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Counter-tenor John Holiday from 'The Voice' to perform in LA
John Holiday performs at Cicada Restaurant on Saturday.
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Counter-tenor John Holiday performs selections from the Great American Songbook this Saturday at Cicada Restaurant with an 18-piece Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra ensemble.
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Counter-tenor John Holiday from 'The Voice' to perform in LA
Why it matters: Holiday — who wowed judges on NBC's The Voice four years ago — is bringing the counter-tenor voice out of opera houses and making it accessible to everyone. He's a young Black man, classically trained and suave, defying audience expectations.
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Why now: Holiday sees this as a call for artists to represent their time. "What I know we need right now is love, joy, light, and hope," he said. The program features classic works by Harold Arlen, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and others.
The backstory: Counter-tenors are male singers who perform in a female range — think Frankie Lymon or Michael Jackson at their highest notes. Holiday was bullied growing up for singing high, but never stopped. He's performed at the Met and Carnegie Hall, but deliberately chooses accessible venues like Cicada.
What's next: The concert takes place in the 1928 Art Deco Oviatt Building at 617 S. Olive St., Los Angeles. The dance floor will stay open for anyone inspired to swing, foxtrot, or jitterbug. Grammy-nominated composer Chris Walden arranged the music and leads the ensemble.
Go deeper: Tickets start at $28 at the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra website. Listen to the full interview with John Holiday on LAist 89.3's Morning Edition with Austin Cross.
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