New Vixen Singer Rosa Laricchiuta Didn’t Know Anything About the Band Before Joining
Back in May, long-running femme metal act Vixen announced a split with vocalist Lorraine Lewis which caused many shocked metal fans to utter “Vixen is still a band?” The band’s longest-running vocalist Janet Gardner confirmed that she was not going to be returning, as she and her husband we working on her next solo album instead. Vixen basically announced that the new singer would be revealed at their live shows, which is a weird way to make an introduction. In the end, the new singer turned out to be Canadian singer and songwriter Rosa Laricchiuta, who rose to prominence after an appearance in 2015 on the French-Canadian version of The Voice known as La Voix.
In a recent appearance on the All Bets Are Off podcast (as transcribed by Blabbermouth) Laricchiuta talked about the vibe of her first show, which was on June 21 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California where Vixen played with Great White, Slaughter, and Quiet Riot:
“Well, I was really excited because I’m all over the place because I’m so overwhelmed and it’s all so surreal. But growing up, I always wanted sisters, so now I feel blessed to have three sisters. And I feel — this is funny, but I feel like I’m a part of an incredible hockey team doing what I love. [Laughs]”
But, while she may have fulfilled a lifelong dream of gaining sisters, Laricchiuta did not fulfill a lifelong dream of getting to be in Vixen specifically because, when asked if she was aware of Vixen’s history and legacy before joining the band, she responded:
“Sadly, no… The first thing, the first thing I said was, ‘Oh my God. It’s an all-female band. Is this really happening?’ Because, again, growing up, I never had a sister, and I always dreamed of being in an all-girl, all-female band, always. And then the second thing that came out of my mouth was, ‘This is so badass.’”
Meanwhile, Lorraine Lewis has opened up about her recent exit from the band and, in an interview with the radio show This That And the Other (which was also transcribed by Blabbermouth) Lewis explained that it was not her decision to leave the band:
“What I will say about the situation, and I do want people to know that I didn’t quit the band. A lot of people think that I quit. The announcement that I made, it seemed to suggest, to me, that you could tell that it was not my decision to leave. I mean, that’s how I thought that I worded it. And I have a cabinet of people around me, and we really fine-tuned it. And I wanted to make sure that I wanted the fans to know how important they are to me and how much I love them and how much fun I’ve had. And also, don’t count me out. I am not going anywhere. I might not be in this band right now, but there is more to come from me. I was Lorraine Lewis before that band and I am still Lorraine Lewis and I will always be, and music is in my soul and in my gut and in my heart, and there’s more to come. And so I wanted people to know, though, that the band was moving in a different direction. And that’s how I was presented with the change. I was told that the band was moving in a different direction and I was not going to be the singer anymore. And that’s really it. And it’s just important for me to let everybody know, the fans… This isn’t about them or me or us or musicians or anything — it’s about the fans. And I just want these people that have messaged me and asked me, ‘Why did you quit?’ I just want to say I didn’t quit. I didn’t leave you. I didn’t quit. It was not my decision. And that’s really all there is to say about that.”
Why the over 30-year-old band—which has no original members left and has only one member from their heyday in the ‘80s—felt the need for another lineup change to bring in a singer who wasn’t familiar with their work remains somewhat of a mystery.
But, if you feel so inclined to check them out with the new singer, here’s the upcoming Vixen tour dates:
Jul 19 – Toldeo, OH – Promenade Park 80s Rock Invasion
Jul 20 – St. Ignace, MI – Kewadin Casino 80s Rock Invasion
Aug 2 – Fort Wayne, IN – Foellinger Theatre
Aug 23 – St. Charles, IL – The Arcada Theatre
Aug 25 – Gatlinburg, TN – The Mountain Music Festival
Aug 30 – Pryor, OK – RocklahomaSep 21 – Decatur, IL – Devon Lakeshore Ampitheater
Oct 2 – North Tonawanda, NY – Riviera Theatre
Oct 26 – Nov 2 – Departing from Tampa, FL – High Seas Rally Cruise
Mar 10 – Mar 15, 2025 – Departing from Miami, FL – Monsters of Rock Cruise
