Elisa Fiorillo joins Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley for a heartfelt conversation about her musical journey, upcoming projects, and enduring love for classic songs. She shares how her collaboration with pianist Philip Fortenberry, whose orchestral style recalls the connection she had with her late father, has shaped their upcoming show The Classics with Class (Aug. 20 at Myron’s, Smith Center). Elisa reflects on working with Prince, her transformative health journey, and the creative bond she shares with her daughter Olivia. A rich mix of personal stories, timeless influences, and fresh inspiration from an artist dedicated to keeping classic music alive.

📘 What You’ll Hear in This Episode

– How Elisa discovered a profound musical connection with pianist Philip Fortenberry

– The vision and repertoire behind her upcoming Classics with Class show

– Why Eydie Gourmet’s artistry inspired a tribute medley in her performance

– Insights into her transformative health journey and its impact on her singing

– Behind-the-scenes stories from working with Prince and other music legends

– The supportive and creative bond she shares with her daughter Olivia

– Her commitment to preserving classic music while embracing new challenges

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – The Power of Accompaniment

00:27 – Elisa Fiorillo’s Musical Journey

11:08 – A New Beginning: Carlos and Me

18:33 – The Evolution of My Music Career

24:28 – Remembering Prince: The Concert Experience

37:14 – Memories of Prince: A Lasting Connection

40:42 – Journey to Better Health

47:41 – Preparing for Change: Olivia’s Journey

55:21 – Reflections on a Musical Journey

🔗 Links & Mentions

– Visit Musiciansreveal.com

– YouTube – Musicians Reveal

– Live365 – Musicians Reveal Radio

📝 Key Takeaways

– Elisa’s collaboration with Philip Fortenberry creates a full, orchestral sound without additional musicians

– Her upcoming Classics with Class concert blends cherished standards with personal tributes

– Newly inspired to honor Edie Gourmet through a medley performance

– A transformative health journey has enriched her voice and stage presence

– Her experiences with Prince remain a vital influence on her artistry

– Deeply committed to teaching and inspiring the next generation of musicians

But when I heard Philip play, I thought, wow, there's.

There's a second, you know, person that could actually accompany me like that, because when he plays, it's like.

It's like an orchestra.

You.

You don't need any other musicians.

It's just Philip is enough.

And I felt like, wow, I need to work with this guy.

So I was scared to ask him.

And I just kind of went over and I'm like, I really want to work with you.

And he goes, I'm so scared of you.

He goes, I wanted to work with you too.

Hi, this is Elisa Fiorillo, and you're watching Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelly.

A friend of ours who's been a guest on our show over the years is coming back.

She has new music, has released one single already.

When you're watching this, the second single from her new album will be released as well.

She has a dynamite show coming up August 20th in Las Vegas.

She's a teacher.

She's busier than ever.

We welcome Elisa Fiorello to Musicians Reveal.

How you doing?

Great.

How you doing, Joe?

I'm doing great.

And thanks for.

Thanks for taking the time for this, you know, whirlwind of publicity and things, preparation for the big show coming up.

Tell us about August 20th at the Myron Center.

Our Myron's at Smith Center.

I'll show you the postcard, which I think you have it in the back there.

This is the show.

It's called the Classics with Class.

It's with my.

My pianist, Philip Fortenberry.

Right.

He.

He was the hands actually in the movie under, under the Candle Opera with Michael Douglas about Liberace's life.

He actually played all the music and was the hands in the film.

Wow.

He was on Broadway and did many, many shows and touring companies.

He's just an incredible pianist.

And I had met him one night and just thought, oh, my God, I have to work with this guy.

Because he reminded me so much of my dad.

And my dad was a classical pianist.

And I grew up singing classical.

Not classical, not operatic, but Broadway and, like, standards.

And so when I worked with my father, there was this connection musically that beat any other pianist I ever played with.

Like, there was no comparison.

But when I heard Philip play, I thought, wow, there's.

There's a second, you know, person that could actually accompany me like that.

Because when he plays, it's like.

It's like an orchestra.

You.

You don't need any other musicians.

It's just Philip is enough.

And I felt like, wow, I need to Work with this guy.

So I was scared to ask him.

And I just kind of went over and I'm like, I really want to work with you.

And he goes, I'm so scared of you.

He goes, I wanted to work with you, too.

So the walls were broken.

Yeah, we broke down those walls.

And it's been a match made in heaven because we think musically alike.

And, you know, when I finish a phrase, when I sing, he finishes it on the piano.

It's just.

It's.

It's.

It's beautiful.

It's all, you know, all we can say.

It's a beautiful union.

So we chose a bunch of songs and artists that I wanted to pay tribute to.

Not a tribute act like, you know, me being those people, but just me interpreting my version of them.

You have to be careful in Vegas saying tribute.

Oh, really?

Well, because everything thinks you're going to dress up like, oh, oh, yeah.

And, like, be that person.

Right?

Oh, my God.

It starts with Judy Garland.

It goes to Julie Andrews.

It goes to Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand.

And then it ends.

There's more in the middle.

But it ends with an artist that I had never listened to until one day when my dad was living with me.

We sat in the backyard and we were playing a bunch of YouTube clips, and he said, pull up Edie Gourmet.

And I went, huh?

I've always heard that name, Stephen.

Edie.

But I never really listened to her.

And he pulled up a song called When He Walked Into My Life.

And I watched this video and her performance, and I was like, how come I never knew about Edie Gourmet?

Like, how much.

How long have I been living under a rock?

This woman, her.

Her passion and her voice and her delivery blew me away.

So I became an instant fan of Edie Gourmet.

I searched up all of her music, and so the.

The last piece in the show is a tribute, like a medley of three of her songs.

And I love singing Edie Gourmet.

So some people.

Yeah, yeah.

And, you know, when I think about it, yeah.

If I didn't discover her till I was, like, 50 and I'm old, you know, there's.

Hey, wait, wait, wait, wait.

I'm older than.

You gotta say that.

I'm just.

I'm just masking.

