Intrepid roving cabaret reporter Jason Reid goes to meet Adele lookalike Roxy C. Moorecox!
She wowed the London folk earlier in the year with her uncanny Adele look and performance, as well as her sensational vocal abilities. Seven foot tall (in heels), Roxy C Moorecox is what’s known in the drag world as a triple threat – a true rarity. A proficient gender illusionist. A perfect lip syncer. And a sensational singer. She jets back into London this week from her native Charlotte, North Carolina to perform at some of Central London’s favourite cabaret dens.
Jason Reid took time out to find out what makes Roxy tick, musically. Which ten tracks could she simply not live without? This is Roxy’s Music…
Hold On – Wilson Philips
I loved this song long before Will.i.am, Detox and Vicki parodied it with Chow Down at Chik-fil-a. I loved their sound more than anything, but a reminder that “this, too, shall pass” is nice to hear every now and then.
I Can’t Make You Love Me – Bonnie Raitt (Adele’s version)
The ultimate sad song combined with one of my favorite voices of all time. The soul that Adele puts into her performances is tangible. That’s just one of the reasons I love impersonating her.
Strut – Adam Lambert
This is my getting ready to go out clubbing song. A fun song with a great beat that makes you want to put on your favorite pair of underwear and hit the town.
For the Longest Time – Billy Joel
One of my earliest song memories. A capela brilliance.
Sweeney Todd
As a Musical Theatre buff, a cast recording must make the list. Stephen Sondheim is a living musical genius, and this show tops my list! Favorite recording would be the Patti Lupone/George Hearn concert version, but my favorite performance would be the recent West End one featuring Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball. Loved it!
Move On – Sunday In The Park With George: Bernadette Peters solo version.
This is just a beautiful song with a fantastic message. So many times in my life I’ve felt stagnant or stuck in a situation; wondering what to do next, over analyzing, worrying about possible outcomes. For me, the line: “I chose and my world was shaken, so what? The choice may have been mistaken, the choosing was not. You have to move on.” encourages me to take on the world one day at a time, because mistakes are gonna happen, it’s how you handle them that counts. Keep going! You can do it!
In My Life – For The Boys Soundtrack – Bette Midler
Bette is one of my inspirations for my drag persona, for her comedy, talent and creativity. but this song earns it’s spot because of it’s message. I performed this song at my home bar the night before I moved out of town (due to being kicked out of my house for being gay). It will always have a special place in my heart.
The Main Event – Barbra Streisand
A guilty disco pleasure and a reminder that Babs isn’t just about ballads. Many of my friends know that my three B’s are not Bach, Brahms, and Beethoven, but actually Barbra, Bette, and Bernadette, as illustrated in my precious three selections!
Shadows of the Night – Pat Benatar
This makes the list if only for the first thirty seconds of the song. The best opening thirty seconds of any song, ever.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Judy Garland
Judy, Judy, Judy! The ultimate entertainer. This song should be on every gay man’s list, but I love the song because I’m a dreamer too. I love traveling and performing. Currently I get to blend the two for my living and this opportunity to fly over the pond to work in London is just about as close to flying over the rainbow as you can get.
You can see that there isn’t a lot of top 40 on my list. Honourable mentions go to Fun, P!nk, and Maroon 5.
Roxy C. Moorecox’s UK schedule looks like this: Halfway 2 Heaven on Friday 20th September; The Two Brewers, also on Friday 20th; Halfway 2 Heaven on Sunday 22nd September; Trannyshack Soho on Wednesday 25th September and The Green Carnation on Thursday 26th.
