Wonderland Burlesque: Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Laura Branigan

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Laura Branigan

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip:

Laura Branigan

In my big gay church, there are many, many wings. One is dedicated to those referred to as Forever Our Girls. They are the girls next door. The ones who seemed accessible, real and a part of every day life while stealing our hearts with their girlish charms. And they did it all wrapped up in the trappings of whatever was topping the charts at the time. Sounds changed. Styles came and went, but the one thing that remained constant? Their voice.

One such aching songstress?

Laura Branigan.

After an abortive start, the lady hit it big, right out the gate.

Gloria was everywhere, and for good reason; it was fun and catchy as hell.

In fact, this diva had a way with finding tunes that resonated on the radio and in dance clubs.

It was the kind of Euro pop that her incredible pipes leant just the right edge to.

However, she also had a softer side, for this beauty adored her ballads.

With a tremolo so tight, and a knowing ache in her throat, she could weave the story of a heartbreak like very few.

We lost her quite suddenly, unexpectedly and much too soon.

Still, her legacy lives on, as does the adoration of her fans.

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The topic? The Universal Language of Music

"I've always loved music, but growing up, I was painfully shy. I could never imagine having the courage to stand up on stage, alone. I favored sports. In fact when I was in high school, we received a proposition for me to train to get into the American team for the Olympic Games... in two specialties; swimming and running! You see, I was really far from the idea of becoming a performer."

"I was in the choir, in my high school and I had a great singing teacher. In fact, it was that teacher who convinced me that music was my life. Thanks that intervention, I realized that my shyness vanished completely when I was on stage. So I dropped the out of the top-level sport. Though, while continuing to play squash and tennis, I devoted myself fully to what has to become my life. I also took some acting classes... which today, is very useful to me."

"When you're on stage, the audience becomes your other half. It's the ultimate high you can reach as a musician - an incredible feeling. And no matter where I am it's still the same; there's a reason we call music the universal language."

"There's nothing more satisfying for a vocalist, to find a song that's just packed with all of that emotion and have the vocal range as well. So that you're completely wrung dry when you're through singing it. I think that pain is the greatest, the most powerful emotion in the world. Reaching an audience through pain... the greatest thing is to see them sit there and cry."