Cirque du Soleil Meets Music City

“I put on a show, I jumped through the fire

I’m gonna let ’em all know I’m not scared to fly

‘Cause I find me a home, I live where the wonder is…” 

– Sam Williams, 2nd verse of Carnival Heart

And put on a show, they did. 

Sam Williams wrote Carnival Heart for Universal Music Group and Cirque du Soleil’s new show, “Songblazers” which opened in Nashville on July 2nd. They combine the theatrics of acrobatics, dancing, and stunning visuals with the warm and iconic sounds of country music. 

Music industry members and media were invited out for the debut event on July 10th. The Songblazers red carpet welcomed a wide array of community leaders, music industry greats and upcoming stars. Some of the red carpet attendees were Mayor Freddie O’Connell, Sam Williams, Bowen & Young, Carlene Carter, Ty Herndon, Rob Mayes, Kentucky Gentleman, Neon Union, Alison Nichols, Jamie O’Neal, Shane West, and many others. 

Amy Tinkham, writer and director of Songblazers, paid tribute to the country music legends and took the audience on a nostalgic ride. With jaw-dropping acrobatics to songs like “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” and sing-alongs to hits such as “Friends In Low Places” and “Red Solo Cup,” the show delivered an unforgettable experience. 

For the first time ever, Cirque du Soleil is putting country music’s rich storytelling in the spotlight. This one-of-a-kind show showcases a carefully selected mix of 35 songs from 1867 to 2024. With Nashville being the epicenter of country music, it’s only fitting that the show makes its debut right in the heart of Music City.

“To be asked to make a show about country music is a very daunting task because it’s giant. So, the approach that I took was to go deeply into the history and crafting of a song, which is really key to country music. Telling the truth and telling the story is the beautiful part of country music so that’s what SONGBLAZERS is about.” Amy Tinkham – Show Director & Writer

The cast of SONGBLAZERS electrified the theater with their foot-stomping music and incredible acrobatics. Audiences are taken on a thrilling journey through the rich tapestry of country music, from its historic roots to its modern flair. With two passionate songwriters at the helm, the show offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creation of a country track that honors its origins while embracing new trends. From classic ballads to contemporary hits, this dynamic production captures the heart of country music’s legacy, leaving everyone’s spirits lifted and hearts full. Some of the highlights were characters and Hee Haw type skits. Aside from the songwriters who the audience follows on their journey, Blaze and Pearl were very entertaining with their performances and slapstick comedy routines. The narrator, played by Sweet Megg, did a wonderful job and added a lot to the show. 

Sweet Megg was a full-time musician from New York but moved to Nashville three years ago. This is her first Cirque Du Soleil show. She was ‘discovered’ at Station Inn by the Songblazers director, Amy.  

“I was just doing a show out there. By chance, I decided to make it a really big one for fun. I flew in a horn section, did French songs – I used to live in France. The next morning, I had all these messages from Daniel and Amy, like on Facebook and Instagram. I got on the phone with them, and they basically said, “Hey, we saw you last night at the Station Inn. We want you to be in this role in this show, and we’re with Cirque du Soleil.” I remember, my boyfriend was with me, and I looked over and was like, “I think I just joined Cirque du Soleil. This is so wild.” And that’s how they found me and how I got involved, basically,” said Sweet Megg. “They said they had been frustrated trying to fill this role, so they decided to take a break and go watch some local music.”

Of course, a Cirque du Soleil show would not be complete without an iconic set design and costumes to fit the vibe of the performance. The costumes, designed by Zerina Akers, are colorful and over-the-top, in true Cirque fashion, but with just the right amount of Music City that you could picture Hank Sr., Jimmie Rodgers and Patsy Cline wearing some of them.  

Emmy Award-winning set designer, Bruce Rodgers, was going for an old barn, country aesthetic with a lot of surprises. It pays homage to the visual artists from country music television. The second act opening was inspired by Nudie’s Western Wear style and was designed by Lily, the assistant set designer. There are many aspects of the set that represent Nashville; the show curtain, which is in place when the audience arrives and is the first scene, was designed with Hatch Show Print. Rodgers used those two sets to say thanks to the iconic giants in the country music industry. 

“We had to have a train, we had to have a barn…. When I first showed the design to Cirque, they were ‘oh, it’s so symmetrical. I said ‘look at the Grand Ole Opry, look at Louisiana Hayride, look at the early Ryman. It was so straight-forward. It’s kind of like the straight man in a comedy act,” added Rodgers. “I love the designers on Broadway because they are so clever. The sets disappear and here comes a new set. For this show, we were going for more of a ‘grandma’s attic feel. The whole story kind of combined its own structural form. Some things fly in, some things fly out to enhance the scene. The hero who lives in the center, in the back of the wall, is the train.”

The train is a big component of the set. All of the activity revolves around the train. It comes out of the wall, and goes back in for different scenes. All aspects of the set fit together beautifully with the costumes, the singers, and the amazing acrobatics and dancing that Cirque is known for. 

Songblazers is the first country music Cirque du Soleil and it has hopefully opened the doors to create more of its kind in the future. There are show dates still available at TPAC until July 28th and the show will be touring to Sugarland, Texas in August. The closest to catch it near Nashville again will be in Atlanta, GA at Fox Theater, October 23rd – 27th. 

Gibson is a proud sponsor of Songblazers. For tickets to the Nashville performances, go to www.cirquedusoleil.com/songblazers. 

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