Category Archives: Music

Smoldering like a summer fling, the 60′s inspired, vintage rock ‘n’ roll of Prom Queen is like the soundtrack to a good Tarantino flick. It’s music for muscle cars, leather jackets, fast chicks, and desert sunsets. Attacking the style with utter perfection, the cinematic narratives delivered by Celene Ramadan (the band’s one and only member) invoke the spirit of Nancy Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Françoise Hardy, and Dolly Parton. Completely committed, Celene’s voice emotes with powerful conviction, transporting listeners back to an era of exploitation films and pulp magazines.

With elements of surf rock and psychedelia fusing with the warm fuzz of a worn guitar, Prom Queen seems to come from a completely different planet than the frenetic 8-Bit music Celene makes as Leeni. “8-bit (or chiptune) sounds are only a small sliver of the sounds that inspire me,” she says, “I’m inspired by all kinds of styles and I wanted to start making some of them. I don’t consider myself to be a one genre person. As a listener and appreciator of music, I listen to a vast variety. My moods change with the seasons and it’s nice to have new sonic colours to listen to. It’s been interesting, the similarities and differences between my two projects. It makes me feel like two different people, but I like that. I like having different soundscapes to play with and to be able to write a lyric and say ‘oh, that’s a Leeni lyric,’ or ‘this is definitely a Prom Queen song,’ and have a way to sort through my ideas, essentially. Not that those two are the only two styles I plan on doing. I love all kinds of music and I plan on making more varieties as long as I live.”

Celene taught herself how to produce and record vintage rock music when she joined forces with Jon-Michael Kerestes to form Romeo + Juliet, which was a project the two developed entirely via email. However, playing around with lots of different instruments and styles isn’t new to Celene. Largely self-taught, the multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire can expertly play the piano, the guitar, the oboe, and the Game Boy, as well as create professional sounding beats using Garage Band, of all things. The icing on the cake is her beautiful voice, traipsing between styles ranging from jazz and classical to pop and rock.

Part of the Prom Queen package is the image Celene projects when she performs. With big flowing hair, tendrils of dark curls dance around the delicate neckline of a vintage prom dress. A bright pink guitar crosses her waistline. The visual aesthetic serves to reinforce the sounds coming from the stage, but this is not a character performance, nor is it a novelty act. “It is a stylistically decisive act,” Celene explains, “but not novelty, as it is sincere. I am a person who is very decisive and likes to go all the way with something and still try to find ways to make it my own. Ultimately, I never sat down and sketched out what this would be, I just wrote what I felt like writing and produced it the way I wanted it to sound. I aim to write the music that I myself search for in hopes it exists, but it doesn’t. Yet.”

To behold this breathtaking audio/visual experience, join Prom Queen at Vito’s on May 11th at 9PM (for free!). She will be accompanied live by Ben Von Wildenhaus on guitar and Tom Meyers on drums, however the strings, vibes, timpanis, percussion, organs, etc. found on the recordings will be delivered via backing track, ensuring that the sound quality Celene has worked so hard to achieve is vibrantly maintained. “They have a scratchy, old quality to them that would be difficult to re-create live,” she says. The May 11th show will be the last chance to see Prom Queen play live until August, as Celene is heading back into the studio to work on a new record. Until then, keep reading on to see what Celene had to say when Seattle Peach had a few little fashion questions for her for Brand New Talk.

How would you describe your day to day style?

Pretty practical, unfortunately. Head to toe Lululemon on most days. I am pretty active and my transportation is either running, taking the bus or riding on the back of my boyfriend’s motorcycle: all of those things are enemies to fancier attire. But, it really makes the times when I can dress up feel really special.

Is there a difference between what you wear everyday and what you wear on stage? What is the difference?

Big difference! On stage, I wear a prom dress, heels, big hair, lashes. It’s all sparkle and glamour. At home/during the day, I am pretty understated and casual.

What is your process for styling for performances?

I have a rotating collection of vintage prom dresses that I wear. I’m usually more in the mood to wear one versus another of them. Then I style everything else to match the dress. It’s pretty simple, and it doesn’t take me much time at all. I’ve gotten my hair routine down to under 5 minutes!

How has your style evolved since the band first began?

It’s evolved most in the hair department. I’ve always worn prom dresses for the shows but I didn’t really grasp the brilliance of a well styled wig until much later. I saw the light. In the beginning, with Prom Queen, I really wanted there to be some androgyny to the outfit. I wanted to get someone to design me this hybrid outfit that was a prom dress with a tux jacket and cummerbund and kind of wear a men’s and woman’s prom outfit at the same time, cause I think it suits me. I’m not much of a girly girl, and my music also reflects a masculinity at times. I haven’t abandoned the idea of that outfit, actually I should probably get on getting that made soon.

Who’s style inspires you, who are some of your fashion icons?

My fashion icons are actually the same as my music icons: Debbie Harry, Francoise Hardy, Brigitte Bardot, Nancy Sinatra, Amy Winehouse, Marina and the Diamonds, … and Beyonce.

What are some of your favorite pieces from your own wardrobe?

I love all of my prom dresses, but in particular I have a long sleeve mint green dress that I think is just beautiful. The whole top of the dress is sequined and sparkly and then the skirt part is flowy and airy.

If you could go on a shopping spree anywhere on the planet, a.) Where would you go? b.) What stores would you go to? c.) Who would you bring with you? d.) What is at least one item you definitely be shopping for?

1968 Paris with Mick Jagger. For scarves.

Photo credits in order of appearance: Wittypixel Photography; Wittypixel Photography; Rodel Casio; Tony Tibbets; Tony Tibbets