’s not just entertainment, it’s community. And Melbourne is hungry for it right now. For me, cabaret feels like home. I’ve always been a performance artist. It’s not just about performing, it’s about creating and building the next chapter of live art in Melbourne.”
Topcu has a new album on the way called Daddy Issues, which she explains as vulnerable but strong, emotional but empowering, with lyrics lifted straight from a series of novels she has been writing.
“The album is a journey through life; it includes all the messy bits in between. It’s playful in places, and painfully honest in others. Just like life, I also touch on my experience with domestic violence and some really difficult topics that we sometimes find hard to talk about.
“I really want people to feel seen in it, to dance, to cry, to laugh, and maybe even feel a little bit braver after listening. It’s not only about personal experience, but also about how we’re all navigating life in a rapidly changing world.”
L’AMOUR takes place at 6:30pm on Sunday, August 31st at VIVA Melbourne. Tickets are available now.
