Hello

About Lissette Napoleoni

Lissette Napoleoni is a singer, songwriter, performer, and multimedia artist whose career has included live music, television, theater production, photography, and video.

Her most personal work has always been music. As the lead singer and creator of Neon Venus, Lissette has performed in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and internationally. Neon Venus music videos were featured on MTV Español, and the band's work spans original rock, bilingual music, live performance, and music video production.  From 2008 to 2016, Lissette owned and operated the Neon Venus Art Theatre, where she produced, managed, and hosted live entertainment while continuing to perform. Her background also includes professional photography and videography. She has filmed casting sessions for major brands including Calvin Klein and Elizabeth Arden, and has photographed actors, musicians, and bands. Her current visual work is increasingly focused on fine-art photography and the intersection of images, music, and writing.

Lissette holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism/Advertising from The Ohio State University and a Master's degree in Telecommunication Arts from the University of Michigan.Today, she is once again placing songwriting and performance at the center of her work while opening the Neon Venus archives, creating new music, and developing the next chapter of the live show.

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The following are tidbits and highlights of Lissette's life in the arts and other worthwhile adventures. 

 

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1967 to 1978

From an early age, Lissette knew she wanted to become a performer. Inspired by the Spanish musical films of Marisol, she spent countless hours imagining herself on stage. By the age of six, Lissette already knew she wanted to be a singer. By the age of eight, she was already telling her mother that she wanted to become a singer and actress.

Although her mother strongly encouraged athletics, she opposed the idea of a career in entertainment for her young daughter. She believed the entertainment industry could expose children to unhealthy influences and an uncertain future, and she viewed rock music as incompatible with her family's values.

By middle school, Lissette had already concluded that if she wanted to become a rock singer, she would one day have to leave Puerto Rico to pursue her dream. After watching documentaries about New York City's music scene and the many artists who had launched their careers there, she set her sights on New York. She decided that after graduating from college, she would move there and begin her professional music career.

With her mother's encouragement, Lissette joined the Puerto Rico National Synchronized Swimming Team in 1978. The discipline, teamwork, and performance skills she developed as an elite athlete would later become an important foundation for her career as a musician and performer.

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1978–1985

PR Synchronized Swimming team

Olympic Dreams

Lissette Napoleoni joined the Puerto Rico National Synchronized Swimming Team in 1978 and competed in solo, duet, and team events. During her athletic career, she represented Puerto Rico in four Central American and Caribbean Games and one Pan American Games.

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PROUD PUERTO RICAN AND GAMES MEDALING

She earned four bronze medals for Puerto Rico at the Central American and Caribbean Games and a silver medal at an international competition in Mexico.

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OLYMPIC GAMES IN SEOUL

Lissette and the Puerto Rico National Synchronized Swimming Team qualified for the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. Although the team qualified, it was not sent to compete because Puerto Rico did not allocate the funding necessary for the team to attend, probably due to these dames being an exhibition of the sport at the games.

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1985–1990 

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OHIO STATE SYNCHONIZED SWIMMING TEAM

Determined to continue pursuing her Olympic dream, Lissette accepted an opportunity to train at The Ohio State University under the U.S. Olympic synchronized swimming coach. During her first year, however, she realized the financial demands of pursuing an elite athletic career were placing too great a burden on her mom. She made the difficult decision to redirect her passion and discipline toward another lifelong dream—music.

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THE OSU LOCAL CLUB SCENE - MEAN MR. MUSTARDS AND CRAZY MAMA'S

While completing her degree at Ohio State, Lissette immersed herself in the local music scene, beginning the journey that would eventually lead to the creation of Neon Venus and a professional career in music.​​​

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DEVELOPING ADVERTISING SKILLS - THE FOUNDATION TO START A BAND IN THE FUTURE

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When she began her studies at The Ohio State University, Lissette initially enrolled in Aerospace Engineering. Encouraged by her father to pursue a profession such as medicine, law, or engineering, she chose the engineering field that fascinated her most: aerospace. Her lifelong curiosity about the future, science, and space exploration would later inspire creative works such as Angels and Aliens.

