London mums, get ready to grab your feather boas, vintage frocks, and swing into an unforgettable night! To celebrate The Puppini Sisters’ sensational 20th anniversary, London Mums Magazine had a chat with the trio.
Known for their spellbinding close harmonies and playful spin on jazz and swing, The Puppini Sisters have captivated audiences worldwide since 2004. From their first album (which, by the way, broke jazz records!) to stunning collaborations with icons like Michael Bublé, they’ve become masters of blending vintage charm with modern flair. Their shows are famous for a glorious mix of toe-tapping tunes, dazzling outfits, and timeless banter – and this anniversary tour promises to be their best yet!
The Puppini Sisters will belt out fan favourites, jazzy reworks of classics, and a few surprises that’ll have you shimmying in your seat! Swing your way through classics from the golden age, plus a Puppini twist on hits from other decades, making it the perfect night out for anyone who loves a good tune, a bit of sparkle, and a whole lot of fun.
Monica: Twenty years of swingin’ harmonies! Do you remember your first “Aha!” moment where you thought, “Yes, this trio is going to be something special?”
Marcella: Yes! We’d been getting together at my place for a couple of months, eating pasta, drinking copious amounts of wine, and honing our craft through transcribing Andrews Sisters and Boswell Sisters arrangements (and trying out our own too). That’s when we decided to start gigging the material.
We reached out to a few people I’d met through the London cabaret scene, where I’d been performing since leaving college.
We soon started getting booked for lots of different kinds of gigs, including opening for a punk band at a seedy Soho club. The reaction we got (including from the very stylish kids at the punk gig) was so enthusiastic, we suddenly realised we had something quite special.
Monica: Since you’re so good at giving old songs a new twist and new songs an old twist, is there any song out there you thought, “Nope, we just can’t Puppini-fy that one”?
Marcella: There’s absolutely nothing we won’t try. If we love a song, nothing can come between us and its “Puppinification.” However, there have been a few notable car crashes along the way.
Note to any aspiring close-harmony arrangers: steer clear of Purple Rain! And give Welcome to the Jungle a wide berth too.
Monica: For your upcoming tour, can we expect any unexpected surprises – a cheeky costume change, some disco in the mix, or maybe a hidden kazoo solo?
Marcella: Have you been spying on our rehearsals? There will definitely be some surprises, and since December is only a few days away, we may feel an irresistible need to add a little festive touch.
Monica: Marcella, Kate, Emma – if each of you were a different vintage cocktail, what would you be and why?
Marcella: A Negroni with a twist of blood orange – bold, classic, and utterly unique, with an uncompromising finish.
Kate: A sparkling elderflower and mint mocktail – light, refreshing, and elegantly refined.
Emma: A Champagne Cocktail with 24-carat gold flakes – luxurious, extravagant, and utterly unforgettable.
Monica: With so many albums under your belt, if you could steal one song from any artist in history to record as your own, what would it be? And how would you Puppini it up?
Marcella: Ha! That’s a great question.
There’s a particular new addition to our set that fits the bill perfectly. Think early ’80s big hair and big drama, and a video featuring demonic angel-children.
And how did we Puppini it up? With camp, swinging drama, a rock-out solo, and an elegiac moment in the middle – of course!
Monica: In the early days, did you ever imagine you’d be on Michael Bublé’s speed dial or performing for royalty? Be honest – what was more nerve-wracking, meeting Bublé or King Charles?
Marcella: Aww, that’s so lovely to hear! Meeting Bublé was probably the more nerve-wracking experience because that involved flying out to LA to record at Capitol Studios with David Foster as the producer.
As an aside, Bublé actually confessed he was terrified before meeting us because of all the “diva demands” we made prior to flying out: that we do our own vocal arrangement, and that we be addressed as ladies in the song, rather than girls.
Jokes aside, though, neither meeting was actually scary because of how utterly charming and lovely both gentlemen were.
Monica: You’ve got such a classic sound, yet your journey has been anything but ordinary! What’s the most bizarre or unexpected thing that’s happened on tour?
Marcella: It’s a toss-up between having my husband stand behind us as we performed on a very narrow bar counter at Vivienne Westwood’s Christmas party in case we fell off, being carried on stage at Glastonbury to protect our gowns from the mud, or having three super-glamorous (and bearded) drag queens dressed as each of us in the audience at a festival in Italy.
Monica: Crowdfunding has helped keep you connected to fans and making music. What’s the strangest fan request you’ve ever received during a campaign?
Marcella: I don’t think our fans get to make any strange requests because we seem to pre-empt them with our offers. From writing songs to serenade their significant other with, to having them come to the studio and play with us (or sing on stage with us), to writing a cookbook for them, or inviting them for a lavish dinner at my house, we’ve done it all!
Monica: If you could only sing one song for the rest of your life – only one! – which would it be, and how would you keep it fresh after all these years?
Marcella: Wuthering Heights! We’d probably turn it into a full-length close-harmony opera, complete with wild dancing in the forest and a full orchestra.
Monica: Looking back, what’s been the funniest wardrobe malfunction or onstage blooper that still makes you laugh?
Marcella: Each of us has, at one time or another, experienced the joy of a busted zip or a heel getting caught in a crack on stage and snapping clean off, or a bird falling off our headpieces.
But the best one was during one of our early press showcases when we received a note on stage from one of our team at Universal that read: “DON’T PANIC!! Marcella’s dress has come undone.”
The drama of it was absolutely brilliant. What could be more reassuring than getting a note that says, “DON’T PANIC!!”?
Monica: The Puppini Sisters have been going strong for two decades! If the next 20 years hold animal husbandry in the countryside, which farm animal do each of you secretly identify with?
Marcella: A fox – clever, creative, and with a love for the finer things, but always a little mysterious.
Kate: A heron – elegant and striking, with a penchant for witty repartee and a love for striding through the countryside in the crisp morning air.
Emma: A Persian cat – technically not a farm animal, but undeniably luxurious, a bit of a diva, and happiest when being utterly adored.
Monica: Lastly, is there a secret harmony trick you can teach us in one sentence? Because we’d all love to feel like an honorary Puppini Sister – even if we can’t carry a tune!
Marcella: Your voice is not just coming from your own vocal chords when you’re singing in harmony: it’s coming from three different sets, and you must surrender to the blend!
The Puppini Sisters are performing at the Cadogan Hall in London on 30 November and at the Stables in Milton Keynes oon 4th December 2024.
