Vanessa Sheren is a Vancouver-based singer, dancer, and visual artist. She has been performing locally in cover bands and burlesque groups for five years. Her current music projects include lead vocals for Live Wire (Motley Crue tribute) and Midlife Crisis (90s rock covers). Additionally, Vanessa performs with the Vancity Vixens, a Cabaret/burlesque group.
As an up-and-coming performer, the pandemic could not have come at a worse time. Vanessa had had a successful show a few weeks before the province-wide lockdown and had numerous shows booked in the coming months. Then everything went silent.
This interview begins with her speaking about how the fans and the band can create an atmosphere in which they support and “feed” off each other’s energy. However, now that the pandemic has shuttered music venues from small theatres to stadiums and festivals, artists are forced into the virtual realm losing their primary connection with the audience. She further explains how she coped and refocused her creative energy into other projects, such as virtual burlesque shows and gigs in small bars. Vanessa wraps up her interview with her hopes for returning to performing live in some capacity and what governments can do to support the arts industry.
Vanessa is interviewed by Patricia Chisholm.