BIO
About Mandy
"Mandy is an engaging emerging jazz singer with real charm, a lovely voice,
and a winning stage presence. " ~ Greta Matassa, Award Winning Jazz Vocalist
and a winning stage presence. " ~ Greta Matassa, Award Winning Jazz Vocalist
Music is Mandy’s first love. In her formative years, Mandy received classical voice training, sang with a professional choir, and performed in numerous theatrical productions throughout her native San Francisco Bay Area. She won recognition along the way, including a “Command Performance” award in the Solo Performance category at the California State Talent Competition in 1995. She attended the elite arts high school Idyllwild Arts Academy, where she majored in Musical Theater. Upon graduating, she spent a summer sampling a different kind of singing – Rock – at Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in the U.K.
Then, something shifted. Approaching a career-defining college decision, the prospect of a future in the unpredictable music industry suddenly felt intimidating in a way it never had before. This fear prompted her to change course. Mandy chose to attended Northwestern University and pursue a degree in Communication Studies. Upon graduating, she entered the (more predictable) world of corporate marketing, finding creative outlets in design and copywriting. Music became the “path not taken” – until 2015.
After nearly 17 years of neglecting her earliest passion, Mandy sought a way back to music. She found it in a simple but life-changing step: an audition. From that audition, Mandy was cast in a John Bisceglie production, Broadway Song & Dance, and she made her official “comeback” in that 2015 performance. Several more musical revues followed. Meanwhile, Mandy discovered an art form that leveraged her musical theater training, while bridging her varied musical interests: cabaret.
In early 2016, Mandy made her cabaret debut at Society Cabaret San Francisco with the acclaimed two-woman show, A Blonde And A Redhead Walk Into A Bar. Later that year, her burgeoning second career brought her to Los Angeles, where Mandy debuted her first solo cabaret show, I Don't Need A Map, at Tom Rolla's Gardenia in February 2017.
Her music career soon brought her to Los Angeles, where she debuted her first solo cabaret show, I Don't Need A Map, at Tom Rolla's Gardenia in February 2017. Following her solo debut, Mandy appeared in a string of showcases and benefit concerts around L.A., and she presented a second original cabaret show, Do-Overs, in San Diego, with the help of illustrious Producer/Director Clifford Bell. Her performance of Broadway composer Jason Robert Brown's song "I'm Not Afraid of Anything" was featured in a benefit concert for anti-bullying non-profit Pop Culture Hero Coalition, and a recording of her performance appears on the subsequently-produced album, Revolution: Live Music Benefit for Pop Culture Hero Coalition.
While gaining momentum in her new locale, Mandy's musical focus shifted to a genre she had long admired: Jazz. She began studying with celebrated Seattle-based jazz vocalist and coach, Greta Metassa, and developed her signature crossover jazz show, Firecracker Jazz. Mandy's October 2017 debut of Firecracker Jazz at Upstairs at Vitello's in Studio City – which featured a mix of straight-ahead standards, contemporary jazz, and crossover material – helped secure the charismatic redhead's place among L.A.'s most promising up-and-coming artists. She has since shared her firecracker style with audiences at other prestigious Los Angeles venues, including Rockwell Table & Stage and Catalina Jazz Club. While developing her music career, she is also establishing her presence in the voiceover industry, and has voiced roles in several commercial projects.
In continuing to grow her "firecracker" presence, Mandy has worked with some of L.A.'s top musical talent, including vocalists Dave Damiani (Dave Damiani & The No Vacancy Orchestra) and Mitch Ellis (of Herbert, Chambers, and Ellis); songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Michael Farrell (Pianist/Musical Director for American Idol, Hollywood Game Night, Alanis Morrisette, Morrissey), and Mitch Kaplan (Musical Director for Sandra Berhard & L.A.’s UnCabaret); esteemed Musical Director and pianist, David Scott Cohen, and jazz drummers Chris Wabich and Kevin Winard.
With both feet now in the Jazz world, Mandy is finding her musical niche under the tutelage of Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist, Jane Monheit, She has begun work on her debut album and anticipates its release in late 2018. Future performances of Firecracker Jazz are also in the works, along with special appearances around the country. To stay informed about Mandy's projects and performances, sign up for the mailing list.
