A $10 wig changed Luisa Marshall’s life.
It was 1995. Marshall was performing with her tribute band in Dubai, India, when someone told her she sang and looked like Tina Turner. All that was missing was Turner’s wild-looking hairstyle.
So Marshall went to the mall and bought a cheap wig. She finished her tour in Dubai portraying Turner, from her high energy performances to her hip-swinging dance moves.
“It was a hoot,” Marshall, 62, said. “It went through the roof, and every night was packed.”
When Marshall returned home to Canada, the band’s agent asked if she could do more Tina Turner impersonations.
“From that moment to this moment, I went through a lot of different wigs,” Marshall said.
Marshall, considered one of the best Tina Turner tribute artists, is performing Turner’s biggest hits Friday at the Northwest Music Hall in Everett Mall.
Marshall’s singing chops, dancing skills and uncanny resemblance to Turner have made her a fan favorite. The Vancouver, B.C., resident has even performed for “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
“I must be doing something right, if Ellen approved of me,” Marshall said.
When she appeared on DeGeneres’ show in 2014, she was introduced as Turner. She fooled the audience — who gave her a standing ovation — as well as a host of celebrities in attendance, including singer Selena Gomez.
After the show, Gomez asked “Tina” for a selfie.
“I felt like a fraud,” Marshall recalled, with a laugh.
Marshall, born in the Phillipines, was the eldest of eight children and raised by a single mother. After college, she realized a 9-to-5 job wasn’t for her, so she hit the road with a tribute band, sending money back home to support her family.
“Everything about my singing has helped me and my family,” Marshall said.
Marshall put dreams of a solo career on hold when her Tina tributes became popular. She has no regrets.
“I just had to be really practical and honest with myself,” Marshall said. “My calling wasn’t that. It was to be Tina.”
Marshall takes her tribute seriously. She often studies footage of Turner’s stage movements, even going as far as to replicate her idiosyncrasies, as well as working to perfect her dance moves or better her vocals.
After 20 years, her Tina tribute is still in high demand. She performs around the world almost year-round. Her family, including her husband and daughters, tour with her in the band.
Her favorite Turner songs include “Proud Mary” and “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” but her top fave has long been “Simply the Best.”
“It still gives me goosebumps,” Marshall said. “It’s such an anthem that you can’t deny it’s affected a lot of people.”
Evan Thompson: 360-544-2999, ethompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @evanthompson_1.
If you go
What: Luisa Marshall as Tina Turner
Where: Northwest Music Hall at Everett Mall, 1402 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Tickets: $25
More: 425-258-1605 or www.luisamarshall.com
If you go
What: Luisa Marshall as Tina Turner
Where: Northwest Music Hall at Everett Mall, 1402 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Tickets: $25
More: 425-258-1605 or www.luisamarshall.com
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