Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Leamy.
Hi Monica, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was first introduced to the Celebrity Impersonator industry back in 2005 as a Go Go dancer for an Austin Powers impersonator. His name is Greg Thompson and became a dear friend. After performing as a “side character” for several years, I started to pursue my own characters and although I didn’t get much work as her as a solo character, Gwen Stefani was always my favorite. When I started dating my husband, Jonathan, we had an opportunity to do a No Doubt event at the Tin Roof here in town and our tribute band was born.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Keeping a band together is a struggle in normal times, everyone has jobs, kids, etc. Now, Covid has brought its own struggles to our entire industry. During this time, we needed to change our band’s line up and not having regular gigs to help new members get into the swing of things has been just one of the challenges.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a band, we try to recreate as much of an authentic experience as we can to a No Doubt concert. My part in this is creating my own costumes to be as close to the originals as possible and studying Gwen’s mannerisms and performances to give a good show. My most proud moment… wow… That would have to be when my husband and I saw Gwen in Vegas on the first night of our honeymoon. I was wearing a replica top from her “This is What the Truth Feels Like” tour and she recognized it and pulled me onstage! She went as far as to validate our band and we will be forever grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: subliminaldoubt.com
- Instagram: @subliminaldoubt or @fake_gwen
- Facebook: Facebook.com/subdoubt
Image Credits
Michael Cairns, Peter Gould, Jason Turner and Jonathan Leamy
