The Sisters of Invention bring disability pop to Adelaide Cabaret Festival

Tutti Arts singers The Sisters of Invention will bring their original pop sound and lyrics about living with a disability to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

Pre-conceived notions about who can be a pop star will go out the window when The Sisters of Invention perform at this month’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

Aimee Crathern, Michelle Hall, Caroline Hardy and Annika Hooper were all singing with the Tutti Choir, for artists with a disability, when they decided to branch out as a small group and write their own material.

The Sisters of Invention singers Michelle Hall, Annika Hooper, Aimee Crathern and Caroline Hardy with their show director Michael Griffiths at The Lab. Picture: Matt Turner.

“We became The Sisters of Invention and our mission was to write songs that change the perspective of people living with a disability,” Hooper said.

With collaborators including Electric Fields’ Michael Ross and Kathie Renner from Vincent’s Chair, the group has produced original songs that both redefine and embrace the pop genre.

“It’s a bag of licorice allsorts,” said Hall.

“Some songs are dancey pop, some are reflective ballads – you could classify it as ‘alt pop’ but who wants to be pigeonholed? Not us!”

Cabaret and musical theatre doyen Michael Griffiths will direct the Sisters’ show, which is appropriated titled You Ready For This?

The group’s second album will be released in September and Hall said it has “a bit more electronic grunt and darker themes”.

The Sisters of Invention singers Annika Hooper, Michelle Hall, Aimee Crathern and Caroline Hardy at The Lab. Picture: Matt Turner.

Hardy said the groups’ lyrics deal with personal experiences, including being treated differently because of their disabilities.

“And some are really joyful, like approaching life positively and making music together,” Hardy said.

“There are also a couple of covers that we love in the show – so everybody should go away happy.”

It was a “dream come true” and a big honour to be part of the official Cabaret Festival program, said Crathern.

The Sisters of Invention singers Michelle Hall, Annika Hooper, Aimee Crathern and Caroline Hardy, with their show director Michael Griffiths at The Lab. Picture: Matt Turner.

“We know that not many people get invited so it’s a big deal, especially as a group with a disability,” she said.

“So it’s a big responsibility too – bigger than a hippopotamus!”

The Adelaide Cabaret Festival runs from June 11 to 26.

The Sisters of Invention perform at the Dunstan Playhouse on June 23 and 24. Book at adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au

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