Storm Large is living proof that it’s never too late to go after your dreams. With her soothing voice and edgy style, the performer sings covers of classic hits as well as originals. In the ’90s, Large sang in nightclubs in San Francisco. As she continued her singing career in the 2000s, she performed in Portland Center Stage’s production of Cabaret and with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She’s had plenty more gigs since then, but fans might remember her iconic performances on America’s Got Talent in 2021. She auditioned with one of her favorite hits “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” where the judges gave her a standing ovation.

Now the singer is making her way over to Irvine Barclay Theater where she’ll bring her sultry energy to the stage. She’s excited to come to Irvine since residents can partake in something mature. “The Barclay audience is a mature, cultured gang of art lovers and I love performing for them,” Large said. “Mostly because they aren’t freaked out by my occasional F-bomb.”

Photo by Laura Domela

Large was 51 when she auditioned for America’s Got Talent. During her singing career, there were bullies who attempted to rip her dreams apart, which affected her a lot. As difficult as it was to ignore the haters, it was Large’s passion that kept her striving to the top. “When people doubted me, rejected me, criticized and tried to tear me down, I took it all to heart. And since I’ve become more visible, viable and successful, the haters have switched from ‘You suck’ to ‘You sold out and you suck.’ All that used to really hurt. But at the end of the day, I get to do what I love…I’m also in my 50s now. And boy, I really don’t have the energy I used to have for giving a s*it about all that.”

The performer pointed out how there are standards for women in the entertainment industry having to look a certain way to make it big. Even though Large has a wide following and continues to gain more exposure, being her own person is what helps her become the artist she wants to be instead of what the industry wants her to be. “Part of my longevity I think is credited to never really having been super famous. Women especially are so societally pressured to meet certain physical, marital and aesthetic standards as a marker for success. Despite my 30 years in this business, having been on television, in movies, Carnegie Hall, Oprah’s Book of the Week, and oodles of naked pictures from various modeling gigs out on the interwebs, I am not super famous. That grants me the freedom to be as creative as I like in any discipline.”

Large is no stranger to her naughty side in her performances. So fans can expect her to make her Irvine show sexy and fun. “You can expect some hope, some heartache, a few F-bombs and me in a beautiful boob squeezing dress.”

As we come back to live theater after the pandemic, Large is ready to make magic happen in Irvine. “Thank you all for coming back out to sit in the dark together where I can sing, howl, and shimmy at you all, and once again, do my damndest to make you happy again. I’ve missed you terribly. Let’s do this.”

Large will be performing at Irvine Barclay Theater on Saturday, Feb. 26th at 8 p.m.

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