Singers in Surrey

Pauline Callais, originally from France, is an experienced, authentic and heartfelt professional singer. Having performed professionally for more than two years now, she's got some great advice to offer to anyone who's looking to hire a singer for an event. Read on!

What do you need to know from an organiser in order to provide a comprehensive quote?

In order to provide a comprehensive quote, I need to know the event date, a brief description of the event, indicating which music style and genre the organiser is after, whether they are looking for a solo singer (a cappella or backing tracks) or if they are after a live band. I also need to have an idea of the estimated number of guests and if a PA will be provided. Additionally the venue location.

What advice would you give to a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

I would suggest first of all looking at videos (all the ones listed on the entertainer's profile) to get an idea of genre and energy, is the entertainer versatile or does he specialise in one music genre? I would also look to see if the entertainer is interactive if this is what the customer is after, is the singer in for good banter, is the singer able to capture its audience. Of course, I would advise the customer to find out if the entertainer or band have PLI (public liability insurance) and if they provide a PA and up to how many people the PA system can cover. Also are they flexible on music genre and can they amend their setlist? Additionally, are they open to learning a couple of songs if the event is far enough to give them time to rehearse? Finally, I would suggest the customer ask the singer or band what makes them stand out and why to pick them.

Please tell us a little bit about how and why you started the business.

I have always loved singing, it is my passion. As a professional artist and illustrator I find music and painting are very intertwined. I became a professional singer over 2 years ago, starting as a solo singer singing to backing tracks or with my guitar on occasions. I have teamed up with a couple of very skilled musicians about a year ago to form my acoustic band 'Pauline and the Imaginary Friends'. I love to make every cover song my own, adding my own interpretation and making an emotional statement. I absolutely love interacting with my audience and singing is a way of expressing what words cannot, I see music as The Healer!

Please tell us about a booking you've had through Add to Event, how did it go? Would you recommend us to others?

I have had one booking so far, it has been a great experience, I have had great feedback and I look forward to more bookings ahead! I would definitely recommend Add to Event. Having direct contact with the client is a great plus, making it much easier as the artist to tailor to each event. I feel the client can be more specific and more demanding that way also. Finally, another big plus is avoiding agency fees which can be very high.