Cirque du Soleil, Sam Williams, to bring country, acrobatics to TPAC stage in July

Marcus K. Dowling, Nashville Tennessean

"Songblazers," Cirque du Soleil and Universal Music Group's country music expansion project that premieres at Nashville's Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) on July 2, has announced more details about the event and an eight-city national tour.

Notably, recent Universal Nashville signee Sam Williams (a third-generation country performer related to Hank Jr. and Sr.) will release a new single, "Carnival Heart," for the production.

Cirque du Soleil will be bringing their "Cirque is Going Country" nationwide tour to Nashville in July 2024.
Cirque du Soleil will be bringing their "Cirque is Going Country" nationwide tour to Nashville in July 2024.

"The title idea came to me pretty easily after I became acquainted with Cirque du Soleil," says Williams in a press statement.

"Where I come from, most people don't get to go to the circus. We go to county fairs and carnivals, and the carnival in a small town is filled with joy, excitement, mystery, euphoria, you name it. That feeling is one you always remember, and I think the roller coaster of emotions lines up with what you want to feel seeing such an incredibly beautiful production such as Cirque's."

"Our collaboration with Universal Music Group Nashville presents an exciting opportunity for us to expand our creative horizons and reach new audiences as we delve into the vibrant world of country music entertainment," added Cirque du Soleil president and CEO Stéphane Lefebvre.

The show was written and directed by Los Angeles-based creative director and show producer Amy Tinkham and "pays tribute to the legendary and modern trailblazers of country music" through the story of two main characters attempting to achieve country recognition.

Sam Williams acknowledges someone in the audience before performing his version of "I'm So Lonely I could Cry," a song written by his grandfather, Hank Williams, during Hank WIlliams' 100th birthday celebration at Country Music Hall of Fame Thursday afternoon, Sept. 21, 2023.
Sam Williams acknowledges someone in the audience before performing his version of "I'm So Lonely I could Cry," a song written by his grandfather, Hank Williams, during Hank WIlliams' 100th birthday celebration at Country Music Hall of Fame Thursday afternoon, Sept. 21, 2023.

In January 2024, about expanding Universal's scope into partnerships with groups like Cirque, UMG Nashville boss Cindy Mabe stated, "[Universal Nashville loves] country music, but we are going to broaden our spectrum to include all kinds of voices. That's what country is."

For Williams, the partnership continues his desire to add a progressed vision of real-time interactivity to mainstream country's streaming and social-defined growth of late.

For him, "honestly feeling, hearing, and seeing" artists in the most eye-catching manner possible involves "[delivering] emotions that [aren't] potentially fake and [embodying] something that isn't realistic." Williams.

"Songblazers"' Nashville premiere will include a month-long residency at the TPAC through July 28, 2024. Cirque du Soleil will bring the event to seven additional U.S. cities.

Tickets are currently available for the following dates through Halloween 2024:

Nashville, TN – Tennessee Performing Arts Center® (TPAC): July 2 to July 28, 2024Sugar Land, TX – Smart Financial Center: August 1 to August 11, 2024Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall: August 14 to August 18, 2024San Antonio, TX – Majestic Theatre: August 21 to August 25, 2024Birmingham, AL – BJCC Concert Hall: September 12 to September 15, 2024New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre: September 18 to September 22, 2024Dallas, TX – Music Hall at Fair Park: September 25 to October 20, 2024St. Louis, MO – The Fabulous Fox Theater: October 23 to October 27, 2024

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 'Songblazers' by Cirque du Soleil, UMC coming to TPAC stage

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