Reinventing Music with Therese Curatolo

27 Jul

We kick off Season One of The Social Flyer by spending the day with Therese Curatolo, a Hollywood-based musician who tours with both Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox and Scary Pockets. She’s a genre-hopping singer who is seemingly reinventing music.

Tell us about yourself in a few sentences, what is your story?

My Mom decided my “uniqueness” the day I was born so instead of naming me “Teresa” which could’ve been easy & painless, she had to name me Therese, no ‘a’ and let’s add an ‘h’ to really confuse the masses”) Pronounced, “Tur-EECE.”

I come from Reno Nevada, aka: “The Biggest Little City in the world” - coming from a family of musicians, I’ve been singing since I could speak taking my vocal performance to a graduate study in Operatic Voice. Before the immersive musical education, I was playing the guitar and writing music. I’ve been coined a “vocal chameleon” and I guess my virtuosity has taken me from the Metropolitan Opera stage to various stages and “playlists” all over the world.

How long have you been singing?

I have been singing since I could speak! Dad still has all the home videos and recordings.

Which musicians inspire you the most?

The Beatles, hands down - they are my all time favourite!

Tell us about your family - are you the only musician?

I am not the only musician - My father is a professional musician and he is the reason I am who I am. He came from a family of classical musicians (which explains my desire to study classical music). My younger Brother is also an incredibly talented musician/producer. Mom is our biggest cheerleader.

Where would you say is the place to listen to live music in LA?

The Hotel Café, baby - its on North Cahuenga Boulevard and it is a great place to relax and listen to some incredible performers.

“Dear Disney: let me sing in your films!”

What goals have set yourself within a five year plan and how are you going to achieve it?

I’ve got goals and the “how’s” are at the domain of The Universe. Right now, I’m so enjoying putting out music that keeps listeners engaged and thirsty for something different with every release. Eventually, I’ll have to organise it into something called an “album” HA!

Let’s do more touring, let’s collaborate with some killer colleagues and dear Disney: let me sing in your films!

What would you say is best experience of your career so far? Is there a gig or venue where you have performed at that is particularly memorable?

I’ve been having such a blast, honestly it’s hard to pin point one specific experience. Traveling and seeing the world with some of my favorite humans, playing incredible music and bringing others so much joy is a real gift. Singing with the godfather of melody, Stevie Wonder is high up on the list though.

*OH: having “Happy Birthday” sung to me by a beautiful audience on the incredible London Palladium stage… priceless.

What’s your favorite meal before a gig?

Oooofff if I could eat anything before a gig it would be a salad with salmon - I typically don’t eat too close to show time because of the way I bounce around and all of my peers know: give her an iced espresso and she’s OFF to the races!

If you were stuck on an island with one record, what would it be?

I could NEVER answer this question. Never.

“Singing with the godfather of melody, Stevie Wonder is high up on the list of favourite music experiences.”

There has been a resurgence in Jazz over the last five years - why do you think that is?

That’s Jazz, baby! The best part about music, Jazz especially, is how imperfect and present it is. I don’t know about you but with everything being over saturated in perfectionism & “what’s next,” Jazz is refreshing in its’ raw authenticity.