But, like, that means that the younger people definitely don't know who Edie is or any of these other artists.

And it's just like with Prince, we want to keep his music alive, and we do the Fun All Stars with Paul Peterson and Jelly Bean Johnson.

And we, you know, we try to keep the music alive.

Well, I want to do the same with the classics.

And that's what this show is.

It's taking you back to an era where it was timeless and, and there was innocence.

And I wish we could go back there today, you know, just.

It was just such a different time.

And so the whole show is so cool because.

And this is my husband's idea, he created a walk in video for the first hour.

So when people are being seated, there are clips of old movies, famous trivia, you know, so when you're sitting there waiting for the show, you're like answering true and false and, you know, doing that stuff.

Yeah.

And then little, little tidbits about Philip and I and our careers and, you know, it's just, it's beautiful.

It's.

It's a, it puts you in the mood and it, it's going to be a classy night.

I can't wait.

Yeah, the classics with class, right?

Yes.

Yeah.

Tickets are going fast when this is going to be airing on August 12, eight days out from like the concert.

So, yeah, you can check Myron's at the Smith center and your website, I think, think has a link as well.

Right.

Alyssa Fiorello.

We'll have all the links on the screen and also in the description.

So.

Yeah, thank you, I appreciate it.

Looks like, yeah, it looks like a really nice place.

I saw the promo video.

Wow.

Myron's.

Myron's at Cabaret Jazz at the Smith Center.

Brilliant place to perform.

We actually did a Funk All Stars gig there and it was, it was so much fun.

It only seats like maybe 270 people, so it's very intimate.

But the sound, the lighting, the stage, it's just such a great.

Any spot you sit in, whether it's upstairs or down, is a great seat.

You can see everything and hear everything.

So.

Yeah, I like those.

The side.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

There's 33 available upstairs and 33 down.

That's all that's left.

So it's like the back of the room or up on the top.

So.

Yeah, definitely sell it out and, and they'll have you come back.

I know you've played there before, you mentioned before with the ulcers, but you play there on your own music as well, right?

Yes.

I did a show a while back called the Lady I Am, which was basically my journey from being in Broadway and doing all that when I was younger to turning into the pop star and, and working with Prince.

So it's like My Journey, the Lady I Am.

I did that.

And I also performed with band here for three years.

I actually performed with the Bruce Harper Big Band, and I was their lead singer, so had a lot of times on those stage.

And.

And actually there's an amazing monthly composer showcase that they do here at that same room, hosted by an incredible pianist, Keith Thompson, and songwriter himself, and producer and arranger and singer extraordinaire, but he hosts it, and it's a way for all the local talent to come up and sing their original music.

So I've done that many times.

And that's awesome because you never get to hear all the original stuff.

And there's some great music out there that never.

Including yours.

Yeah, yeah, including mine.

Right.

So I'm actually performing there this Wednesday, and we're going to be doing our new single, Giving it up, so.

So.

Oh, wow.

Yeah.

Which we'll be playing as soon as the 12th comes in.

Thanks for giving us.

We haven't played yet.

We're.

We're with.

Yeah.

People can actually go to live365 musicians reveal radio.

You can hear all about Alyssa's music, new music and old music.

So.

Great.

Yeah, we support you all along, so that's great.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

Yeah.

You mentioned your husband Carlos, Carlos Alorza, and the effect.

How did you both meet and tell us about Carlos as a musician?

Okay, so let's see.

I was looking for work to sing as a singer in town.

I was married to my ex husband then, and I had just had a baby.

So physically, it was not probably the most appealing thing for an agent to see with the baby weight.

You know, I.

Let's be honest, it's all about marketing, Right.

So I had gone into a company that Carlos actually had worked for this guy.

And I went in and I met with the guy, and he didn't seem interested at all.

And then I was like, I worked with Prince.

I worked with, you know, like, I was name dropping, going, maybe this will save me.

You know, have you heard of this guy?

Yeah.

Right.

And then I said, and I love singing jazz.

And he's like, huh.

Well, my partner who books jazz, he may.

He may be interested.

So he kind of pushed me off to the office where Carlos was sitting, and I went in and I met Carlos and I sang for him.

And he said, well, I have a jazz gig that I already have a singer on, but if ever she calls out, I'll.

I'll have you come and Sing.

So he did that a couple months later.

The girl wasn't feeling well, so I got the call and went and I sang with his band.

We did a bunch of gigs together.

He's a great bass player, great singer.

And I just always thought of him as a wonderful person and always said, why is he single?

But no, he had five kids and he was married twice.

So that, that's probably why he's taking a break from it all.

Yeah.

Catching his breath.

Yeah, he's catching his breath.

And then when my husband passed away, I went out maybe three months after he passed away.

And you know, it was a tough situation with that.

My daughter was only 13 when her father passed and.

And it was by suicide, which was very tough, especially being the one that found him and revived him.

It was a lot, but mostly I was just.

I get mental health and how it can push you to do that.

But the fact that it hurt my daughter really was the topper for me, which made me kind of let go quicker than obviously she would.

So I kind of felt bad at three months later where I just wanted to get out and just live because I felt so stuck in this dark place that I needed to get out or else I would have kept going that way.

So I had to force myself.

And I was invited to this art gallery thing and I didn't want to go alone.

So I thought, who could I call that I trust that I don't think is going to hit on me?

That is just a stand up person.

And the first person that came to mind was Carlos.

And so we went to this art gallery and it was kind of boring and we were both kind of hungry and so I said, let's go get something to eat.

So we did.

And at the restaurant there was a woman singing who will remain nameless, who was kind of pitchy.

We were kicking each other under the table going, did you hear that?

And then when the bread came, he buttered my bread and I was like.

I was like, wow, I never tried that.

I gotta look.

You gotta do that.

Yeah, I'll watch my wife's reaction next time.

Yeah, he buttered it and put it in front of me.

And I thought, how sweet, how generous, how thoughtful.

Like, no one put me first like that before, you know, like put me up and did that.

