“She’s once danced for Katy Perry, brushed shoulders with stars of Broadway, for years you’d be able to find her at Universal Studios Singapore, and most recently entertained us LIVE on Facebook for a night of 'Someone Like Adele'.
Vanessa Ellen Powell, graduate of LASALLE College of the Arts (Singapore) BA Hons Music Theatre, Advanced Dip Mus was born in Sydney Australia and she is a force to be reckoned with.
A powerhouse vocalist, loved by adorning fans in Australia and across Asia, Vanessa Powell has risen from the suburbs of Sydney to reach heights she could not have imagine when she first stepped on to the stage at the young age of 13.
"I was getting lessons in some way, shape or form actively studying drama, dance and singing. Growing up I was constantly entering singing talent quests and performing in live talent shows. I even tried my hand at playing the trombone in the school band. It was such a memorable time - my teenage years."
"As a 14 year I was asked to perform at Australia's Parliament House for the Prime Minister. Between the age of 15 to 18 years, I went on to win the prestigious Wollongong Eisteddfod as a vocalist four years running. It was a huge opportunity which allowed me to hone my craft even further,"
Vanessa has an impressive list of music theatre performances under her belt, including, The Sound of Music (1994) as Gretel Von-Trapp, The Sound of Music (1997) as Marta Von-Trapp, Annie Get Your Gun (1998) as Jesse, The Secret Garden (2000) in the lead role Mary Lennox, Footloose (2006) as Rusty Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat (2007) as The Narrator.
Your reporter caught up with Vanessa recently on Zoom, to chat about life, being a music theatre student in Singapore and her love of creating her most recent one woman show 'Someone Like Adele'.
"Going to LASALLE was a massive opportunity for me to hone my skills with the aim to become the well-rounded professional performer I feel I am today. It was a grilling three years - to say the least - under the direction of Tony McGill and Tony Knight as course directors.
We studied all forms of dance, acting, singing styles, music theory and piano lessons, not to forget the accent and dialect coaching. I even wrote a thesis to complete the Honours part of the program. The whole experience was a lot of fun, yet stressful at the same time."
Since graduating, Vanessa has worked in television and appeared in live performances. She has also found her passion to teach and to share her gift, recently becoming a business owner having launched her school VANESSAS Voices - teaching children and adults how to sing.
As a performer Vanessa has always been a go getter. "Setting up my singing school was a huge part of what I wanted to achieve coming back to Australia. So, as a result of the Coronavirus lockdown I have pivoted my business model to offer vocal coaching and singing lessons to students - old and new - in an online format."
While studying and living in Singapore, Vanessa secured contracts with Universal Studios, performed regularly at Marina Bay Sands, even secured a co-host gig for Singtel, Singapore's largest telecommunications network.
In 2018, on her return to Australia, Vanessa was asked to appear on the Channel 7 Television Production of “All Together Now” a music reality programme bringing together 100 of the nation’s finest singers/performers to judge contestents which was watched by millions of Australians across the Nation.
After mnay years of creative discovery and musical development, Vanessa is writing a one-women show. "We’ve been given the 'gift of time' during this lockdown. I am finally able to make my dream a reality. My most recent show, Someone Like Adele went LIVE on Facebook on 18 April 2020 and has now had over 2500 views. I was overwhelmed with the reception of a 'Loungeroom Show' - it was so much fun to produce - I even learned a thing or two"
All of Vanessa's gigs have been cancelled for the foreseeable future - much like every professional performer and creative professional on the planet. That in itself is a huge loss in income and obviously creates a certain sense of anxiety. I am keeping my spirits high and bringing Someone Like Adele to as many viewers who are prepared to listen and enjoy my shows - Online.
In Vanessa's quirky and endearing way, she smiles and laughs declaring she was a little out of her depth putting the Facebook LIVE show together. " You’d never guess, I'm technically challenged when it comes to anything digital. As the saying goes – you never stop learning. That’s the understatement of the year. I finally understood what a WATCH party was on Facebook. Does that make me a seasoned pro?"
Catch Vanessa this Saturday Night 9 May 2020 when she presents COVID CABARET...Introducing Vanessa Ellen Powell, Saturday 9 May 9:30pm (Singapore, Malaysia) on Facebook LIVE
