The backstage of a burlesque show is a magical place. As the audience settles with their cocktails and hope, alchemy occurs behind the velvet curtain. From dirty backpacks, teachers, physical therapists, and legal data entry workers strip off their uniforms and pull out feathered costumes, transforming themselves into objects of power and desire - burlesque performers. As a songwriter who’s performed on burlesque stages for 14 years, I’ve collected a series of songs inspired by this most magical space: backstage. The resulting album is ‘Make Way for the DJ’ a musical tribute to burlesque performers who are dedicated to creating their own images of sexual power. This grant covers the costs of mixing and mastering the album, as well as payment for performers for a release show in Brooklyn’s historic Coney Island USA.

Photo by Maike Schulz