So.

Right.

I. I liked it.

So I was like.

So as the mind started turning, dinner finished and we walked to the car, I said, I'd like to do this again sometimes.

And he's like, you don't like nice guys.

And I'm like, yes, I do.

I think I want to give this a try.

And from there, we started to date, and my daughter was totally on board, and we.

We were very, you know, careful because it was so soon and.

Right.

We didn't want to, you know, cause any issues.

And so we kind of let her do the pace.

And she's the one that kept saying, mom, when's Carlos coming over?

Mom, can you invite him over for dinner?

And, hey, mom, can we get a house with Carlos?

And so it turned into that, and then it was just like this natural thing.

And.

Yeah.

And he is fantastic.

Yeah, he's the light of my life.

I don't know what I do without him.

He's just.

He's got the biggest heart.

He's beautiful person.

He's generous.

He's a good friend to people.

He's just a good brother.

He's a.

He was a great son.

He's just a great father and a great stepfather and a great dog father.

He loves our dogs.

I was going to ask you.

I know you have dogs because of, you know, when you sent me the message.

So what kind of dogs do you have?

Oh, we have three.

We have a shih tzu named Kiki, who actually we got.

When my husband passed.

I. I needed a puppy to, you know, get some light.

And we named her Kiki because in Hawaiian, I believe it's.

It.

It means a new.

New life or new something.

I forget what I.

Okay.

Anyway, there's Kiki.

Carmel is our Yorkie.

Little Yorkie terrier.

She's the oldest.

And then our newest baby is Lucy.

I love Lucy.

She's a schnauzer, a mini schnauzer.

What a personality Lucy has.

And, boy, does she have her daddy wrapped around her finger or her paw.

How do you take them out in the Vegas heat?

We have a doggy door, and we have a huge yard.

So they just go in and out.

They don't.

They don't stick out.

They just do this and come back in.

Right?

Yeah.

Wow.

So the new music.

Outstanding.

People can go to Spotify.

The first single is A Little Misunderstanding, and that's up there at Spotify.

And of course, giving it up will be up there as people are watching this.

But.

But leave and get the.

The song after the interview.

After you watch it.

So, yeah, tell us about the work.

And.

And you work with Carlos, I'm sure, on the.

On these tracks, right?

Yeah.

Wow.

And it was.

It was supposed to be on an album that I was getting ready to put out on A and M Records, and it was never released.

After working with First, I worked with a producer named Steve Lindsay, and I was fortunate enough to work with his father, Mort Lindsay, because that was like the best day of my life.

I had gone into Capitol Studios and we recorded with a 40 piece orchestra, a song called you're Gonna Hear from Me, which was from a movie called Inside Daisy Clover that Natalie Wood did.

Gorgeous song.

So that was like the highlight of my life, going into that studio and singing with a 40 piece orchestra.

Cause that is the.

That's what I always wanted to do.

That's from the day one, when I got my Chrysalis record deal.

That's the record I wanted to do.

And the record company would not allow it.

They said, you'll do that when you're older.

Just let's do the pop thing.

And I was like, okay.

And, you know, I was there.

I was in the door.

I couldn't say no.

I just kind of went with it.

And it.

It was in my heart, but not really.

So that's.

That's where I. I reflect back.

And I think if I.

If I.

If it's not like, true to who you are, it's not going to work.

It's not going to work.

It'll work for a little bit, but you can only go so far.

So the record never came that I. I ended up working with Steve and all the productions that he had done and songs from Diane Warren, who was like the big hit writer.

We had done a whole record and the record company is like, yeah, it's not really working.

Let's get somebody else in here.

I'm like, okay.

So we got Peter Veneta and Rick Tudakoff, who produced Smokey Robinson's Just to see her album, won a Grammy.

So I did a whole record with them, which is never got released.

And when we went to put it out, it was.

They.

They dropped the album.

They dropped me.

I was like in Philadelphia going, huh?

And.

And I think.

I think because I had moved out of California and it was kind of like I was out of sight, out of mind.

They just.

At the time, alternative music was such a big thing, and they were kind of afraid to take it to radio because it was copy.

So that album Just got lost.

So hence I put it on my website as the Lost album.

Right.

Sorry, I'm kind of going all over the place.

That's okay.

There was a band that I used to sing with in LA called the Craze.

Billy Mason, keyboards.

Mark Maza on drums, Mark Nonisa on guitar, James Plooky Wurtz on bass.

And we went into the studio and as a band, we wrote that song.

And nobody ever heard it?

No.

It was never released.

Giving it up for your Love, which is.

I'm.

I'm not sure my own timeline.

That's all right.

And it was a great.

It was very close to this version.

But what Carlos wanted to do was to take those two songs because they didn't really see the light of day like they should have.

And he gave them to record a record producer in Mexico that he works with a lot on recordings and productions.

Mario Lasbert.

And Mario's like, let me have it.

Let me get in there and, like, mix.

Mix it and, like, add some stuff.

And maybe we'll add new bass because Carlos plays the bass.

So he played bass on both tracks.

Little Misunderstanding and giving it up.

So we kind of just refurbished it and said, let's put it out because it needs to be heard.

So that's where we are.

Yeah.

And people are loving it right off the bat.

When I heard it, I was like, wow.

Yeah.

Whoever makes this and everybody's spot on with contributing to a great song.

Thank you.

Yeah.

So it was a great collaboration.

And it was.

It came from a place where I used to love listening to bands like Brand New, Heaviest and Incognito.

Yeah.

So because it was so funky, jazzy, R B, like, it was like a mix of all of it.

And I just.

I. I have a mix of all of that in me besides the classics.

Like, I'm two extremely different people when I sing.

I'm either straight ahead standards and saying, like, Judy stuff, or I go completely opposite.

And I'm very R B and, like, jazzy, and I just get funky, you know?

So because I was undecided, I didn't know what the hell I wanted to be or who I wanted to be.

I like both.

It's hard to make that decision.

So kind of like with Prince, I mean, he.

He was.

