The Creswick-based singer’s repertoire will include some familiar-sounding songs even for those not well versed in French nightclub music. 

“Lots of those songs we know as English jazz standards, like Sinatra and Dean Martin did – a lot of them are originally French songs,” she said. “A lot of the songs people recognise, even if they don’t know the words.” 

Brulee said the gardens concert was a great idea because it opened up the scene for people not usually able to attend performances. 

“It’s really lovely to see a bunch of people out enjoying the arts in Ballarat,” she said.

“It’s really great to have a gig that people can take their kids to, because that’s quite a tricky thing, because they’re either serious sit-down concerts or too late (at night).” 

The mother of two said per-

forming as a cabaret singer did have some drawbacks, if only linked to people’s perceptions. 

“There seems to be some confusion between cabaret and burlesque. To be clear, cabaret is singing, with some elements of theatre,” she said. 

“Burlesque performers don’t sing, because corsets are too hard to breathe in.”