FoxesOnIdol.com Interview With Backup Vocalist Quiana Parler

Voice Coach to Voice Coach – An Interview with Clay Aiken Backup Singer Quiana Parler
by Barbara Pasternack -- 09/12/2005

Clay Aiken has assembled a talented group of backup singers and musicians, many of whom have accompanied him on all three of his successful tours. Barbara Pasternack had a chance to sit down with Quiana Parler, a former AI2 competitor, and shares their conversation here.

I have been around the music industry for many years, and very few vocalists have blown me away. But Quiana Parler is just that kind of vocalist. I had the privilege of first hearing her rich and powerful voice when I attended last year's Clay Aiken/ Kelly Clarkson Independent Tour concert.

I was curious to find out more about this incredible talent and did some research. Quiana and I connected and, last week, I was able to sit down with her in Atlantic City where she was performing with Clay Aiken's Juke Box Tour. Our interview was supposed to be a thirty minutes long, but Quiana and I really clicked, and by the time we had finished our conversation, two and a half hours had elapsed.

Quiana was among the top 49 finalists for the second season of American Idol, and boy did they make an error not allowing her to continue further in the competition! She is a native of Charleston, South Carolina, where she performs and, like me, is a voice coach. We discovered that we both admire the same singers and genres of music and, because of this, we bonded immediately. I am not only impressed with this young woman's talent, but also with her level of maturity for a 25-year-old entertainer.

Quiana was born into a musical family; both her mother and father are singers. The singing bug bit Quiana at the tender age of eight when she began formal voice training with an operatic voice teacher. Two years later, she was entertaining large audiences and loving every minute of singing and being on stage where she played the role of "July" in the Dock Street Theatre's production of Annie.

Jazz has always been Quiana's favorite genre of music. She told me that her favorite vocalists are Sarah Vaughn, Diane Reeves, and gospel singer Kim Burrell. When these women sing, you not only hear a voice but finely tuned instruments. Hopefully, Quiana will be included on this list of remarkable performers in the near future. I was curious to hear Quiana's opinion of rap and hip-hop, and was not surprised by her answer. "What has happened to music today? I am only 25 and I don"t get it," she said.

Quiana has been on several national tours as backup singer for her good friend and "boss," Clay Aiken. Clay and Quiana met at the American Idol 2 audition in Charlotte, North Carolina. Quiana made it through to Hollywood and Clay did not. Clay then tried out in Atlanta, made it to Hollywood, and the rest is history. Unfortunately, Quiana was cut in Hollywood, but even then, Clay knew a great voice when he heard it. He asked her to be his back-up vocalist when he did the Independent Tour with Kelly Clarkson in 2004.

Touring the country can be tough with appearances in a different city every night. I asked Quiana about the positive aspects of touring, and she told me that she was just a "country girl," and for the first time was able to experience different cultures and witness the diversity of the United States. She felt the only negative was missing her family, friends, and home cooking. Quiana's cell phone is her direct tie to her family and friends, and she was frustrated that cell phone access in Atlantic City's Borgata Hotel (Atlantic City) was blocked due to casino security.

A long nationwide tour is very demanding on singer's vocal cords. I asked Quiana what she does to prepare herself for the nightly vocal gymnastics that she so effortlessly provides for the audience. I was amazed to hear that her only preparation is getting at least eight hours of sleep and a good meal. She also said that a day of shopping is most beneficial for a great performance! It is evident that this formula is successful. Every night during the tour, Quiana brought the audience to its feel when she sang her solo "I Will Always Love You." I have heard many vocalists perform this Whitney Houston mega hit, but Quiana's rendition gave Whitney a real run for her money.

In closing our interview, I asked Quiana what she would like to do if she were not a singer. To my surprise, she told me that she loves to do nails and would be a nail technician. My final question was what she wanted from her career. She replied that her goal is to have a lasting career, not necessarily fame, but the lifelong opportunity to sing and perform good music.

Quiana impressed me by her sense of self-respect and strong moral beliefs. She is the type of performer who demonstrates the kind of character traits that, unlike so many of today's pop stars, make her a positive role model for young woman.

The two and a half hours went by so quickly, but you can read more about Quiana on her website (www.quianaparlermusic.com). She was looking forward to going home, but will be back on the road with the Clay Aiken Christmas tour this winter. If you have not experienced her glorious voice, please attend the next tour or one of her many gigs in the Charleston area.

Barbara Pasternack is a professional singer and voice coach. She studied theatre and music at the University of Massachusetts, and has become an avid fan of American Idol. Check out her music at www.barbarapasternack.com. You can email her at redfox55@comcast.net.