Luann de Lesseps on Putting Her Own Spin on a Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson Classic with ‘To All the Boys’ (Exclusive)

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Ilana KaplanFri, October 23, 2026 at 2:19 PM UTC

Luann de LessepsCredit: Jim Jordan

If you had told Luann de Lesseps that she was going on a world tour 10 years ago, she would have replied with “Yeah, right.”

But throughout the past decade, The Real Housewives of New York alum has become infamous for her sold-out cabaret shows filled with cheeky anecdotes, covers from icons ranging from Tina Turner to Fleetwood Mac and her original hits like “Money Can’t Buy You Class,” “Feelin Jovani,” “Chic, C’est La Vie” and more.

“It was sink or swim,” de Lesseps tells PEOPLE of her journey to mastering the art of cabaret. “When the s--- hit the fan for me in Florida [with my 2017 arrest], I was already working on it, and I went, ‘Okay. What happens when you get brought to your knees? You’ve got to rise.’”

In the years since she’s begun her shows, she’s hosted guests like Rachel Dratch, Lance Bass, Bridget Everett and Murray Hill.

Now, ahead of her tour, de Lesseps has released her first single in two years with “To All the Boys,” inspired by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson’s 1984 duet “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before.” It was that song that inspired the name of her forthcoming run of shows — The Love Tour.

And the song couldn’t have come at a better time with de Lesseps’ return to reality TV with The Golden Life, which she describes as “the perfect launching spot for the song.”

Below, de Lesseps opens up to PEOPLE about her biggest celebrity fans, the most memorable moment at her cabaret show and her dream collaborations.

Luann de Lesseps in April 2025 in Los AngelesCredit: Michael Simon/Getty

PEOPLE: How did you come up with the title for your latest single “To All the Boys?”

LUANN DE LESSEPS: Well, I was at a party with Dorinda and a producer comes up to me, who tours with Florence and the Machine, Aku, and he goes, “I’ve got a song for you.” I said, “Oh yeah?” And then he said, “You know that famous song from Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson ‘To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before?’” I’m like, “Sure. I love that song.” And then I knew I had to make it mine.

PEOPLE: I love that you put a twist on it.

DE LESSEPS: I love my boys. My boys are Roger, who is my chief of staff, master of ceremonies. And so, I have a lot of my boys on the show. And listen,  I’ve always had a love affair with boys, because I grew up with four brothers, which most people don’t know about me. So, I feel comfortable with men. Although I have a ton of girlfriends, because I’m a girl’s girl, as well. I wrote that song “Girl Code” with Jerry “Wonda” [Duplessis], who tours with Melissa Etheridge, and many others. I’ve gotten to work with the greatest producers ever.

It came originally to [Aku] because a friend of Dorinda said, “Oh, that song for Luann would be amazing,” and called Greg Calejo, who is a super guy and had the vision. When he came to me, I said, “Oh my God. I love it.” [Aku] sent me the beat, because he knows I want to do dance, and I was like, “Oh my God. This guy gets me.” And that’s how it started.

PEOPLE: This is your first new single in two years. What made you want to release one now?

DE LESSEPS: It came to me. It was timing. It happened last year already. So, I’ve been working and creating the tour.

‘To All the Boys’ single artworkCredit: Maxim Smirnov/MXM Agency

PEOPLE: What can fans expect from the “To All the Boys” music video?

DE LESSEPS: I worked with Philip Henry, who collaborates with people like Madonna and Mistr. Mistr is the sponsor of my tour, the song [and] the music video. My inspiration was if you look at the cover of Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson’s song, it was Julio in front of an old-school pool with a bevy of beautiful women behind him. And I said to myself, “You know what? That inspires me for the music video.”

To be able to shoot it during The Golden Life was incredible, because my girlfriend had the same-shaped pool. I said, “Oh my God. Can I shoot my music here?” And she’s like, “Sure.” So, I found the location just by chance, because I went to visit her while I was in Palm Beach. And then I had all these hot men I know. It all fell into place.

PEOPLE: How will we see your music and cabaret career portrayed on The Golden Life?

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DE LESSEPS: I did a music video [for the song] on The Golden Life. So, you’re going to see that. I talk about the song on the show. Very exciting. I had four [cabaret] shows all over Florida, so you’re going to see that on the show for sure.

PEOPLE: What is the most memorable cabaret experience you’ve had? Any funny fan stories that stand out?

