The soulful side of a
warrior princess
Chicago Daily Herald
(Chicago)
5 October 2007
By Jamie Sotonoff
Excuse
me, is there a butt-kicking warrior princess in town?
Inside a recording studio on Chicago's South Side is
blond-haired Lucy Lawless, and she's not screaming Xena's "Ay yi
yi yi yi!" war cry or knocking out bad guys with her chakram.
Rather, she's wearing a fluffy scarf and sweetly
singing Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" with her daughter nearby.
Lawless is rehearsing for her big weekend here, which includes
appearances at the Xena Convention in Rosemont, visits with her
relatives in Downers Grove and two nearly sold-out concerts at
Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago.
Yes, Xena sings.
Her set list is filled with blues, pop and soul covers, ranging
from Kool & The Gang's "Get Down On It" to Etta James' "Tell
Mama," a song which she sings with as much power as Xena ever
had.
Lawless has always loved singing, and did it a few times on
"Xena: Warrior Princess," the sci fi/fantasy TV show that made
her a star in the late 1990s.
She decided to take singing seriously last year after finishing
as runner-up on Fox's reality show "Celebrity Duets." On the
show, she had a chance to sing with music legends like Smokey
Robinson and Bonnie Raitt.
Since then, she's been working with a voice coach to define her
style and shed her New Zealand accent .
"My voice likes rock music. My problem is, I can do a lot of
things, but I have to find my own voice," says Lawless, who's
been listening to artists like Clarence Carter, Nina Simone and
Tuck & Patti lately.
"Xena" went off the air in 2001, and Lawless' costume went in
the Smithsonian ("next to Fonzie's jacket, in the leather
section.")
Yet, the show remains a cult favorite, attracting fans all over
the world, also known as the Xenaverse.
With no plans for a Xena reunion show or movie, Lawless
considers Xena part of her past.
"I don't miss it. I don't miss anything, as long as I have my
kids with me," she said. "I'm having way too good a time."
