I was introduced to a top notch act at LeWeb in Paris this past December. Four girls, who exude sex appeal on the stage call themselves ESCALA.
Fusing contemporary sounds with classical instruments, the all women electric string quartet ESCALA are talented, dedicated and disciplined musicians who studied at London’s most prestigious music colleges.
The four girls became close friends after being recruited as part of a large string section for a UK arena tour by boyband McFly, and decided to work together to create a new musical phenomenon.
After entering Britain’s Got Talent 2008, performing in front of 14 million viewers on the show’s final, the band were signed by Simon Cowell to company, Syco Entertainment.
Escala are serious about their music, playing both acoustic and electric instruments and bringing stylish high-octane showmanship to their performances.
With their unique formula of fun and integrity, the girls believe their approach will encourage many (in particular the young) to overcome prejudices about classical instruments. I agree.
The international appeal for their contemporary sound has seen them travel the globe over the past 2 years including appearances such as Oprah & The Today Show in the US, Children in Need and opening Sweden’s Pink Ribbon Gala.
A bit about the girls: Victoria Lyon is the great-great-grand-daughter of the renowned 19th century opera singer, Jenny Lind, known as “The Swedish Nightingale” and Izzy Johnston, who gained a full scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, is also from an extremely musical family.
Tasya Hodges, who speaks four languages, was born in England but is half Croatian. Passionate about music from an early age, she started playing the cello whilst living in Croatia and then later won a scholarship to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, England. Chantal Leverton, who took up music at age seven, was a member of the prestigious National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, before she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music.
Below are some snapshots to get a sense of their glamorous and yet fun style on stage.
See below a few short video snippets of their performance. Find out where they’re playing and go see them – there’s nothing like seeing them live:
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
