By Marcia Blondin***I always wonder, when I listen to BIG voices, how they would sound singing a lullaby. Most of them don’t bother, preferring to steamroll over the audience with power, often hiding behind the sheer force of it all, and lots of people applaud it. David Sabella’s Bella Vox Foundation brought Ava Nicole Frances to Vallarta, and a happ
y room full of people at The Palm Cabaret—including her two Dads— were grateful for that. And it was clear that in return she had fallen in love with Puerto Vallarta.
Ava Nicole Frances‘ second song at her Palm Cabaret debut in The Dream That I See was the iconic “When You Wish Upon a Star.” I used to watch Walt Disney only because I wanted to hear Jiminy Cricket sing that simple ballad at the end of every show. At 22, it is unlikely that Ava had the Cricket as her role model, but her voice captured those high notes with tenderness and sweet precision. And, with that, she stole my heart. Frances believes in dreams; imagine her shot on American Idol and imagine standing with 23 other finalists out of an original count of 70 thousand! Extraordinary, and while she didn’t win, she gained confidence and a world of experience she never would have had otherwise.
For this performance Frances brought her own band to Vallarta, and to complement her violinist, pianist and sax player (who is also her boyfriend) she added Vallarta’s finest percussionist, Hamlet CV, playing drums, as well as bass guitarist Jared Garcia, Through The Dream That I See and her autobiographical shows, Frances celebrates her adoptive dads’ Native American and Mexican heritage. I have read that Mexican Revolutionary hero Francisco ”Pancho” Villa is a relative of hers! ¡Viva!
With only a few days of Puerto Vallarta under her belt, she also appeared at Mary Porter’s request at the fundraiser for the Vallarta Girls’ School, at Teatro Vallarta, donating her time with over a dozen other stars in Val
larta’s firmament.She also gave a brief recital for the girls at their schoola couple of days earlier, with pianiist Michael Ferreri, followed by alively Q&A. The girls were entranced and encouraged, learning first-hand from a young woman only a few years older that dreams really can and do come true, particularly learning that Frances also has been involved in film, acting, dance and photography, as well as children’s and musical theatre.
It was as much of a joy to listen to her voice as I am sure it was for her to sing for us. Frances’ kind of youthful enthusiasm is age-related and cannot be faked, nor can it be revisited down the road, although many performers have tried. She is young, fresh and has a lifetime ahead of her. It will be a marvel to see her in a year and again, ten years from now. She will always be a delight to follow and listen to, no matter which direction life takes her, and her expansive, expressive voice.
Photos by Marcia Blondin
