Joanie Mendenhall
Coldplay
Keane
The Fray
U2
Imogen Heap
The Beatles
Regina Spektor
Queen
Sounds Like
Here i am live at the Del Mar Fair singing one of my many new songs!
Check out Your Dance Floor and a new song, No Trouble, from a recent performance at Lestat's in San Diego. I hope you enjoy it!
I WAS THE PICK OF THE WEEK on KPRi 102.1 the first week of January during the Homegrown Hour. Thank you to everyone who tuned in! Email KPRi at ilisten@KPRiFM.com, and call RadioSophie 103.7 at 888-388-1037, and ask them to play more of my songs. Thanks!
It may seem a bit unexpected that a 13 year old releases a CD of original songs. But for Gabriella, beating the odds has become, well, expected.
This new artist determined early on that life’s obstacles would not stop her from touching the sky and the stars in it as she writes in “Your Dance Floor.” In 2001 at age seven, Gabriella and her parents went out for a drive one morning. Unexpectedly, a teenager ran a red light and crashed into the family head-on while racing along at 110 miles per hour. Miraculously, Gabriella was uninjured, but she could only watch as her injured parents were taken to a local hospital. Having no siblings, she was determined that her family would be whole again, and in the months of recovery that followed, together they fought hard to make life like it used to be.
A year-and-half later, though, Gabriella was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Time to fight again. She tackled her diabetes head-on, deciding that this, too, would not hold her back from anything.
Gabriella’s drive and determination made the perfect match for her love of music. She got her first toy keyboard as a toddler and soon graduated to playing on the family piano with her dad. As she got older, Gabriella began making up songs on the piano and singing in the kids choir at church. She started private piano lessons at age nine, and three years later something unexpected happened – again. But this time the surprise was quite welcome.
In the fall of 2006 at age 12, Gabriella began writing more mature, complex songs like “Your Dance Floor” and “World Goes Round.” Her piano teacher and mentor, Joanie Mendenhall, a critically acclaimed San Diego musician, recognized Gabriella’s songwriting talent and began working with her to help develop her newly discovered gift.
Early in 2007, Joanie guided Gabriella in making rough Garage Band recordings of her first two songs, and through a friend of her father’s the songs made their way to Heather Holley and Rob Hoffman of Elicit Productions, a songwriting and production team whose credits include Christina Aguilera, Phil Collins, Sheryl Crow, Janet Jackson and many more celebrated musicians.
Heather and Rob liked what they heard, and this past summer Gabriella and her parents spent their two-week vacation in the team’s recording studio in Los Angeles. The talented and hard-working band included Aaron Sterling on drums, Jonathan Ahrens on bass, Dan Petty on guitar and Gabriella on piano, lead and background vocals.
The result is Sweet, Gabriella’s debut EP. “Your Dance Floor” is a song about being true to yourself and taking charge of your life. “City of Sound” is about a friend’s romance. The haunting title track, “Sweet”, is a young girl’s plea for her father to return to the family he left. “Not Yourself” is about friends who change – not for the better. And “World Goes Round” is a high-energy song about unrequited love.
hey you are like wow. . . oh my gosh, like a young Alicia Keys or something. You really have a very good talent. And i am Planing on seeing you at the DEL MAR fair. I am a so huge fan LOL when i saw you on the public access channel yesterday i Knew you where young but i wouldnt have ever guessed you where 13! maybe 16, but for the kinda talent and song writting you have i thought 16 or 17. Wow well hope to see you at the Del Mar Fair and hey rock it out man, i am sure you will do awesome since i saw how good u did yesterday! one of your newest fans, -Angie
Gabriella! I didn't get to tell you, but you have such a pure and beautiful voice. I was talking with my parents about how much talent you have: you can get up there, perform an hour set all by yourself while rockin on the piano and vox. Thanks for staying to watch "The Bolts" perform. Hopefully we can see you sometime again :)
My finacee and I saw you play last night at the SD Fair... you did a great job... we both wish you the best of luck... we bought your cd and we think our 10yr old daughter is going to love it... p.s. you should record some songs that are just you and the piano, it sounded great!!!
gabby i love it!!!!!!!!!!!!! great job on your video and "no trouble" i am calling radiosophie and asking them to play your song. keep going... awesome! :)
Hey - I finally bought your tracks today (was waiting for a disk but oh well) I've been listening all morning and LOVE it! I also love that you are unsigned - labels abuse us and you too - don't ever sign ok? :)
your song, not yourself, is quite addictiong for me in a good way, gabby. (: i love all of your songs, and hopefully, i go to one of your del mar fair show over the summer. take care! -acbajet.
oh you're welcome! i heard your song on the radio and i was like "this is AMAZING." i haven't had the chance to purchase your cd on itunes, but i will when i get back home :D
