Seth Sikes

Seth Sikes Sings Mostly Judy Garland

Seth Sikes one of the newest gay additions to New York night life is beginning to make a splash around town as he is continuously requested to perform at 54 Below. He has showcased the songs of Judy Garland, in his relevant and fresh style.

I found Seth to be a well spoken, witty, really sweet person with a real passion for the type of songs he loves to sing. He is a handsome young man, with an old soul, and a beautiful voice. His next performance is on November 24th at 54 Below.

So you will be performing once again at 54 Below. I noticed you are there quite a bit. Do you like them or do they like you?
I like to think that we like each other.

How did you begin in the world of entertainment?
The funny thing is that before my first show, which was one year ago this week, I hadn’t been onstage in more than 10 years. I was working as an assistant director, and sometimes a director. I had gone to school for performance, but right after school I decided that I didn’t want to be on stage. So after a decade of not, I somehow got the nerve to get up on stage last year, to do one concert. It turned into another, and then five in one year, and now there are four more.

Did you perform when you were younger, while you were growing up?
I sang in church, and then in choir. It really came from my childhood love of Judy Garland.

There’s a lot of people out there that would agree with you. Is your favorite movie Wizard of Oz?
S. No it’s not. It’s a more obscure one, called Summer Stock.

Why did you fall in love with Judy Garland?
S. I have infinite things to say about her. One thing is, and this is a quote, ” when she opens her mouth to sing you don’t know if she’s going to open her mouth, or open a vein”. She has an incredibly personal approach to singing that a lot of singers is don’t use.

Who else and inspires you besides her?
Well the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, I’m really very much into Liza. She is sort of the last of the old type of superstar performers from that era, that doesn’t exist anymore. I got to see Liza  onstage a couple of times when I got to New York.

She was on fire Island a few years ago.
She was and I missed it, I couldn’t get in, it was sold out.

Where would you like to be in 10 years?
That’s a good question. I like being part of theater. I direction here and there, and I assistant director on Broadway and off-Broadway. But I also, now that I have the bug, I’d like to be on stage. People seem to like it, and I have so much fun. So in 10 years I would like to know that I’m still singing on stage, maybe all around the country, or the world. I think I’m still going to be developing musicals and directing on the side. My life has been switching back-and-forth from different roles in theater, and now I have this music, and becoming well known in New York.

Do you live in New York now?
I do. I live in Hells kitchen.

Do you have a favorite bar in New York?
I do. It’s called The Townhouse. It’s a gay bar on the upper Eastside. The reason why it’s my favorite bar is because it’s a piano bar. For a singer like me, it’s fun to go there and hang out and sing songs all night.

So you’re a young guy, and I appreciate that you love Broadway, and Judy Garland, but do you ever sing anything more contemporary?
Right now I don’t think so. I just don’t respond to contemporary music in the ways that I do to the standard songs, however, it would be interesting to find songs that were written in the old-style.  As far as moving into a contemporary pop style, probably not.