It was something she heard about British singer/songwriter Adele that inspired Emma Kirk to follow in her idol’s footsteps.
Athough Emma Kirk has been singing publicly since she was nine-years-old she felt that generally the Australian entertainment world favours the more svelte female entertainer than the one with a fuller figure.
After Kirk heard that the millionaire songstress had said she sang for people’s ears, not their eyes, the Australian felt empowered not only to agree with Adele’s own attitude, but also, to launch a tribute concert to the soulful singer.
Following the first leg of the Adele tour at Penrith’s Evan Theatre, Kirk, of Emu Plains, will perform a second gig at the Brass Monkey, Cronulla, on March 11.
As part of her musical line-up Kirk will have a special person at her side, her Jamaican fiance Dwight Cunningham on bass.
During the present tour Calvin Welch will be on drums, Carmel Mesiti the backing vocalist, and there will also be an array of Sydney’s session musicians.
In Kirk’s two hour show she will feature about 20 of Adele’s songs and she spoke of her own musical journey.
‘‘I’ve always been interested in the performance arts, my grandfather suggested to my mother that I learn to sing because there was music in the family,’’ she said.
‘‘I had an uncle who played the guitar and bass and whenever the family gets together there is music.’’
At six years of age Kirk sang a solo, Mary’s Boy Child, during a Christmas Carols event.
‘‘Recently people have told me that when I sing I sound like Adele and so I did some research about her.
‘‘She’s my inspiration.
‘’She’s a beautiful person and I think we have a similar philosophy although she would be at least 12 years younger (Kirk is 40-years-old, Adele 27).
‘‘In the music industry you can get overlooked but now I’m singing as a soloist whereas before I’d always done backing vocals.’’
The Adele Experience, will be at the Brass Monkey, Cronulla, on Friday, March 11.