I mean, funk was all the core, but he loved all kinds of music, so.

Yeah.

And that's.

That's probably why we got along, because he appreciated that.

He appreciated that I played piano.

Like, I know that when we would do vocals, I'd always hear all the parts because I could decipher them, you know, harmonically, because I could play, and I knew how to read music.

And the other two girls didn't play a instrument.

He would always say, you guys need to learn an instrument, like Elisa.

And I was like.

But I'd always get the easy note.

I mean, the soprano note is always the obvious harmony, and it was the middle note that was always hardest that.

I always loved the middle note.

But because I was a soprano, I never got to do the middle note.

Liv got to do the middle note.

So she had the hardest job.

And.

And so it was.

But, man, did he put together three killer singers that meshed perfectly together.

And I miss singing with Liv and Shelby, and I hope one day we can do a gig where we can all harmonize together, because that was just.

It was like angels singing with angels.

You know, and the welcome to America tour, the dvd, I mean, you could see.

Oh, yeah.

When the three ladies took over with the vocals.

And Prince was, you know, so proud.

Right.

Oh, yeah.

Everybody's.

They're different styles going on, and, yeah, that funky music, White boy, you had a good spotlight on that one.

And, yep, a fantastic voyage.

Shelby was going real hard as well.

Yeah.

So those were.

Those were great moments.

Wow.

Okay.

I think you started it off with Big City, Right?

I think you were saying you had a big spotlight on there.

Yeah.

Oh, maybe it was a super conductor.

I want to be loved.

Yeah, I think so.

I thought.

I thought it was Big City.

I don't know.

I'll have to check.

But, yeah, maybe.

Janelle Monae opened up, and then Dougie Fresh did his DJ set.

Okay.

Okay.

Right.

I had a question about when Prince did those, like, three dates, which were probably three straight nights with the set list.

Did you know how.

How far in advance that.

Because they pretty much change up a lot of stuff.

Would it be.

Yeah.

Ten minutes before the curtain went up.

And I remember scrambling many times where he'd pull something out that we hadn't done in a while, and we would get our little tapes and go, oh, gosh.

What?

The harmonies for that, you know, and learn it, like, right then and there.

Yeah.

And when he had us do the sweeter he is, the longer the pain is gonna last that thing.

And Then we each had our little moment, and I did my.

Yeah, so I.

And he threw the towel.

That's one of the towel.

Yeah, yeah.

You were there.

No, no, I think that was.

Yeah, the night.

That was the night.

Yeah, because.

And the video.

The video, I think, was officially released is on YouTube as well.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I was there because I. I remember the guitar solo is up there as well.

That he did.

Oh, yeah, yeah, that was.

Yeah, that was fantastic.

Yeah, it was a great concert.

You know, it's so sad when I think, oh, my God, if you have never seen a Prince concert.

Yeah.

How empty is your life.

Like, how you missed out on something.

The most amazing experience.

And I miss those concerts.

And I miss.

I miss it so much.

And I know all the fans do.

And that's why even just trying to, you know, emote some of what Prince did in the shows with Paul Peterson and the Funk All Stars, if we can just reach people, just to give them back that moment in time.

Right.

Such a.

It's so important because we're all still here, and we're all.

We have that.

Yeah.

And you as well.

I mean, music.

We love his music.

So I got.

I got a lot of Philadelphia memories.

Seeing print.

But in Philly, I saw him at the Purple Rain tour, Electric Factory.

But the funniest.

I don't know if I told you this before, but we saw him at the Academy of Music, and I used to live in that neighborhood when I went to Temple on 15th and Spruce.

He played the Academy of Music?

Naji was playing.

It was like the fifth show on the tour.

And he actually referred to it as Prince did.

As sacrificial lamb shows.

It was because it was at the beginning of the tour, like, they were working things out.

Wow.

So they had, like, a really extensive sound check, and we're all waiting to get inside.

You're hearing the music.

All of a sudden you see Princess run across Broad street from the other side of the road.

I think the hotel in the high heels.

And Aaron the bodyguard was trying to keep up him.

He ran right through us into the venue to go to sound check.

Oh, wow.

It was hilarious.

I mean, it was like a blur.

So, yeah.

Oh, that's awesome.

My dad played the Academy of Music.

Yeah, that was a teacher.

It was a professor at temple.

Yeah, I know.

I know.

He was there.

I was there.

85 to 87.

He was probably there.

He was probably, definitely there.

Yeah, that's crazy.

Wow.

Yeah.

See, well, when.

When you get that sign from Prince with.

With the cane.

I remember you told me in the bank, the.

The jeweled pain.

Yeah.

Are you making.

I made the cane.

And then he wanted my cane.

And then I said, you can have my cane.

And he said, no, you keep your cane.

And I asked me, where'd you get that thing?

Because it was blinged up.

And I said, I got it@Canesrus.com and I said.

And I blinged up every single one of those crystals down that Lucite, you know, cane.

I don't even know where that cane is.

I think.

I have no idea where that came.

I gotta find that cane.

Yeah, yeah.

It was a cool cane.

Did he need the cane or.

For the whole time or was.

Sometimes it was just for style.

It was just for style.

And.

And he wanted me to have that cane for style.

And I didn't know why.

I'm like, I don't have a bad hip or anything.

Like, why don't you have a cane?

I guess he just thought it was a cool accessory.

I don't know.

Yeah.

And a lollipop at one point in his career.

Yeah.

Yeah, right.

What was it like?

Were you surprised when welcome to America that the album finally came out and, you know, you have a prominent spot on there.

Yeah, I was very, very surprised when I got the call that, you know, it was going to be released, partly because we did a whole welcome to America tour, and it never was released during that time.

So, to me, I felt like he wasn't really planning on releasing it.

That was just my opinion.

Right.

Otherwise he would have done it with the tour.

But.

But, yeah, it was.

I was happy to have it released because we did so much work on that.

I mean, we were hours in the studio, and it was.

It was.

It was.

