In 1994, Thomas Lauderdale wanted to create a new sound with a broader appeal that could energize crowds and serve as a beautifully inclusive soundtrack for events. He drew inspiration from all over the world, crossing classical, jazz, and old-fashioned pop until he landed on the genre-bending music you hear today. A year later, Lauderdale called China Forbes, a Harvard classmate living in New York City, and asked her to join Pink Martini. They began writing music together. Their first song, “Sympathique (Je ne veux pas travailler),” became an overnight sensation and was even nominated for Song of the Year at France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards. Today, Pink Martini features a dozen musicians, has songs in 25 languages, and performs its multilingual repertoire on leading concert stages around the world. For this special SMF pre-season Spring Fling concert event, Pink Martini will be joined by China Forbes in her first Savannah appearance in seven years.