Sisters of electro-swing
Like many performers in the entertainment industry, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdowns stalled the careers of actor/singers Carly Marie Corey, Savannah Lynn and Noel Christine.
Rather than wait for the theaters to open back up, however, the three performers decided to take charge of their careers by forming the electro-swing band, Fox Blush Trio.
Corey and Lynn, both Seattle residents, initially started the band in May of 2020. The two friends agreed they wanted to do something positive with their musical theater backgrounds while they couldn’t perform on stage by recording songs, making music videos and releasing music. Corey said she and Lynn have been friends for more than three years, and they met Noel Christine during the pandemic during a search for an alto singer.
“We thought it was a great opportunity to start creating and launching our own work,” Corey said.
The result was harmonious, and the trio launched their band under the name Blush Fox Trio.
“It was kind of crazy because none of us had jobs, so we could really put all of that energy that we were putting into other things into creating this,” Corey said.
An added bonus, she said, was their friends were also in the same situation, so they invited friends who were free to collaborate. They hired friends to dance in their videos and another to design their costumes.
“Although the pandemic was horrible, it kind of opened up some opportunity for us to really get a head start,” Corey said.
Corey is the songwriter and arranges the vocals and produces the music with her husband. They meet once or twice a week in Corey’s Queen Anne apartment to practice and rent space when they want to record or practice choreography.
“I think we all, we’re at this point where we’re kind of taking control of our careers and building our own thing, which feels really fantastic,” Corey said.
She said not only is the trio’s chemistry and “vocal blend” great, pivoting away from theater allows them more freedom. She said, as actors, a lot of their careers are decided by other people, starting with the theater auditioning and being “given permission to do our craft,” Corey said.
“This way, we get to take the reins a little bit and creative control,” she added.
Lynn said electro swing is an emerging genre of music that has been pretty niche for a while but has been gaining more of a mainstream sound recently.
Corey said the electro-swing genre can be broad but essentially takes Big Band-era swing that has a nostalgic feel and layering pop beats and bass on top.
“I feel like right now people are really craving nostalgia and going back to a simpler time,” Lynn said about the music’s appeal. “Electro-swing is a good way to bring the old and the new together.”
Corey said, when deciding on a direction for their music, they drew on their shared love for old Hollywood vintage music, The Andrews Sisters and the 1940s’ sound in general, while adding their own sound and making it more modern and exciting.
“We wanted something to make us stand out, too, so when we got to the electro sound, we got really excited,” Corey said.
In addition to their original songs, Blush Fox Trio also performs covers of remixed pop songs with a vintage twist and jazz standards that are familiar to everyone, Corey said.
The band members also put their artistic flair on display in performances. Their look incorporates vintage Hollywood and features dresses from that era, the popular victory hair rolls of the day and a bold red lip.
Blush Fox Trio is beginning to attract more notice in Seattle, as well. The group has a live performance lined up on Nov. 5 at the Jewel Box Rendezvous and has inquiries pouring in for the Christmas season and next spring, Corey said.
The trio is also excited about an album they are featured on with other female electro-swing artists from around the world called “Swing Sisters,” which was released in September. To order the album, go to smarturl.it/swingsisters1. People can follow Blush Fox Trio on their website, blushfoxtrio.com, which has links to their music videos, or visit the Blush Fox Trio YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXjLrfnh2gvZ35_e4UFJ37Q.