It’s a pop song, chopped up with some soul, thrown over a bed of soft guitar chords, and sang raw.
At 24, Gina Venier stylishly combines her soulful blues roots with pop influences to create an original sound that defies fitting into a genre.
Raised in the small town of Dixon, IL, Gina pulls from her family roots to find inspiration behind songwriting, style, and stage presence.
At the age of 6, Venier took after her dad’s musical background as a blues musician, and started singing and playing the drums. At 13, she picked up the guitar and has been playing live ever since. She credits her dad for infusing a passion for music in her at an early age, and he frequently shares the stage with her today.
Now focused on developing her craft as a “young Chicago-based original artist,” she uses her percussive background to heighten her rhythmic movements on guitar, and showcases an expressively raw and raspy vocal tone during live shows, creating an unparalleled live performance of natural soul.
She won Chicago’s largest singing competition “Bar 1 Big Break,” in August of 2012, after showing the judges and audience her versatility, creativity, and inimitable artistry through performances a capella, on the drums, guitar, and keyboard. After making it to the final 2, Venier performed an original song and took home the top prize in the competition.
After winning the competition, Venier is continuing to capitalize on her success and is currently creating quite the buzz around the Chicago-land music scene.
Since then, Venier has been spreading her ‘hybrid genre’ of blue-eyed soul singer/songwriter meets R&B pop musician, performing in staple Chicago-land venues in front of anxious and enthusiastic crowds. Chicago- has been exploiting her distinctive vibe whether it’s an intimate acoustic showcase, or fronting her band, Gina Venier & the Gentlemen, each performance carries a unique dynamic, and not one show is the same as the last.
After receiving her degree in Broadcasting, Gina found more passion from being in front of a microphone on stage, than in front of the camera.
Currently, Gina is performing, writing, and accumulating original works, working toward her first album release. Her theme challenges fitting into a definitive form of music by blending the art of a singer/songwriter who collides with radio-worthy blue-eyed soulful pop music. Music has become her exclusive project and this extraordinary talent holds all the characteristics of a true artist on the rise.
She is currently competing in this year’s season of American Idol, and has favorably impressed the judges of Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Conick Jr. through her unique performances using her soulful voice, and one woman-band set up with cajon, kick pedal, and guitar. Gina has made it through to Hollywood week! Stay tuned!