Although she had already known since childhood that music was her true calling, Lissette soon discovered that there were university majors that could directly support an artistic career. After learning about the School of Journalism, she transferred to the Journalism/Advertising program, believing that communication, promotion, and media would better prepare her to build a future as an independent musician.

Because she had not yet received formal musical training, pursuing a music degree did not seem like the right choice at the time. Instead, she began taking voice classes at Ohio State, laying the foundation for what would become a lifelong journey as a singer and songwriter.

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MODELING

While attending The Ohio State University, Lissette also studied modeling at the John Casablancas Modeling and Career Center and worked as a promotional model for a few local events before deciding to focus her career on film and music. The experience gave her an early understanding of presentation, movement, and working in front of the camera—skills that would later prove valuable in music videos, photography, and live performance.

After moving to New York City, Lissette continued modeling, appearing in several runway hair shows for John Paul Mitchell Systems while building Neon Venus.

 

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1991–1994

University of Michigan - Learning film skills

Master's Degree in Telecommunication Arts

Lissette Napoleoni attended the University of Michigan, where she earned a Master's Degree in Telecommunication Arts with an emphasis in Film and Video.

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THE ARTISTS COMPANY INTERNSHIP

While completing her graduate studies, she accepted an internship for college credit at The Artists Company in New York City. There, she assisted in editing directors' showreels for commercial presentations and gained firsthand experience in the advertising and film production industry.

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During her internship, Lissette worked as a production assistant on a commercial directed by Tarsem Singh, with cinematography by Larry Fong and creative direction by Fatima Robinson. The opportunity held special meaning for her, as the creative team behind R.E.M.'s iconic music video Losing My Religion was one of the main reasons she sought out the internship at The Artists Company.

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1994–1999 —

New York and the Birth of Neon Venus

After earning her Master's degree from the University of Michigan, Lissette Napoleoni moved to New York City's East Village in 1994 to pursue a career in music.

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VIDEO PORTFOLIOS

While supporting herself through several creative and production jobs, she also worked for the video production company Video Portfolios, where she videotaped commercial castings for clients including Calvin Klein, Elizabeth Arden, and the television series Wings. The flexible schedule allowed her to dedicate the rest of her time to writing music and building a band.

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NEON VENUS IS BORN

In 1994, Lissette met guitarist Peter Valentino. The two began writing original music together in 1995, laying the foundation for what would become Neon Venus.

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THE NYC CLUBS

After nearly two years of writing, rehearsing, and refining their sound, Neon Venus made its live debut at New Music Cafe in 1997. The band soon became part of New York City's independent rock scene, performing at venues that included:

• New Music Cafe (first performance)

• The Spiral

• The Pyramid Club

• Acme Underground

• SideWalk Cafe

• The Continental

• Meow Mix

During these formative years, Lissette developed the energetic stage presence and songwriting style that would later define Neon Venus. Performing regularly throughout New York allowed the band to refine its live show while continuing to write original material.

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The Birth of Neon Venus

While working temporary jobs that provided the flexibility to pursue music full-time, Lissette Napoleoni and Peter Valentino recorded the band's first album, The Birth of Neon Venus. The album was later released through CD Baby, becoming part of the early wave of independent digital music distribution and eventually reaching major streaming platforms.

As online music services began to emerge, Lissette uploaded Neon Venus recordings to as many digital platforms as possible in order to establish and protect the band's identity. Since the late 1990s, she has maintained records documenting the band's releases and distribution as part of building and preserving the Neon Venus name.

The band's name was the result of a collaborative process. Lissette chose Venus in honor of her father's lifelong fascination with astronomy and space exploration. Peter added Neon, inspired by the title of a song (Big Neon Glitter) of an album by The Cult that happened to be on Lissette's dining room table during one of their brainstorming sessions. Together, the two names became Neon Venus.