DE LESSEPS: Well, one day at 54 Below ... I do a Q&A with the audience, because it’s a small venue, I said, “You know what? I’m going to go into the audience myself and do that.” So, I went down in the audience. There was a group of bachelorettes in the big banquette celebrating, drinking champagne, etc. I go over to the table, [and] they’re like, “Oh, pick me.” So, one girl takes the mic, and she tries to ask me a question, but in the meantime she vomits, but projectile vomits on me. Now I thought, “Oh, poor girl.” And she hit my hair and my shoulder. So, I wiped it off. I said, “Someone get the lady a napkin. Next question,” and I moved on because I didn’t want to embarrass her.

We would come to find out later she wasn’t drunk. She had an allergy to gluten. So, we found out later that that’s why she vomited. I thought, “Of course, bachelorette party, she drank too much.” But I got to say that’s one. And then most recently, I just did a show in Phoenixville, and as I come out to a song and introduce another song, which is Jovani, and I’m wearing Jovani, I say, “How are you guys doing? How are you doing tonight?” “Great.” “Oh, good. But are you feeling Jovani?” And my top comes undone. Thank God, it had a back strap, but it happened three times. So, Roger came out onto the stage and, in the meantime, I’m like, “Even Jovani makes mistakes.” That’s what cabaret’s all about. You just never know what’s going to happen. “I made it nice,” as Dorinda would say.

PEOPLE: Do you have a lucky or favorite fedora?

DE LESSEPS: Well, I lost my favorite fedora made by Philip Treacy in London. So, I found the fedora in New York Vintage years ago, and it became part of my thing. I kind of brought the fedora back in a certain way because I just loved it. I put it on my head, and I was like, “This is me. It suits me.” I lost it 10 months ago. I was with [my boyfriend] Michael [Riemerschmid] on a date, and my hat fell off in the taxi, and it drove away. Some taxi driver is looking very fabulous in the fedora right now.

Tilda Swinton and Luann de LessepsCredit: Luann de Lesseps/Instagram

PEOPLE: Who was the most surprising celebrity fan you’ve encountered when it comes to the cabaret or your music?

DE LESSEPS: Oh my God. Lourdes [Leon] is a big fan of mine — Madonna’s daughter. But Tilda Swinton comes to my shows in England. She surprised and introduced me to the stage at the Adelphi Theatre, the home of Sunset Boulevard and Andrew Lloyd Webber. She came in my dressing room. Roger was responsible for that, because I didn’t know she was coming. That’s the second time she came to my show. I went to visit her in Scotland. We became friends. So, she said, “Darling, I’m gutted that I can’t join you this evening at the theater in London.” She sent flowers. I was like, “Shoot me now. I could die and go to heaven so happily.”

But, listen, Jennifer Lawrence and Rihanna. [are fans, too.] Kesha, she’s like, “Countess.” I was like, “Oh my God. She knows who I am?” I was just blown away. It always blows me away that people like that know me.

PEOPLE: Who do you dream of collaborating with?

DE LESSEPS: Miley Cyrus. She’s badass. I love her. I’m a big ... I’m a secretly, not secretly ... I’m a rock chick at heart, so Stevie Nicks would be great. Cher’s “Believe.” That’s a song that I should cover, actually.

Luann de Lesseps and Jennifer LawrenceCredit: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

PEOPLE: Nowadays, which pop stars are you most influenced by?

DE LESSEPS: Listen, when I met Kesha, I was like, “Oh my God.” I didn’t really know a lot about Kesha and her story. I went to see her show because I played the main stage in Bondi Beach. When I saw her perform, I was like, “Wow.” She’s an incredible performer. I started the “Countess Cabaret” and “Countess and Friends” because I love Carol Burnett, Cher, all those kinds of variety shows. I grew up with that. I wasn’t so secure in my ability to sing at that point. I’ve never done anything like that. So, I relied on my guests, and I was the master of ceremony. And then we realized when I got offstage, people would go to the bathroom, or they would go and get a drink [that] they came to see me. So that’s kind of morphed into “Countess Cabaret.”

PEOPLE: What can fans expect from The Love Tour?

DE LESSEPS: Well, they’re going to hear the new song. I always come out with a new show, because life is a cabaret and it’s always constantly changing. And so, my life is never the same. Since then, I’ve done Ultimate Girls Trip. Now I’ve done The Golden Life. So, you bet I’m going to be talking about all those experiences.

I really built the show on how I like to live — with love in my heart. I love who I want to, and I cry when I have to. I’m trying not to do things anymore that I don’t love doing. And so, that really was the basis of why I did this tour, because I love what I do. I love being on stage. I love the cabaret shows, and I thought this one should be The Love Tour.

“To All the Boys” is available on all streaming platforms now.

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”