It was nice to listen back because I remember when we were in the process of doing it, I didn't know where he was going with some of this stuff.

You know, he would just say, act like you're at a party, and now.

Now you're a British.

You know, talk like a British newscaster and just say this, you know, and it was so.

It was out of context, so I didn't know what it was going to sound like all together and finished.

So it was nice to hear, you know, how it was finished.

And he had me kind of open the first opening line of Stand up.

And Be Strong, the Soul Asylum song.

Yeah.

And I. I didn't even like my take on that.

First line, I was like, I could have done that better.

Like, why did he take that take?

But.

Right.

It was released.

So.

Yeah.

Do you have anything off the top of your head that.

That I'm sure has not been released and that you know of in the vault, like concert wise videos or recordings.

That I'd love to see The Abu Dhabi video, it may be released.

I just don't know.

But we did a concert in Abu Dhabi and that was spectacular.

What else?

There were.

There were some songs back in the day when I recorded when I was 19 that I would love to hear.

I know Oobie Doop kind of made it out a while ago, but.

And I don't.

And when I heard it, I'm like, I don't remember doing that song.

But then there was a song called if you want to dance that's definitely in the vault.

That.

Okay, totally sounds like a Sheena Easton tune.

And it was at the height of my high voice and he was singing backgrounds and it was such a cool little tune and it was just a demo, but it would be cool to play it.

It's like, what is that?

They go, stop looking at me with that silly grin that kind of attitude's gonna do you When I wishing for my body for night and day and pretending that you don't Boy, give me a break now if you got something to say boy, then say it if you gotta make my day Boy, then make it if you wanna dance hey, if you really want to dance all let's get up on the floor but if you just romance you gotta do a little bit more if you wanna dance It's a.

It's a really.

Yeah, that's smoking.

Yeah, it's smoking.

And he's like on the.

Doing, like, if it goes, I'm gonna say.

He does all these weird voices and it's very, you know, dark in the transition and.

But I remember specifically on that song, I was doing this as I was singing and I was getting ahead of it and he stopped me and he said, do it half.

Okay, do half time when you sing.

Because then you're going to be in the.

In the groove of it instead of rushing.

So that's something I teach my students.

When I teach, I'm like.

Because if they're like doing this, I'm like, do this.

When you say instead of this, take it down.

Or.

I wasn't hitting some of the notes and I was a little bit flat, which not normally flat, but he.

He's like, lift your eyebrows.

And then it'll be sharper and it's just a natural thing that happens.

Your eyebrows go up and the, and the vocal goes up.

So I learned a lot of little things from Prince.

He's my.

He was the greatest teacher of all.

Do you do bring.

Do you with your students?

Do you reference Prince and some of the stuff that he taught you that.

Yeah.

Oh, I tell them I like Prince told me back in the day.

Okay, you know, I do that.

And, and you know, the best.

I think the best thing about teaching is taking somebody who's totally scared, totally nervous, insecure, and giving them confidence to get out and do it.

And there's a lot of, you know, local things that I take my students out and I don't just send them to the wolves.

I actually go to these things and I'm there breathing with them and getting them to not be nervous and shaking them before they go on stage and, you know, getting all the jitters out, you know, because it's important when you're singing, you have to have breath and if you don't have your, if you have nerves, it takes away your breath control and therefore it will mess you up.

So I, I teach them, you know, how to take little, you know, little quick breaths before they go on so their diaphragm wakes up and it's ready and it's not going to be nervous.

So it's a lot of little pointers I have from being in it so many years.

Did you how about s a part of an ensemble with like Liv and Shelby as opposed to being front and center on the stage?

Is it a different kind of nerves before a show?

Yeah, it's way less nerve wracking than being the solo artist.

Actually.

It's very relaxing knowing you have two other people that the three of you hold each other up and it's, it's just, there's like a comfort in that.

And honestly, ever since I was a little girl, I. I love harmonizing.

My grandmom, my dad's mom, would come over from Florida with her little, little cassette tapes and we would sing together for hours and just do it in harmony.

Like I would harmonize every line like I am harmony queen.

I love harmonizing and finding strange harmonies.

So when I met Prince and I saw what he did harmonically with things, I was just like, oh, yeah, this is so cool.

You know, I love this guy, right?

He thinks of all these cool little harmonies.

So I always wanted to sing with two other girls.

And so that happened when I kind of put it out in the Universe.

And there I am singing with two amazing singers whose blend is just like you wouldn't think, but, like, everybody lives.

Voice is different.

Shelby's voice is different, and my voice is different.

And together it sounds like.

Like I said, the angels are singing.

I mean, it just has this.

And it's like, weird how he knew that those three voices would just really blend beautifully.

And he held on to all three of you for tours and recordings.

Yeah.

You know, working steadily, which, you know, you never know when you're gonna get the call that he's not using you anymore, and you feel like, you know, he's changing his underwear and going on to the next band, you know?

Yeah.

I was friends with John Blackwell, and he used to call me up, and I could get that feeling, like, oh, yeah.

It's a lot of indecision.

Oh, I don't know what he has in mind.

Yeah, you never knew.

You never.

That's the scariest part of the whole gig was you never knew when you were getting the call.

And like I've said many times in many interviews, all of us would get, like, the bat signal call.

Like, we would be at the grocery store, and Raspberry Beret would come on, and we would be, like, calling each other, going, did you hear a Prince song today?

Because I think that means we're getting a call.

And, like, literally the next day, we'd get the call, you need to be here.

We're gonna fly you here.

And it was like, wow, does he have those powers?

Like, I'm just walking along.

And it happened to me so many times.

And after he passed, it happened to me a lot.

You know, where my daughter.

I took her to a fair, and my.

I think my in laws took her for a minute, and I went and did something and came back to get her.

And I said, where can I meet you?

And she's like, we're.

We're parked on Purple Heart Street.

And I was like, wow.

Okay.

So that was the first sign.

I pick her up.

I get her in the car.

She looks at this Chinese restaurant, and she goes, mom, can we go eat there?

