Ariana Savalas is an American singer, songwriter, and burlesque performer. She is the daughter of Academy Award-nominated film and TV actor Telly Savalas. Savalas is a resident headlining performer and emcee for Postmodern Jukebox. She was one of the original members of the group alongside Haley Reinhart, Casey Abrams, Robyn Adele Anderson, and Morgan James. She tours with the band and has appeared in a number of the group's YouTube videos, two of her videos in the top five most popular videos in the group's history. She has been called the Dita Von Teese of music, fusing her original music with elements of traditional vaudeville and burlesque. She was described by Las Vegas Magazine as "the musical burlesque queen" and "the mistress of the modern Moulin Rouge".
Early years
Savalas was born in Los Angeles but was raised in Minnesota following her father's death in 1994. She attended an all-girls Catholic Convent school in her teenaged years before graduating early and moving to London to pursue a career in performance. She studied Shakespeare and acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and is a member of Playhouse West, a repertory theater directed by Jeff Goldblum. Before turning to jazz, Savalas toured and recorded in Europe as a pop singer in her teens with European producer Jack White. She made a guest appearance as Bobby Lainsford on the CBS hit drama Criminal Minds in 2010. Savalas began her music career in Los Angeles as a singer/songwriter playing venues on the Sunset Strip, such as the Whisky a Go-Go and Hard Rock Cafe.
Savalas was introduced to Scott Bradlee in 2015 and began collaborating on online videos and touring with the band soon after. They have performed at venues such as Radio City Music Hall, The Greek Theater, and the O2 Academy in London. Savalas was their first female emcee, and hosted the first-ever PMJ PBS special "Postmodern Jukebox: The New Classics".
Burlesque
Savalas began incorporating her own music into live shows, drawing influences from the Weimar Republic era of German Cabaret and the Moulin Rouge. Her 2019 live album, "The Ménage a Tour! Live from Las Vegas" was a showcase of music, songwriting, dance, comedy, and burlesque. Savalas released a single and music video for her original song "Legendary Lover" in early 2020.
The Dead Dance
Savalas released her debut full studio record, "The Dead Dance", in early 2020. The album was released exclusively under Cargo Records in Germany and digitally worldwide. The first single, "Memory", features trumpet player Brian Newman.
