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What does it actually take to build a career in burlesque that lasts?

Burlesque can look effortless from the audience. Behind the rhinestones? Rejection, resilience, professionalism, costumes that refuse to cooperate, music that goes wrong — and a hell of a lot of skill.

This week I’m joined by Demi Noire, who brings over two decades of professional experience across TV, musical theatre and cabaret, to talk about what really keeps a performer working.

We get into the realities of rejection, why your backstage reputation can be just as important as what happens onstage, and whether burlesque should be treated as a supportive community, a professional industry — or somehow both.

Demi shares how she found her stage name (and why you REALLY need to Google yours before committing 😂), how she developed her own style, why over-choreographing can actually take away from a performance, and what you do when costumes stick, cues go wrong or the music fails completely.

We also talk body confidence, changing bodies after pregnancy, representation and why seeing real, unfiltered bodies onstage still matters.

And ultimately, if we want the UK burlesque scene to survive and thrive, we need to support the performers, producers and venues keeping this gloriously weird little world alive.

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on all major podcast platforms.

💎 Proudly sponsored by Crystal Parade www.crystalparade.co.uk

What’s the biggest myth you’ve heard about burlesque?

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🎙️ Behind Burlesque. The Burlesque Podcast— Hosted by Isabella Bliss

Pulling back the curtain on life behind the glamour.

✨ Real stories. Raw courage. The sparkle beneath the spotlight.

🎧 New episodes every month — listen, subscribe, and leave a review.
🌐 Follow us on Instagram @behind_burlesque and @miss_isabella_bliss

📩 For partnerships & guest enquiries: behindburlesque@outlook.com

www.isabellabliss.co.uk

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Burlesque isn’t just sparkle, striptease, and a few familiar clichés. When we sit down with Tempest Rose, one of the leading figures in the UK’s modern burlesque revival and the founder of House of Burlesque, we get the real story of how an art form built on satire, individuality, and nerve becomes a lifelong craft. She takes us back to the early days: auditioning in a Brixton church hall, learning fast on packed show nights, and discovering that one “hit” act doesn’t stop you from being humbled by the next one.

We also go deep on confidence and body image, not as buzzwords but as lived experience. Tempest explains how burlesque widens what we see as beautiful, how community can change your relationship with your body over decades, and why your social media feed quietly shapes your self-worth. If you’ve ever wanted to feel more at home in your own skin, you’ll hear practical, grounded advice on building a friendlier connection with yourself, whether you’re taking burlesque classes in London or simply learning to take up space in everyday life.

Then we lift the curtain on the work: producing, touring, budgets, and the mental load of running shows. Tempest shares the boundaries that keep her sane, why “get to the solution” matters, and what it really takes to go from performer to producer. We also talk about the future of burlesque, the pressure to be polished, and why authenticity and a little rebellion are the engines of innovation in cabaret and live performance.

Subscribe, share the episode with a friend who loves the arts, and leave us a review so more people can find the podcast and join the conversation.

Proudly Sponsored by Crystal Parade www.crystalparade.co.uk

Support the show

🎙️ Behind Burlesque. The Burlesque Podcast— Hosted by Isabella Bliss

Pulling back the curtain on life behind the glamour.

✨ Real stories. Raw courage. The sparkle beneath the spotlight.

🎧 New episodes every month — listen, subscribe, and leave a review.
🌐 Follow us on Instagram @behind_burlesque and @miss_isabella_bliss

📩 For partnerships & guest enquiries: behindburlesque@outlook.com

www.isabellabliss.co.uk

Send us Fan Mail

Burlesque looks effortless when it’s done well, but the real story is what happens before the spotlight hits. I’m Isabella Bliss, and I’m joined by the brilliant Lindsay McGlone, a producer, performer, and stage manager with over a decade in the burlesque and cabaret industry. From her very first show as a stage kitten to building rooms where marginalised voices are centred, Lindsay brings the kind of grounded honesty that makes you rethink what “performance” really means.

We talk about the craft that audiences rarely notice: backstage etiquette, why stage management can make you a stronger performer, and how one small shift like slowing down can turn an act into a genuine connection. Lindsay also shares the vulnerable side of the work, from body image and fat phobia to the pressure to fit a stereotype just to get booked. Her take on confidence is refreshingly practical: it isn’t only about how you look, it’s about how you hold yourself, how you create safety, and how you make people feel in a live room.

We also get into the business of burlesque, because creatives run businesses whether or not anyone wants to give us that respect. Lindsay breaks down boundaries, communication tools like “tone check”, and why she now defines success as choice. You’ll hear how Reclaim Means Business connects burlesque with the wider business world, puts money back into the scene, and helps grow new audiences for live performance. If you care about burlesque, cabaret, live theatre, and the people behind the sparkle, hit subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show.

Support the show

🎙️ Behind Burlesque. The Burlesque Podcast— Hosted by Isabella Bliss

Pulling back the curtain on life behind the glamour.

✨ Real stories. Raw courage. The sparkle beneath the spotlight.

🎧 New episodes every month — listen, subscribe, and leave a review.
🌐 Follow us on Instagram @behind_burlesque and @miss_isabella_bliss

📩 For partnerships & guest enquiries: behindburlesque@outlook.com

www.isabellabliss.co.uk