It was called Lotus Flower.

Then as.

As she's getting in the car.

I didn't hear it.

She did.

She goes, mom, listen to what's playing.

And there was music, and it was Raspberry Beret.

And then I took her to this lunch, same day in Boulder City.

And all along the street were purple bows all the way down the street.

And this was right after he passed, so I get it.

But I. I don't know if they did it for Prince or if it was just there.

I went to park.

I got into the place for lunch.

I'm eating lunch, and a girl comes over to me and said, you see that picture on the wall?

It looks like you.

And it was a picture of a girl taking a picture of herself with a camera.

Like that one photo of Prince doing of himself.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

And he looked like me.

And I'm like, oh, my God.

So then the lunch was over, and then I walked to my car, and guess what was parked next to me?

A little red Corvette.

Wow.

So I'm like, okay, this is weird.

This is all happening in one day.

And I felt like his spirit was saying, you know, goodbye to me.

And it was like.

And then I found out later that that was the day that they cremated him, that all that happened.

Wow.

So then I was like, oh, my God, this is crazy, because there was a connection with us that, you know, I worked with him when I was 19, but we had a little relationship there for a second.

You know, I was young.

And then 20 years later, he calls me back, and then I'm like his sister, and, you know, and then.

And he knew and I knew, but we never talked about it, but it didn't matter.

And it was just like, this love, like, appreciation that we had and respect.

And I think he respected me a lot because I never did talk about our personal stuff.

Yeah.

You know, blast it out.

I didn't brag about it.

I didn't make money off of it.

I didn't try to make myself more, you know, So I think he really respected that and thought, I can trust this girl.

You know, she's got my back.

So you got a lot of that.

You got to save that for.

For a book of.

Of your life.

That's.

That's right there.

I need to write a book, damn it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I got a quick.

Kind of like a sign like that.

I had Scotty Baldwin, the.

I got in a bit, not a big fight.

I got an argument with Prince in an AOL chat room.

He summoned me into a chat room for something, which was a misunderstanding on his part, and.

But he was like.

He thought I was somebody who was looking for bootlegs and stuff and tour pictures.

It was, like, really bizarre.

So we're going back and forth and I'm telling him.

And he apologized by sending us the One Night Alone box set before any other radio station.

So that was his way instead of calling.

But the.

The sign was.

I was playing my wife that part about the interview, because she was there when we were typing away in aol.

And I'm telling the story to Scotty during the interview, and all of a sudden, the TV craps out after the story, and I'm like, I had to buy a new tv, like, the next day because of Prince.

No, but y. Yeah.

No joke that happened.

And my wife and I looked and said, wow, that is really weird.

There he is.

He's.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

He's like, you're not messing with me here.

Meanwhile, my husband Drew, did that on charcoal.

Not.

Oh, really?

But Michael.

He did the Marilyn Monroe and he did the Prince one.

And that's.

Yes.

That was a picture that I tried to give Prince as a gift, and he wouldn't take it.

Oh, I think I remember you telling me that.

Yeah, Right.

It's spectacular.

Like, in person, it just.

It looks real and it's charcoal.

Yeah.

I looked at.

I thought in my mind, I'm like, yeah, I've never seen it that.

But I. Yeah.

I thought it was actually real.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's a beautiful piece.

I might eventually do, like, little prints of it and try to.

Prince of it.

Yeah, right.

Prince of Friends.

That's right.

Because, you know.

Yeah.

It's beautiful.

Great.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Couple things.

Looking beautiful as ever.

You lost a lot of weight.

We were talking off air and tell us about that journey and what's.

What's been going on?

Well, what's.

It's.

It's been a long time coming, I'll tell you that.

I. I wish now I would have had the perseverance and willpower to have done it a long time ago, because, as you.

As we said earlier, marketing is so important, and in the industry, it was.

I think I just felt kind of rebellious about it because it was so important to everybody that I.

You know, you have such a pretty face.

If you just lost the weight, you'd be so much, you know, more successful, you know, And I guess I rebelled against that.

You know, I mean, there was probably many contributing factors of why I would eat, because, number one, I'm Italian.

I love to cook.

I cook with bad things like butter and cheese and pasta and, you know, and it's a comfort.

It was a major comfort thing for me for a long time.

Where in my previous relationship, if I wasn't emotionally Getting what I wanted.

Food would give me that.

And now that I'm so happy, I had no excuse, you know, it was just like, I don't need food to make me happy anymore.

In fact, food is doing the opposite, right?

It's stopping me from feeling comfortable with myself on stage and wanting to go forward and do more.

So I did take that dumb shot, which isn't dumb.

It works for people.

But for a year, I put something in my body that I was scared what it was doing.

I took semi glutide, and it was under a doctor's care, but for a whole year, it took.

I only lost 30 pounds, and it was just.

It just wouldn't move.

And I thought if I stopped this shot like everyone else, I'm gonna eat, eat, eat, and gain it all back.

And I don't want to do that.

I'm 30 pounds closer to what I wanted to be, and I never been that close.

So a friend of my husband at work was doing a diet called Better Health B E T R Health.

And basically it's meats, vegetables, and fruits.

And you do.

For the first four weeks, you have certain meats that you have to eat, all organic and grass fed, certain vegetables that you can choose from, and certain fruits, and that's it.

No sugar, no carbs, no bread, no cheese, no, you know, just no creamer for the coffee.

So I was like, okay, I guess I'm stopping coffee.

No more coffee drinks at Dutch Bros, where my daughter works.

And so I said, okay, I'm gonna do this.

And Carlos was on board.

He wanted to lose weight too, so we did it together.

And he was there for me.

Because the first two weeks, you did not want to be around me.

I was a major, you know what?

But I. I got past it.

You know, I was, like, literally crying over the fact that I couldn't eat bread.

I was crying over cheese.

And I thought something seriously wrong with me, because if that's.

If that's like, the end of the world, like, really.

So as I kept going, it started to drop off faster.

So from.

So from.

So the other whole £25 was all done by food.

