Bettylissimo
The 573 is home to a wide array of super talented artists and all around amazing people. Recently 573 Magazine traveled to Cape Girardeau to meet up with an amazingly talented performance artist who blew up over night and has made an explosive career out of singing her heart out to total strangers via surprise singing telegrams—bringing Joy to the world!
Meet muli-talented Joy Brooker—A 573 Superhero
I’m Joy Brooker and I do singing telegrams for a living. I was raised in Georgia and homeschooled. Same program as the Duggar family! I’ve lived all over the place. I’ve lived in Tennessee, California, Louisiana and now I’m here in Cape Girardeau, Missouri!
"I am a professional woman. So, naturally, I chased him down...LOL"
I did stand up comedy in LA for about five years. I performed at The Comedy Store, Flappers, and The Viper Room. I was taught by some great teachers and wrote with some amazing people, like Lisa Sundstedt, the creator of Pretty Funny Women. She’s the one who taught me how to write jokes. It’s been great knowing how to implement comedy into my singing telegrams.
Joy is a great example for young people—get out there! You can do it.
When I first decided to start doing singing telegrams, it was a very anticlimactic moment. It was just me sitting there back in 2018 thinking, “...you know what would be funny…” Then everything snowballed out of control and now here I am four years later with a singing telegram career that not only pays my bills, but has also made me debt free! That’s been a really, really great thing! After having worked in corporate environments for the past 10 years, it’s great to finally have my own business. Extremely freeing!
It was 92 degrees, but Joy still came to suit up and sing!
A singing telegram is essentially like a pizza delivery, but it’s a song. LOL. So, how it works is; people call or message me, and they say, “Hey, I have a person that I wanna send a singing telegram to…” They kind of tell me what the occasion is, and I help pick out a song based on the person, and a lot of times I rewrite the lyrics of their favorite song to fit the person. Then I show up, and for a minute and 30 seconds they are surprised and embarrassed, and their friends are very happy when they get the video. It’s a very fulfilling job, very fun, and never a dull moment!
OK! So the funniest one that I ever delivered was the guy who ran away from me. LOL. He was a doctor in town. I hid in his supply closet amongst boxes of Latisse. I opened up the door and jumped out, and he just sprinted down the hall away from me… but I am a professional woman. I had an order to fill. So, naturally, I chased him down and opened the door where he was hiding and let him have it! LOL. His wife was very happy.
"A singing telegram is essentially like a pizza delivery, but it’s a song. LOL"
I do a HUGE variety of songs. I’ve literally learned songs on the way to fill an order. I do a lot of the classics like; Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Dolly Parton. I have even made up songs out of thin air for people as well. I like keeping it customizable so that way they’re all personable and not one is the same.
This 573Magazine.com Story is sponsored in part by Cape Girardeau, Missouri!
When I’m not doing singing telegrams, I play piano and sing. I love to create original music as well. The singing telegrams are fun, but it’s really just a great way to pay the bills so I’m able to have the time to play and write music and build that as well.
Tell us about your experience on America’s Got Talent.
OKAY! So, I was on America’s Got Talent like a month ago. I actually auditioned because they wanted me to deliver a telegram to Simon! So I got to fly to Pasadena and deliver a singing telegram to THE Simon Cowell… which was the scariest moment of my life, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat! He was very nice, and he said it was the best audition he’d seen so far this season! So that’s a little feather in my cap. LOL
"I was on America’s Got Talent like a month ago."
For an in person singing telegram in Cape or Jackson, it’s currently $55, and that includes the telegram, candy and a balloon. I deliver within 150 miles of Cape, so outside of that area the extra cost depends on the distance. Or you can order a personalized video for only $39 through Cameo!
WOW! What an amazing woman, and so aptly named. We had so much fun talking with Joy we left with our hearts completely filled with…well, JOY! And what a firework she is!
It’s amazing what you can do when you throw some hard work at what you love.
GET OUT THERE!
Want to book Joy Brooker? For in person performances message Joy on Facebook or email her at joybrookermusic@gmail.com
Or get a personalized video gram at https://www.cameo.com/joy_brooker
Words by Bettylissimo aka AJ Koehler
Pics and Video by Supreme Leader aka T. Smugala
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