Re: PERFORMANCE: Queen Barb
The video cut out to the live feed, the camera zooming in on Queen Barb, standing in what was designed to look like an Old West setting. She wore skintight leather pants, black high-heeled boots, and a leather jacket over a white corset, her multicolored hair mostly covered by a wide-brimmed cowboy hat.
She stood in place, slowly moving her hips in time with the slow, rhythmic bass and drum beat. This week, she had no guitar with her, and had both hands on the microphone stand as her body moved with the music.
"Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell Jimmy Rodgers on the Victrola up high Mama's dancin' with baby on her shoulder The sun is settin' like molasses in the sky"
The strong, seductive tone to her voice was aided by the way she moved, lightly slapping her thigh with one hand as she used the other to slowly twirl the mic stand.
"The boy could sing, knew how to move ev'rything Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for Black velvet and that little boy smile Black velvet with that slow southern style A new religion that'll bring you to your knees Black velvet if you please"
Barb knew how to rock. And thanks to some pointers from Paige and a few others, she knew how to be sexy. But sultry? Seductive? Those were still foreign to her. But Skylar had done a hell of a job teaching her, because this was coming off like something she'd had in her for her entire life. The slow, deliberate movements. The way she timed her hip movements just right to be in synch with the beat of the song. The bedroom eyes she flashed at the crowd. She wasn't sure how authentic she'd seem... but she was acting sultry AF right now, thank you.
"Up in Memphis the music's like a heat wave White Lightnin' bound to drive you wild Mama's baby's in the heart of ev'ry school girl "Love Me Tender" leaves 'em cryin' in the aisle The way he moved, it was a sin, so sweet and true Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for"
She took her hat off, twirling it into the crowd as she ran a hand through her pink-and-blonde hair, before quickly slipping out of the leather jacket and flinging it backstage.
"Black velvet and that little boy smile Black velvet and that slow southern style A new religion that'll bring you to your knees Black velvet if you please"
Until a week or two ago, Barb would've had no idea what sultry or sexy even meant, but now she was epitomizing them perfectly, using her wispy figure to her advantage as she moved in snakelike fashion to the music, before slowly lowering to a crouching position as she continued singing.
"Ev'ry word of ev'ry song that he sang was for you In a flash he was gone, it happened so soon What could you do?"
"Black velvet and that little boy smile Black velvet in that slow southern style A new religion that'll bring you to your knees Black velvet if you please"
She could feel her confidence soaring. She truly felt like she was going to win this whole thing now. If she didn't? She could tell Skylar was ready to do anything it took to sign her regardless. That wasn't the point though. Barb wanted the reputation that would come with basically being the most popular singer in the universe.
"Black velvet and that little boy smile Black velvet in that slow southern style A new religion that'll bring you to your knees Black velvet if you please"
"If you please If you please If you please"
Jutting her hip out as the song hit it's final beat, Barb dipped her head back, soaking in the applause and screaming from the crowd. No matter the world she was in... the stage? Was her home.