Gina Zo August 2018 Tour & Interview

July 25, 2018

Gina Zo August 2018 Tour & Interview

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Recently the talented Gina Zo announced her Summer tour! We caught up with her for an interview, take a peek below to learn about what she’s up to these days!

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Hey Gina Zo! It’s great to speak with you. So for those who don’t know you, where are you from?

I am from West Chester, PA, right outside of Philadelphia! It is the cutest town and is actually known to have some killer musicians.

Your musical journey is quite impressive. Starting in the 5th grade, how did you get up the nerve to perform in front of everyone? At that age most are shy.

Thank you! I have honestly never been shy. I am not exactly sure why… maybe it’s because I am a Leo? I have always been someone who wants to lead the group and be a role model for others. I just kind of count to three and do it. If I am scared to do something, I tell myself it will be over quickly. There is no reason to worry because it is just a short period of time, and that will not last forever.

Let’s talk about getting the opportunity to audition for The Voice. How was that experience?

The experience was absolutely incredible. I had never even known I was going to do this, there was no set plan that when I turned old enough to audition that I was going to. That made it even more shocking that I got on the show. I was a singer before I did the show, and a good one, but I knew the realities of the music industry and planned to live a normal life until The Voice came around.

The fact that you didn’t make it all the way through, how did that inspire you to keep pushing forward?

The night when I got kicked off was very hard on me. It was really scary to know that what had been given to me on the show, would be taken from me and I would have to learn how to handle it on my own. I quickly learned how to handle my career in the proper way and The Voice definitely helped me with that.

Did you grow up in a household where music was a big part of your lives?

I have been playing piano since I was 8, but don’t get me wrong, I am not a prodigy. My mom played piano and sang her whole life. We were always a family that listened to music, but I would not say we were all musicians.

Living in the digital world of today, it helps to get the word out quickly. Do you have a team behind you that handles your online presence or do you handle it yourself?

I handle it all myself! I will say that more recently I got a marketing assistant, Annie, and she has helped me so much. Social media is not easy… It can be very difficult to stay up to date with everything going on in the world, being a musician, and a student.

How does the music scene accept you in your local area? Are there good opportunities for independent artists?

There are great opportunities for independent artists. Venues are willing to host artists that are newer to the music scene and offer opportunities that most venues would not offer to artists. For myself personally, I have been able to meet so many fellow musicians and the fact that I am a part of the Philly crew is incredible.

What’s your thought process when you are interested in starting a new project for a release?

My process is first off to write all of my new music and select it properly. The selection process is always a rough one because you become so attached to the songs that you want them all to be released. I also will show songs to people I trust in and out of the industry, in order to get constructive criticism on the music. Finally, from there, I create a marketing plan for the album release and additionally who and what I am shooting for. All of these things are super important when planning a release.

Do you have a specific genre that you feel most comfortable with or do you like to think outside of the box when it comes to writing music?

I am completely open to listening to all types of music and trying out all types of music. I personally am most comfortable with releasing music that is pop rock; because that is the music I feel that I write best. I would never discriminate against a certain style of music, though. All music is meant to be appreciated and understood.

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What’s a typical day like in the studio with Gina Zo?

In the studio, a typical day would depend on what is going on with my releases. My process begins with me having a song idea that I will generally work through with the help of the producer. This song idea is usually a fully written song with some assistance needed for putting the tracks together. Since working on my own music from my first album, I have learned even more to be my own producer and know exactly how I want my sound to be portrayed. I am always open to trying something new with my music, even though I can sometimes be hyper-focused on my own ways. Again, though, every day in the studio is completely different. I might be doing a cover, writing with someone else, writing my own music, or just working on some finishing touches on tracks!

Where can one catch you performing live these days?

So this coming August I will be going on Tour! If you check on my Instagram, I am going to be posting all of the venues and tour dates! I am super excited about this because it is my first real tour. I cannot even believe it is happening… I am so thankful for this.

Being someone so musically talented, when can we expect some new music from Ms. Gina Zo? Do you have something in the pipeline?

I do… I cannot give all the details yet BUT this music is my best yet. My band and I have been working on getting everything together in the right ways, taking time to make sure they are perfect. We are super excited about the sound that is coming out of our newest record. It is very mature and something that will make everyone feel out of their body. I cannot tell you much more, but it is definitely extremely exciting and there will be teasers soon enough.

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Where can we find new or previously released music?

If you want to see my new music when it comes out or check out my old music you can go to my Spotify page!! If you are feeling wild you can also go to my iTunes page where there are all of my features on other artists’ music when you search “Gina Zo”! For sneak peaks, check out my Instagram @gina_zo.

Since you came into this at a very young age, what advice can you give to upcoming artists that have to make certain life choices as you did when it comes to music?

Go with your gut. Every single decision I have made has been due to me going with what I truly believe is right for me and right for my career. You also want to, yes, be a dreamer, but also focus on the reality too. Know that these careers in the arts, any arts, take EXTREME focus and dedication. Be ready to work your butt off!

We ask all the artists we interview, what’s the best piece of advice someone’s ever given to you when it comes to music or life for that matter?

The best piece of advice someone has ever given to me is to enjoy what I am doing. If I am not having fun doing what I am doing, then there is no point in doing it.