By Carol McCracken  (Post # 2,000)

The public is invited to attend a gig by Olivia Crupi on Thusrday, May 29th at BLUE, 260A Congress Street. The event begins at 9:00 pm and there is no cover charge for the two hour concert. “Viva” is a Jazz singer who will have a backup band of local talent of which she is especially proud.

Music is simply another language for Viva, a Munjoy Hill resident.  It’s another way to communicate with people  for this 24-year-old Jazz singer with a penchant for

“Viva” Singing Jazz at the BLUE, Thursday, May 29th. Photo by Brian Fitzgerald.

languages. She loves languages and has been singing since she was a child. But Viva never thought she could pursue a singing career because she never studied voice formally. But she has received so much encouragement  from others and that’s  “all I needed,” she told mhn.com late last week.  She is learning languages at the University of Southern Maine with the hope of traveling overseas as a translator and singing in different cultures in their native tongue.

Meantime, she is working as a model through Portland Models and Talents.  In fact, she was the face of ObamaCare on a television ad that ran extensively to encourage the uninsured to sign up here in Maine.  She’s making a video that she hopes the Maine Arts Commission will fund.  Her father who is from Puerto Rico, is a singer as well.  “He always encouraged me to be creative and use my imagination,” she said. “I’m always trying to challenge myself.  Viva and her boyfriend recently climbed a mountain with an active volcano in Nicaragua that was 5,800 ft.  “It was scary, but I do need to know what my body can do.”

Please visit seeviva.wordpress.com for more information.