And I started in late March, and it's August, so I did that all with just food.

No shot.

Stopped the shot.

And now.

Now I know how to do it.

Like, if I do cheat, I know to jump back on this thing, and then it'll come off in a couple days.

But it's the.

The fact that I was unconsciously eating for so long.

Like, we sit and laugh about Like, God, we would just go out and get a pizza or go get Mexican food and just, like, dip the chips and, you know, have cheese and quesadillas and, you know, didn't even think about what it was doing.

Our headaches are gone.

Our aches are gone.

My knees don't hurt.

My feet don't hurt anymore.

I was starting to feel pretty old there, and now I jump up in the morning.

I'm wanting to go to the gym.

I.

It's just.

It's like night and day.

So how about for singing wise?

Has it affected anything?

My breath control is so much better.

You know, my.

My stamina is way better.

So it's done only great things.

And I. I hope that anybody out there wanting to lose weight, just look it up.

It's called better health.

Better health.

Yeah.

Truly.

Truly works.

And if you have a coach, which we pay for a coach monthly, we take pictures of our food at every meal, send it to him.

He.

He looks at it and he'll say, if we gain a couple ounces, he'll say, okay, tomorrow, don't do this.

And like, so there's.

There's a method to it.

Or if you stall, he's like, take.

Take the protein shakes out of the mix.

Let's just do fresh the fruits for your snacks, because we get fruit in the morning, fruit in the afternoon, and then a protein vegetable for lunch and a protein vegetable for dinner, and that's it.

And I've been cooking more than I've ever cooked and cooking healthy, which I had to learn how to do.

And it tastes.

This is good.

And everything tastes better.

Like, right.

I don't need all that.

Like, it's.

It's amazing how your taste buds change so well.

Well, since Elise is out in Vegas, we made a sideway draw farabout getting.

Getting to the goal.

Right.

My doctor ordered £7, and you were telling me you're almost there at your goal.

Yeah.

Yes.

Yeah.

One last thing.

I know, I know you're busy.

You've got to get.

Get somewhere, but wanted to mention another dear person in your family who has actually recorded with Prince.

Right.

Olivia.

Oh, yeah, that's right.

She's saying on Shelby's single, North Carolina.

Right.

And going to college, I heard.

Yeah, she's going to.

She's leaving Mommy.

She went her first year to unlv and it's a great school, but it's not.

It's.

It's too local.

She needs to feel like she's a college and she didn't feel safe down in the neighborhood and didn't really participate in the college events and stuff, so she wanted to get the experience.

So we drove up when we flew to Reno, and then she loved unr, so we're gonna ship her off after my.

This show on the 20th.

She's singing with me for one last time before she leaves, and she will be driving to Reno with all of her stuff and her car, and she'll be leaving mommy.

So I'm gonna have a lot of time on my hands to.

Yeah.

You know, Write songs with Carlos.

Exactly.

And get back.

So that's.

That's part of the reason why we released these songs because.

Yeah.

Now it's time for mommy to.

Right.

Right.

Do her thing.

It'll be emotional, I'm sure, but, you know.

Yeah, but it's a good thing.

She needs her space to be who she is.

I think sometimes being around me can be a little overwhelming, Especially since she loves to sing, act, and dance.

You know, too many performers in one house.

She needs to have her space to create who she is by herself, not without my influence.

So this is a good thing for her.

And as hard as it is to let go, I'm going to do my best.

Yeah.

I worked at a university 29 years, so this time of year, you know, the move in time.

Yeah, I. I do miss it, but I'm.

It's a lot when it's busy like that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So definitely.

Yeah.

Is she gonna.

By the way, what.

Is she gonna study music or something?

No, you know, she wanted to go into psychology, so she changed from psychology.

Now she's going into marketing because, you know.

Okay, so she's doing marketing because she is very, very sociable, and she's a hard worker.

I mean, just amazing worker.

She was doing, like, three jobs and going to school, so she's.

She's doing marketing.

She's gonna dabble in doing some musical theater up there just for the.

On the side because she didn't want to major in it because she felt like if she had that, then all she would be doing is teaching, which isn't a bad thing.

But she.

She wants to pursue the music thing, But I think she wanted to have something to fall back on as a career because she saw mommy and what mommy went through.

Right.

So it's the smart move.

I wish I would have done that.

Thank God my dad gave me the money to take a real estate class, because at the time, I was broke, and he's like, here, I'll pay for your real estate class.

And you do that.

So thank God I have that.

Because music doesn't pay the bills sometimes when Prince isn't paying your bills.

Yeah, right.

Depending on the other musical stuff, it.

It doesn't pay the bills.

So.

Yeah.

Michael Bland told me one time years ago, he said when things are good, they're good, but when those calls are coming in, it's.

It's tough.

Yeah, it's tough.

Yeah.

So you're running your own business.

I think she's going to do great in marketing, and I know that she's got such a young face that she can attempt to still go to Broadway when she's 23 and still look really young.

And I think it's smarter because she'll be more mature, and I think that's probably the route she'll take.

She's a singer, actor, dancer.

She's.

She's a triple threat.

Yeah, yeah.

Wish Olivia well.

We're hoping to hear great things and updates from you.

Yeah, thank you.

I will tell her.

So we.

We have to remind our viewers on YouTube here and also on the Spotify Apple podcast, and also the music.

Elisa Fiorello and all her projects over the years.

The new music will be on Musicians Reveal Radio.

And those that want to go see Alisa Fiorello and Philip Fortberry and Carlos Alorza.

There you go.

We're gonna have zoom in on that.

Take a picture right there and get your tickets.

And don't look at my nails.

I took them off.

Give them a break.

And.

Oh, I don't know, I might have to go back to fake nails.

Yeah, it was.

I like the artwork there.

Yeah.

Who did the artwork for the living room?

That's my living room.

Tyler, leave it.

It did the photography.

Okay.

Local photographer here.

And then he did a little close up of us, which is really nice.

And then, yeah, we did it in sepia tone because it kind of had that old movie kind of vibe, you know?