The search for the right name had taken time. In the late 90's, the band had originally performed one show under the name Dovetail Joint, but after discovering that another group was already using it, Lissette and Peter decided to create a name that would be extremely unique and recognizable. They treid to come up with a new phrase.  Since 1997, Lissette has worked consistently to establish and protect the Neon Venus brand through recordings, performances, publications, and digital distribution.

Lissette and Peter married in 1997 and remained musical and creative partners for many years before divorcing in 2013.

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MOVING TO LA

In December 1999, Lissette and Neon Venus relocated to Los Angeles to continue expanding the band's career, opening the next chapter in their musical journey.

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late 1999–2003 —

2000 and on

In December 1999, Neon Venus relocated to Los Angeles.

During this period, while recording, performing, and developing Neon Venus, Lissette also began two professions that would complement her music career for many years. She established herself as a professional photographer, working with actors, musicians, and bands, and she began teaching Spanish professionally.

Both careers provided the flexibility to continue writing, recording, touring, and performing while remaining committed to independent music. Over the years, photography and language instruction became important complementary professions, allowing Lissette to sustain her creative work while continuing to invest in Neon Venus.

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2002

Los Angeles and the Next Chapter of Neon Venus 

Clubs in Los Angeles

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THE WESTWOOD BREWING COMPANY RESIDENCY

The band established a residency at the Los Angeles Brewing Company. Neon Venus also appeared at venues including 14 Below, Pepperdine University and other venues and outdoors events.

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These years were dedicated to refining its live performance, and continuing to write and record original music, including their second release, Slip Into Rhythm. The experience of performing  in Los Angeles helped prepare Neon Venus for the opportunities that would soon follow, including television exposure, music videos, and international performances.

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2003   

MTV Espanol and the Latin Rock Boom

In 2003, Neon Venus reached an important milestone when the band's first music video, Beso a Beso, began airing on MTV Español. The exposure marked the beginning of several years of television airplay and music video production.

 

 

FIRST ACTING CLASS

During this period, Lissette continued expanding her skills as a performer. She studied scene work with actor Jeff Conaway (Taxi, Grease), an experience that further developed her stage presence and on-camera performance.

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As Neon Venus continued to grow, the band produced additional music videos and built a body of original work that blended rock with bilingual songwriting and visual storytelling.

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2004

The 2nd Neon Venus music video for the song Volveremos aired on VHUno.   

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2005 —

International Touring, Television, and Performance

MTV Español aired a Neon Venus Rockumentary documenting the band's Armed Forces Tour through Egypt, the Sinai Peninsula, Turkey, Spain, and Italy. The tour introduced the band's music to U.S. military audiences overseas while showcasing Neon Venus's live performances and travels throughout the Mediterranean.

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Radio Airplay (Partial List)

Mun2 (Telemundo); Oxygen Radio; Radio WADO 1280 AM (New York); WYXM; Harrisonburg, WV; 1440 AM (North and South Carolina); WRST 90.3 Oshkosh, WI; among other college and independent radio stations and programs.

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IMPROV TRAINGING AT THE GROUNDLINGS:

During this period, Lissette continued expanding her performance skills by studying improvisation at The Groundlings with Jeremy Rowley and Sean Hogan.

 

DANCE TRAINING AT THE EDGE:

She also trained in jazz dance at Edge Performing Arts Center, further developing the movement and stage presence that became part of Neon Venus's live performances. Her favorite class was Jazz 3 with Cathy Jean, who helped choreograph Volveremos. 

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2006

3rd Neon Venus music video for the song Irresisitble aired on VHUno. Neon Venus releases their third CD: Irresistible.   

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2007     

4th Neon Venus music video for the song Step for song Into My Island aired on MTV Puerto Rico.

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2008–2016 —

The Neon Venus Art Theatre -  Las Vegas and LA location

In 2008, Neon Venus opened the Neon Venus Art Theatre in Las Vegas, Nevada. More than a performance venue, the theater became a creative home where Lissette Napoleoni produced, managed, promoted, and hosted live entertainment while continuing to perform.

