From Montana to Las Vegas this Billings Mermaid Shares Her Story

I've interviewed lots of interesting people in my radio career, including countless singers, actors, comedians, athletes, local figures, celebrities, etc. However, today was my first interview ever with a mermaid.

Billings/Laurel local Jamie Rivera is a personal friend, who happened to be my daughter's dance class instructor a couple of years ago at her studio. Some of you may have met her when she was hosting karaoke nights at various spots around Billings. When Jamie shared the news on social media this week that she landed a job in Las Vegas as a professional mermaid performer, I had to reach out.

As seen in the news clip above, an entertainment production company in Las Vegas recently had a casting call/tryouts for mermaids. Out of 60 applicants, the field was narrowed to 12 and finally 3 were selected, including Montana's own Jamie Rivera. Casey McConnachie of Fantasea Productions said that the most important thing when choosing new mermaids for their team is "a good heart, selfless character and sharing the magic" of being a mermaid.

Of course, the ability to gracefully swim with a prosthetic fin (tail?) is important too. I had so many questions for Jamie. You can hear the full interview below. Here are some  highlights:

Is it difficult to swim in the mermaid suit? Yes and no. The challenge is making it look natural and graceful.

Have she ever performed at the famous Sip n' Dip in Great Falls? Nope. Her new job in Las Vegas is her first professional gig as a mermaid.

What was her introduction to being a mermaid? She reminded me that every little girl at some point wanted to be a mermaid (thanks, Disney). She bought a mermaid fin online for a photoshoot in 2018 and found the experience enjoyable. Sometimes she would use the fin at the gym pool for fun.

Take a listen for more.

We can't wait to see her perform on our next trip to Las Vegas. You can follow her mermaid shenanigans at www.mermaids.vegas