Right.

And that's my dad's piano.

Are you serious?

Yeah.

The one in your house?

Yep.

Yeah.

Wow.

Yeah.

Your dad, of course, you know, legendary in your musical being.

Right?

Yeah.

So.

And your mom, too?

Yeah, my mom was a singer.

She.

She liked to sing.

But my dad did try to take all the credit.

But, you know, I think right now I'm excited about the show because it is a.

It is dedicated to my dad.

And I think one of the things my dad always got on me about was my weight.

And so now I can stand up on that stage knowing that, number one, I'm doing the Music that my dad and I used to do.

And number two, I finally look better and feel better.

And I listened to my dad finally and lost weight, so I know he's going to be super proud watching.

Yeah, I love that picture on Instagram you put up your dad.

Oh, my dad as a little kid.

Yeah.

That was beautiful.

That's a great.

That should be an album cover.

Maybe we'll do a classic class album.

There you go.

The thoughts are coming fast and furious.

Yeah, Joe, you made me think of this.

So tell Carlos when you see him that and.

And contact Philip for that.

Yeah, yeah, That's a great idea.

Right.

Okay.

One.

One last thing.

You.

I always love.

You know the interviews I've seen on you on your backdrop there.

What.

What are some of the things you have behind you?

Oh, well, that was.

We did that.

A concert in Berlin.

Okay, Friends.

That's my IM album.

That's when I sang backgrounds for Billy Myers.

That's when I sang backgrounds for Savage Garden.

There's my on the Way up video.

That was my Japanese release of or no, my.

I think it was London.

Oh, forgive me for dreaming.

Gold record is Jelly Bean over there.

And then the Jelly Bean back of the album cover.

And then my first album, Way over there on the end with the wet hair.

That was my very first album.

And this one right here was a gift from my friend Niall, who I did the labor of Love album with.

He was the producer on that, and he was at this concert.

And let me see if I can get a little closer so you can see it.

Can you see it?

He's lifting.

Yeah, a little bit.

And that was the last.

He had got me that picture and then sent it to me right before Prince passed.

And I'm like.

And that was the last concert I did with him.

Oh, wow.

Which was.

What was the last one you did with him?

It was in LA at the Palladium.

We did a show and live Liv was working on releasing her record.

And so she.

We.

She opened up for us and then we did a show, and that was the last show, which is crazy that I got that right before he passed.

He had sent me that as a gift, not knowing Prince was gonna pass.

And here I have the last show on a picture.

Wow.

So it's quite a wall.

Yeah, yeah.

No, it's very cool.

And I'm sure a lot of emotions looking at all that stuff.

Yeah.

So for everyone, August 20th and Myron's at the Smith center in Vegas.

And how far is that from the Strip?

Like three Minutes.

Yeah, yeah.

And.

And quickly, the Minneapolis all stars with St. Paul and company.

Yes.

We're gonna be at the Dakota in Minnesota on August 28th, I believe or no, 29th.

And then we have some.

Some shows coming up in Sacramento.

We have the fifth at.

I'll tell you in a second, the Old Sugar Mill.

Okay.

In Clarksburg, California.

And then we have the other one.

I don't remember where exactly, but it's in Sacramento area.

And then I'm not sure where we're going next, but we've got stuff coming up.

Paul's always working.

Working the scene.

Yes, he is.

And he's a great guy to work with and for.

He's.

He's very generous with this, his sharing the stage, and he's just a wonderful person.

And they feel like my brothers whenever we travel together.

It's amazing.

It's.

It's funny.

I don't think I've told Paul this, but I started in radio in 82, and my first interview was Andres Simone.

He was the last one I did in an actual studio like that.

Now it's out of the home.

But, yeah, all that connection he was coming to New York to.

He actually did a.

Right.

When everything was closing down and the pandemic was spreading, he actually came into New York and did a show at a club.

He had his laptop with Prince stuff in the background.

He did a show.

I didn't go to the show, but we promoted on there.

So, yeah, it's always a fun time on the stage.

Yeah.

So, Elisa, thanks for coming by again.

I think this is the fourth time you might have stopped by our show before, but first on the video tip, so that's great.

Yay.

I'm so glad.

Thanks for asking me.

And I'm.

I don't check my Facebook often enough because I have two and I. Yeah, forget that it's there.

And then I'm like, oh, my God, they broke me like a month ago.

I gotta get back to them.

You know, that's the one thing.

Yeah.

It.

Nowadays it's so difficult to contact artists.

Speaking of which, I sent an Instagram post to Debbie Gibson, who's come to many of the phone call store shows because she's friends with Paul.

So, Debbie, if you're listening, I sent you an Instagram invite to give you two comps to my show on the 20th because you're you live in Vegas now.

And I'm giving you free tickets.

I want you to come and hear it.

It's a great show.

You'll love it.

So, yeah, look at your Instagram messages.

This might be the.

The way she comes to your show.

Yeah.

Who knows the 80s girls together in one building.

But at least you have a website, which is cool.

And Carlos reached out to me initially, so that's cool.

So thanks to Carlos.

Yeah.

Look forward to meeting him and yourself, personal day.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So thanks, Alyssa.

We'll have all the links, get the new music, go to see the show at Myron's at the Smith center on the 20th.

And.

And thanks again, Elisa.

And when you get to Vegas in March, let me know.

Yeah, that's right.

I'm going to be there for five days or so.

Yeah.

All right.

We're gonna have lunch.

All right.

Oh, one quick question.

Yeah.

When you fly from Vegas to Minneapolis, can you get a direct flight?

Yes, Delta.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, I fly Delta to Albany and we're in Atlanta for three and a half hours sitting.

Oh, no, it takes a lot out.

I'm the worst flyer in the world.

Okay.

I hate flying in airplanes, especially now.

But yeah, direct is always best.

Non stop.

There they go.

On cue.

Wrap it up, Mommy.

All right, Elisa.

All right.

Thanks so much.

All right.

Okay.