Jetsetting With Fitz and the Tantrums’ Noelle Scaggs
Chanteuse Noelle Scaggs continues to charm fans of soul-pop ensemble Fitz and the Tantrums with her powerful vocals and charismatic on-stage presence. As the band’s co-lead singer and songwriter prepares to head out on tour to promote their new album, she shared some of her travel tips and favorite destinations to explore.
Q: What type of traveler are you? (i.e., adventurer, cultural explorer, free spirit, rejuvenator, spa aficionado, etc.)
A: A free-spirited explorer.
Q: What types of activities do you like to do on your travels? Do you look for a place where it’s quiet and you can relax or someplace that has great activities or nightlife?
A: I am not too big on having to have the nightlife quality, but it really depends on if I am traveling alone or with someone else. I really enjoy areas with a lot of countryside, mountainous regions, areas with beaches etc. I tour so much in the city that it’s nice to be able to just relax and enjoy nature at its finest.
Q: When thinking about where you will travel to next, what inspires you to make a decision? And what, if any, research do you do about that destination?
A: I am a big food finder, it is one of my favorite activities when traveling, and I will often pick a destination based upon what I have heard about it in the food world or if I am curious about the culture in general. This could be one of the reasons why I am such a big fan of traveling through France.
Q: What is the most memorable trip you’ve taken and why?
A: I would have to say my most recent trip through Italy and Sicily. Sicily ended up being the most unexpected part of the entire trip. Palermo has the most interesting people and the most beautiful chaos throughout its landscape. It is one of those cities you have to experience for yourself, leaving all of your expectations behind before you arrive. It was like finding a diamond in a peanut shell.
Q: What is the best food you’ve ever found on a trip?
A: That is a hard question to answer. It would be a mixture of the black olives I had in Cape Town, South Africa; the black fish pasta I had in Venice, Italy; and the potato and lardon crêpe I had in Saint Brieuc, France. They were all pretty unforgettable.
Q: What, if anything, do you always take with you when you travel?
A: A good pair of sneakers and my travel journal.
Q: What’s your best piece of travel advice?
A: Be willing to not plan every moment. I find the most memorable traveling experiences occurred because I didn’t care where I ended up after the apartment or the hotels were booked.
Q: Is there a destination to which you can’t imagine not returning?
A: Paris.
Q: Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A: Being a California girl, I really enjoy taking unplanned trips up the coast and seeing where I land. Areas such as Morro Bay or Santa Barbara are always a real a treat for me.
Q: Where would you like to travel to next?
A: I just recently booked a trip to Kenya for the first time, which is happening this spring. I haven’t been to this part of the world since my visit to South Africa so I am looking forward to this trip and the adventures I might find.
Q: Tell us about your upcoming project(s)?
A: The guys in the band and I are about to begin gearing up for our next round of touring for our new album, “More Than Just A Dream.” Our second single on this album, “The Walker,” was featured in an Oscar trailer with Ellen DeGeneres. We are looking forward to doing what we do best: making everyone sing and sweat!
Noelle Scaggs’ Bio:
Noelle Scaggs is the female counterpart to lead singer Fitz of the soul-pop band Fitz and the Tantrums. In a short time, the band has taken the world by storm, performing everywhere from late night television to major festivals around the world. Noelle has become a popular fixture in the male-dominated ensemble and has lent her voice to classic hip-hop hooks, disco jams, and soulful ballads.
The Los Angeles-based singer has collaborated on several songs with hip-hop supergroup the Black Eyed Peas on their double platinum LP “Elephunk,” modeled in an art piece for Kanye West, sung backup for Miley Cyrus, hosted Nappy Boy TV with T-Pain for the 2008 VMAs, and worked with Damian Marley on his 2010 release with rapper NAS. She has also contributed as a singer and songwriter to film soundtracks such as “Walk Hard” with John C. Riley and “The Nanny Diaries” with Scarlett Johanssen and appeared in “Be Cool” with John Travolta.
Follow Noelle on Twitter.
