In December, US fans of hit BBC series Downton Abbey will have the chance to see another side of Elizabeth McGovern, who plays the character of Cora Crawley. McGovern is actually the vocalist of her band, Sadie and the Hotheads, which is embarking on a 10-day US tour on December 4.

Although the timing of her tour seems perfect for promoting the January 4 US premiere of Downton Abbey’s fifth season, McGovern told The Associated Press that it was purely coincidental.

“It’s a slightly funny experience for fans of the show to come hear the music because it’s such a different world to the show itself. When we first started touring there would be a lot of people carrying ‘Downtown Abbey’ books … and I could see a look of surprise on their faces because it isn’t what you expect. I mean it’s not a classical quartet of violins,” said McGovern.

Her character on the series is Cora Crawley, an American heiress who marries into a British aristocratic family. McGovern’s portrayal has earned her several Golden Globe and Emmy nominations.

Sadie and the Hotheads released their debut album in 2007 and their third album, Still Waiting, this year. Although the group has performed before in Europe, McGovern said that she was more confident about performing in America now than in the past. “I think it’s coming at the right time since we slowly built experience with each other,” she said. “I feel like we’re more ready than we’ve ever been.”

Downton Abbey’s Elizabeth McGovern gets her guitar out to perform with Sadie and the Hotheads http://t.co/pNmldGxjUE pic.twitter.com/WbAbssmjVe

— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) March 10, 2014

McGovern’s group will be performing in Washington on December 4 and visiting New York City, Newark in New Jersey and Annapolis in Maryland before concluding the tour on December 14 in Hartford, Connecticut.

According to the band’s website, Sadie and the Hotheads’ music draws from an eclectic mix of musical genres, including ‘60s pop, country, esoteric folk, jazz, Celtic and torch songs.