Music is Mandy’s first love. In her formative years, Mandy received classical voice training, sang with a professional choir, and performed in numerous theatrical productions throughout her native San Francisco Bay Area. She won recognition along the way, including a “Command Performance” award in the Solo Performance category at the California State Talent Competition in 1995. She attended the elite arts high school Idyllwild Arts Academy, where she majored in Musical Theater. Upon graduating, she spent a summer sampling a different kind of singing – Rock – at Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in the U.K.
Then, something shifted. Approaching a career-defining college decision, the prospect of a future in the unpredictable music industry suddenly felt intimidating in a way it never had before. This fear prompted her to change course. Mandy chose to attended Northwestern University and pursue a degree in Communication Studies. Upon graduating, she entered the (more predictable) world of corporate marketing, finding creative outlets in design and copywriting. Music became the “path not taken” – until 2015.
After nearly 17 years of neglecting her earliest passion, Mandy sought a way back to music. She found it in a simple but life-changing step: an audition. From that audition, Mandy was cast in a John Bisceglie production, Broadway Song & Dance, and she made her official “comeback” in that 2015 performance. Several more musical revues followed. Meanwhile, Mandy discovered an art form that leveraged her musical theater training, while bridging her varied musical interests: cabaret.
In early 2016, Mandy made her cabaret debut at Society Cabaret San Francisco with the acclaimed two-woman show, A Blonde And A Redhead Walk Into A Bar. Later that year, her burgeoning second career brought her to Los Angeles, where Mandy debuted her first solo cabaret show, I Don't Need A Map, at Tom Rolla's Gardenia in February 2017.
Her music career soon brought her to Los Angeles, where she debuted her first solo cabaret show, I Don't Need A Map, at Tom Rolla's Gardenia in February 2017. Following her solo debut, Mandy appeared in a string of showcases and benefit concerts around L.A., and she presented a second original cabaret show, Do-Overs, in San Diego, with the help of illustrious Producer/Director Clifford Bell. Her performance of Broadway composer Jason Robert Brown's song "I'm Not Afraid of Anything" was featured in a benefit concert for anti-bullying non-profit Pop Culture Hero Coalition, and a recording of her performance appears on the subsequently-produced album, Revolution: Live Music Benefit for Pop Culture Hero Coalition.
While gaining momentum in her new locale, Mandy's musical focus shifted to a genre she had long admired: Jazz. She began studying with celebrated Seattle-based jazz vocalist and coach, Greta Metassa, and developed her signature crossover jazz show, Firecracker Jazz. Mandy's October 2017 debut of Firecracker Jazz at Upstairs at Vitello's in Studio City – which featured a mix of straight-ahead standards, contemporary jazz, and crossover material – helped secure the charismatic redhead's place among L.A.'s most promising up-and-coming artists. She has since shared her firecracker style with audiences at other prestigious Los Angeles venues, including Rockwell Table & Stage and Catalina Jazz Club. While developing her music career, she is also establishing her presence in the voiceover industry, and has voiced roles in several commercial projects.
In continuing to grow her "firecracker" presence, Mandy has worked with some of L.A.'s top musical talent, including vocalists Dave Damiani (Dave Damiani & The No Vacancy Orchestra) and Mitch Ellis (of Herbert, Chambers, and Ellis); songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Michael Farrell (Pianist/Musical Director for American Idol, Hollywood Game Night, Alanis Morrisette, Morrissey), and Mitch Kaplan (Musical Director for Sandra Berhard & L.A.’s UnCabaret); esteemed Musical Director and pianist, David Scott Cohen, and jazz drummers Chris Wabich and Kevin Winard.
With both feet now in the Jazz world, Mandy is finding her musical niche under the tutelage of Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist, Jane Monheit, She has begun work on her debut album and anticipates its release in late 2018. Future performances of Firecracker Jazz are also in the works, along with special appearances around the country. To stay informed about Mandy's projects and performances, sign up for the mailing list.
"Our Name Is Barbra" Benefit at Catalina Bar & Grill, April 2018
Photo By Sheryl Aronson, The Hollywood 360
Photo By Sheryl Aronson, The Hollywood 360