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Gina Sicilia Named June “Best Vocalist Of The Month” With Her Song “Allow Me To Confess”
By Dale Kawashima
Gina Sicilia, a talented blues/rock singer & songwriter
based in Philadelphia, PA, has won the June SingerUniverse “Best Vocalist Of
The Month” Competition, for her performance of her song “Allow Me To Confess.”
This song is the title cut of her debut album Allow Me To Confess, which
she released independently in January (2007). And starting in July, the album
will be promoted and distributed nationally by Vizztone Records.
Gina Sicilia
“Allow Me To Confess” is a no-nonsense, straight-forward
blues/rock song, which provides a terrific showcase for Sicilia’s clear,
powerful vocals. This midtempo cut starts off with a thumping bass riff and
drums, and then segues into the opening verse, where Sicilia’s vocals come in
and the rest of the band tracks (organ and electric guitar) kick in. It becomes
clear that Sicilia is very comfortable performing in a traditional, classic
blues setting.
Sicilian, who is 22, was born in Newtown, PA (near
Philadelphia) and she began singing when she was just three. Early on, she
enjoyed listening to the doo-wop records (the Shirelles, Dion & the
Belmonts) that her father played. Then when she was 13, she bought and was
deeply influenced by a blues CD compilation, which included B.B. King’s
memorable hit, “The Thrill Is Gone.” “That was the first blues song that really
inspired me,” said Sicilia.
Soon after Sicilia fell in love with blues music, and she
began singing along with many blues records before gradually developing her own
vocal style. She also started to write blues songs when she was 14. “During my
high school years I never performed live - I kept to myself,” she explained.
“But I did sing in my bedroom 24/7 and I also worked on my songwriting.”
Following high school, Sicilia attended Temple University in
Philadelphia, where she majored in journalism. During college she performed at
a prominent blues club called Warm Daddy’s, and she eventually formed a band of
pro musicians from the New York and New Jersey areas.
Gina Sicilia
Then in 2006, Sicilia recorded her 11-song CD Allow Me To
Confess, which includes eight songs that she wrote and was produced by Dave
Gross. She self-released the album in January, and a month later it entered the
Living Blues magazine radio chart. The album also reached #3 on the XM
satellite radio’s Bluesville station.
Most recently, Sicilia has signed a label deal with Vizztone
Records. “Richard Rosenblatt of Vizztone found my MySpace page and he became
interested,” said Sicilia. “My albumwill now be released July 10 on Vizztone and it will be distributed and
promoted nationally.”
Things are progressing well for Sicilia. “I will be signing
with a booking agency and we’ll be performing shows in the Midwest. I also hope
to tour overseas. In addition to my artist career, my goals are to open a blues
club and to educate younger people about the blues. I would also love to start
a blues magazine someday.”
In addition, here are four, talented vocalists/artists who complete our Top Five Vocalists honorees list for this month's competition, with their credits, plus their e-mail and website links:
Jennifer Newman
"Complicates." (pop/AC). Performed and written by Jennifer Newman of New York, NY.