Mica Paris is no stranger to Dubai. The first time she came here, she says, there were only two hotels.
“Look at it now. It’s fantastic. I’m there pretty much every year,” Paris told Gulf News tabloid! over the phone, ahead of her Dubai Opera performance on March 16.
The soulful singer is bringing her signature brand of gospel to the repertoire of jazz queen Ella Fitzgerald, as part of her latest show, Mica sings Ella. She fills us in on what she has planned.
Can you tell us a bit about the Mica sings Ella show you’re bringing to Dubai?
It’s my interpretation of Ella Fitzgerald with my quartet. She’s kind of an unsung hero. Her music is incredible and her vocals were insane. What’s wonderful, what’s made this show a success, is that I’ve made it Mica’s version of Ella.
What have the shows in the UK been like so far?
They’ve gone down a storm. We’re getting teenagers all the way to 70 years olds. This is the joke! My soul audience is usually 28 and up. To get these young kids coming in, as well as old people in the same room, it’s amazing.
How did your interest in Ella Fitzgerald begin?
She had a centenary last year — she would have been 100. But my interest in Ella started when I was a little girl. I was about seven years old and there was an advert on TV. Back then, there weren’t many black people on TV, besides the Jackson 5 cartoon in the morning.
She would come on this advert for Memorex tapes, singing and breaking the glass. That was my introduction to this Ella Fitzgerald lady. I had to ask my parents, ‘Who is that woman who breaks the glass when she sings?’ She had an amazing range. She didn’t have a voice that sounded like any other black singer — she’s a little bit like Nat King Cole like that. Their voices superseded colour.
A lot of black musicians back in the day didn’t get their due credit, even though they were some of the most innovative musicians out there. Have times changed in that regard?
Times have changed quite a bit. If you’ve got people like Jay-Z and Beyonce at the top of the food chain, yes, black musicians are getting their fair due a bit more. But there’s still way more improvement to be had, absolutely.
More generally, is there anyone out there that has excited you or caught your attention?
There’s a lot of great music out there. Unfortunately, because there’s so much choice, you’re not really getting to find out who’s great.
It’s very oversaturated.
It’s a bit like walking around the supermarket in a daze. There’s too much choice. [laughs] Like, ‘God, how many types of beans are there?’ Do you know what I mean?
You have two children — do they turn you onto the music they listen to?
Yeah, the little one. They always do. And thank god your children educate you with these things, because I probably wouldn’t have a clue.
*Tickets to see Mica sings Ella start from Dh195.