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FIRST FRIDAY IN LAS VEGAS

From 2010 through 2012, Neon Venus regularly performed at First Friday events in Downtown Las Vegas, as well as venues including Harley-Davidson Café, Planet Hollywood, Money Plays, the MGM Grand, Imperial Palace, Circus Circus and other locations throughout the city.

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MODELING AND PROMO WORK

During this period, Lissette also worked as a performer, model, and host for productions and special events at the Paris Las Vegas, The Palazzo, Sahara Las Vegas, Excalibur, and other major Las Vegas resorts.

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MANAGING A VENUE 

Operating the Neon Venus Art Theatre for eight years gave Lissette extensive experience producing live entertainment, managing performers, marketing events, and presenting hundreds of live shows. The theater became another expression of her lifelong passion for creating opportunities for artists while continuing to develop her own career as a performer.

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2010

The band Neon Venus opened a second Neon Venus Art Theatre on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles.  

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ANGELS AND ALIENS

Napoleoni writes the screenplay Zeroes, which would later be retitled Angels and Aliens. Two table readings were performed, one at the Neon Venus Theater in Las Vegas, and the other at the Los Angeles location. 

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LA WEEKLY

LA Weekly published three different articles about the Neon Venus Art Theater, two in Las Vegas, and one about the venue located on Melrose and La Brea.

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2014-2015

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THE PEOPLE ON STAGE RIGHT NOW

Lissette performed Improv shows with the Improv Team: The People On Stage Right Now (30-45 minutes- Story Based Improv) at Neon Venus Art Theatre

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SKETCH-A-PHRENICS

She also performed sketch shows with Sketch-a-Phrenics

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​COLD READING CLASSES AT THE NEON VENUS

During this time Lissette took cold reading lessons with Tom McCafferty and Rob Roy Cesar.

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PERFORMERS AT THE NEON VENUS

During her years as owner of the Neon Venus Art Theater, Napoleoni worked closely with hundreds of performers at various stages of their careers, producing shows, and creating weekly performance opportunities. Several performers who appeared regularly on the Neon Venus stages later went on to successful careers in television and film, including Emily Pendergast (Leanne, White House Plumbers, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep), Julian Gant (Good Girls, Key & Peele, Splitting Up Together, Superior Donuts). Jessica Pohly (Fargo, Grand Crew, Pee-wee's Big Holiday, The Walking Dead), Lidia Porto (Get Shorty) among many, many other lovely and talented performers.  

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2016

— A New Direction

In 2016, the Neon Venus Art Theatre closed after the Los Angeles property owners chose to expand their growing gallery business into the space occupied by the theater.

Lissette briefly considered opening the theater at another Los Angeles location. After careful reflection, however, she decided it was time to return her focus to her own creative work rather than continue managing a performance venue.

After eight years of producing and hosting hundreds of live shows—many lasting until midnight or later—Lissette chose to dedicate more of her time to songwriting, performing, writing, photography, and teaching Spanish. The decision marked the end of an important chapter as a theater owner and the beginning of a renewed focus on her own artistic career.

2018

Lissette trained in stand up at Second City, Los Angeles, CA. The graduating show at Second City is currently posted online. 

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2019

Lissette directed the short film This Planet's Life and portrayed the lead character, Maya. The film is based on her original screenplay Zeroes, later retitled Angels and Aliens. Originally developed as a feature screenplay, the story continues to evolve as Lissette gradually adapts and releases it through her Substack publication.

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2019-2026 THE LOST YEARS

A Time of Reflection and Renewal

Beginning in 2019, Lissette Napoleoni became involved in litigation arising from the 2008 housing crisis. The legal proceedings, which remained ongoing in 2026, required a significant commitment of time and resources, interrupting the momentum of her musical career.

