American Idol finalist Jayna Elise works to evoke Tina Turner in musical

Jayna Elise said she tries to evoke the physical as well as the emotional spirit of Tina Turner in every performance. (Julieta Cervantes) (Photo: Julieta Cervantes)

Tina Turner was known for her incredible performances, filled with high energy and her famous dance moves.

“She had an energy that is unmatched to this day, and so that’s something that I do try to evoke with every performance. It’s like a constant move of the shoulders,” Jayna Elise told CTV news.

The American Idol finalist plays the title role in TINA-The Tina Turner Musical, which is currently playing at the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts.

The role required Elise to dive deep into Tina’s personality and physical presence.

“How did she stand? How did she speak? You know, just to kind of nail down those just intricacies so that our audience can really see her brought to life,” said Elise.

Behind the scenes, Turner battled racism, sexism and an abusive marriage to Ike Turner.

Elise said portraying those emotional moments are tough, but it is made easier by a supportive cast.

“They are so amazing, giving me a safe space to feel through those moments emotionally and physically,” she said. “Specifically, Sterling Baker McCleary, who plays Ike Turner, for always just making sure that every fight is safe and just making me feel safe.”

Despite everything Tina went through, Elise said the singer inspired and paved the way for so many Black female artists.

“If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t be able to have, you know, half the musical artists that we have today, your Beyonces or Alicia Keys or Rihannas, they all exist because she existed first,” said Elise.

“She’s also a huge staple in the Black community, and just to kind of have that fearlessness, to say, you know, I’m Black and I’m going to go into this. At that time, white and male dominated space of rock and roll.”

It’s that bravery and resilience that Elise hopes audiences take away from the show.

“I think whether you are young, whether you’re old, whether you don’t know Tina’s story, whether you know everything about Tina Turner, you will walk away feeling inspired, just feeling new. And obviously the music is amazing,” she said.

The show runs until Sunday.