Nellie McKay—singer, songwriter, pianist, ukulele player and Broadway baby—is something of an enigma. Her voice is pure, her face is sunny and her blonde curls are bouncy. Everything about her is undeniably cute. But her old-fashioned, jazzy tunes hide a darker, deeper meaning, a biting truth and a raucous wit. She’s like a great white shark wearing a vintage romper, inviting you to come swim.
Even if you’ve never heard her name, you’ve probably heard her music. McKay’s songs have graced Mad Men, Grey’s Anatomy, Boardwalk Empire and NCIS. McKay is proudly political; she’s a progressive Brooklyn vegetarian who isn’t afraid to promote PETA or write songs like “Mother of Pearl” (lyric: “Feminists don’t have a sense of sense of humor … They say child molestation isn’t funny/Rape and degradation’s just a crime/Lighten up, ladies.”)
Now, McKay is embarking on a tour behind her seventh album, last year’s Sister Orchid, which found her putting a unique spin on such timeless American standards as “My Romance” and “Georgia on My Mind” and Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood.”
What were you looking to do on your new album?
You know, have a great, good old-fashioned liquor. The album is about having a drink.
According to the official description, “this album speaks of the night, the outsider, the plaintive wail of those lost at sea.” Do you feel as haunted as your music? Jeez, we live in such an alienated culture. We avoid those closest to us, and that makes sense, because it tends to go awry. It’s good to be functional within your community and to organize, because the people at the top profit by our dysfunction. ... We are all born alone, live alone, die alone. We can try to stave that off. Sinatra, a big-time Vegas icon, he tried to surround himself by people so that he wouldn’t be alone. It’s within all of us.
What appeals to you about the retro sound? It’s a beat, it’s musical, it’s light-hearted, even when it’s sad.
What can viewers expect from your live show? Boy, I want to be happy because it’s Vegas. Maybe a sequin or two. I expect I’ll try to kick my leg, but I can’t promise anything.
Speaking of Sinatra, might you play any classic Vegas lounge songs? Good idea! I hadn’t even thought of that. It’s very exciting, the sky’s the limit!
What’s next for you? It’s dull but it’s mostly just trying to unpack [from the tour] and not be consumed by dysfunction. I guess we don’t have a proper place for anything, and we should. Life is maintenance; it’s horrible; how do you get out of it? I don’t know how anybody does it. I’m eternally overwhelmed.
NELLIE MCKAY April 6, 7 p.m. $39-$59. Cabaret Jazz, 702-749-2000.