During the litigation, Deutsche Bank National Trust filed a declaratory relief action concerning the status of the loan documentation. According to the court filings, the litigation included lost-note affidavits submitted by them after the original loan documents could not be produced for nearly two decades. For Lissette, the prolonged legal process extended for many years, staring her troubles back in 2008, and leaving her home and future in uncertainty while the case worked its way through the courts.

 

These are also Covid years. 

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2025 — The Beginning of Substack

In 2025, Lissette launched her Substack publication as a home for her long-form writing and creative ideas. Alongside essays on music, creativity, artificial intelligence, advertising, language, and humor, she began developing a series of original books, including Angels and Aliens, The Crossmaker, Did Anyone Feed the Cat?, Dreams of the Machine, The Napoleoni Code, Confessions of a Spanish Teacher, Invisible Dreams in Everyday Life, Music Revolution, and Deutsche and Me.

The publication complements her work as a songwriter by offering readers a deeper look into the ideas, stories, and creative process behind her artistic work. Through essays, fiction, memoir, and commentary, Substack became another outlet for the curiosity and imagination that have always been central to her career.

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2026 — Disco Nights with DJ Miguel

In 2026, Lissette Napoleoni joined longtime friend DJ Miguel as an occasional featured vocalist for his Disco Nights show at Arizona Charlie's Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Lissette and DJ Miguel's musical friendship dates back to 2007, when he performed congas with Neon Venus. Over the years, Lissette also assisted with several of DJ Miguel's productions, including a corporate event for McDonald's at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. Nearly two decades later, the two reunited on stage, with Lissette returning the favor by performing as a guest vocalist in his Disco Nights show.

The collaboration marked Lissette's return to regular live performance and became one of the first steps toward developing her new solo show and the next chapter of Neon Venus.

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Napoleoni also assited DJ Miguel at a fun show at the Hard Rcok Cafe on the Strip in 2025. 

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2026 — A New Chapter: TikTok, Instagram, and the Return to Music

Publishing The Vault

After years devoted to theater production, photography, teaching, and navigating a lengthy legal battle that interrupted her musical career, Lissette returned to her first passion: songwriting and live performance.

In 2026, she launched a new chapter for Neon Venus through TikTok and Instagram, sharing original songs, live performances, music commentary, and previously unseen archival footage from the band's early years.

From the Vault:

Drawing from more than three decades of recordings, photographs, and video, she began opening the Neon Venus Vault, giving audiences an inside look at the band's history while continuing to create new music.

At the same time, Lissette began developing a new solo live show built around original music, selected covers, storytelling, and the experience gained through decades of performing, producing, and creating.

Today, her focus is once again where it has always belonged: writing songs, performing live, and building the next chapter of Neon Venus.

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2027:

30 year anniversary on stage

2027 — In Love With Love

Neon Venus plans to release its fourth studio album, In Love With Love, continuing Lissette Napoleoni's lifelong commitment to original songwriting and independent music.

The album represents the next chapter in the band's evolution, drawing on decades of musical experience while embracing a renewed focus on songwriting, live performance, and direct connection with audiences through digital platforms.

Following the launch of the Neon Venus Vault, the return to live performance, and the development of a new solo show, In Love With Love marks the beginning of a new era for Neon Venus.  

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A Final Reflection

Looking back, Lissette Napoleoni does not see her life as a series of unrelated careers, but as one lifelong commitment to music. Every discipline she pursued—advertising, filmmaking, photography, modeling, acting, improvisation, theater production, writing, and teaching—was chosen because it strengthened her ability to create, perform, communicate, or sustain an independent music life.

For young musicians, one of the most important lessons of her journey is that supporting your dream is not the same as abandoning it. The skills you learn, the professions you develop, and even the unexpected chapters of life can become the foundation and context that allows your art to endure. A creative career is rarely built in a straight line. It is built through persistence, curiosity, and a willingness to keep learning while never losing sight of the original dream.

For Lissette, that dream has remained unchanged since childhood: to write songs, perform them for audiences, and continue building the next chapter of Neon Venus.