Sixteen-year-old Joanna Gabrielle was given the chance of a lifetime in 2019 when producer Shannon McArthur approached her via social media to give her the chance to record her first-ever EP. Originally from Virginia, Joanna traveled to Nashville, TN, to share her songwriting with the world. Joanna has been involved with music her whole life, and over this past year has been able to release her first two songs, “Maybe” and “Time and Again”, followed by the rest of her EP. Joanna Gabrielle’s new release, “One Day...”, presents her smooth, soft vocal tones with simple and delicate acoustics. The guitar notes have a serene feeling to them and get louder as the song progresses, all without becoming overpowering. She has impressive control over her voice and migrates between notes effortlessly. The lyrics of “One Day...” stress the importance of appreciating what you have every day because you never know what tomorrow will bring. Joanna sings “what if forever meant we never have to say goodbye”, perfectly capturing the emotion of the song. This is only the beginning of Joanna Gabrielle’s musical journey, and she plans to continue developing her skills as an artist and songwriter.
Check out “One Day...” by Joanna Gabrielle here.
Hey Joanna! Welcome to BuzzMusic, and congratulations on your first EP! We really enjoyed your single “One Day...”, what is your favorite aspect of the song?
Thank you so much, and thank you for having me again! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed “One Day...”! My favorite aspect of this song was probably the writing process. I don’t think I’ve ever written a song as quickly as I wrote this one. No really, it probably took me about fifteen or twenty minutes to write all the lyrics! I also really love the meaning behind these lyrics and the overall message it conveys. But what’s really special about this song is that it was the first song I recorded when I flew down to Nashville to record my EP. These are also some of my favorite lyrics I’ve ever written.
You mentioned you have been singing since you were young, and it shows! Were you involved in any musical training as a child, or are you self-taught?
Aw, thank you! I loved doing musical theater throughout my childhood and still do it whenever I can, but I started receiving formal vocal training when I was twelve. I studied classical and musical theater training but I’ve always had a deep appreciation for more pop/contemporary music.
How did you decide what single to release as your first single? Does that song have sentimental meaning for you?
Before I decided which song to release first, I actually played a couple of my songs for a few of my close friends to hear what they had to think as well as which songs they were more receptive to. Most everyone agreed that my song, ‘Maybe’, was their favorite and that was the first song I released. Each of my songs has special meanings for different reasons, but ‘Maybe’ will always be a little more special because it was the first song I ever released.
Who is one artist that you admire? What is it about them that inspires you?
It’s so hard to pick just one so I’m gonna have to name off a few. Stylistically and vocally, I’d have to say Ariana Grande, but writing-wise, I’m partial to Halsey and Lewis Capaldi. It’s so hard to find lyrics that have a genuine authenticity to them, but I’ve found that they consistently hit that category every time. I love it when a song’s lyrics can perfectly capture a specific emotion or scenario in a way that keeps me coming back to listen to it over and over again. Often times I try to listen back to those songs and try to emulate those techniques back into my own writing.
What can we expect to see from you throughout 2020?
I’d love to record some new music or possibly a new EP! One of the best parts about being an independent artist is the freedom to experiment and change my style. There are so many new styles I’d love to work with and incorporate into my own sound. I’d also like to continue defining my style and redefining my sound to reflect on how I feel I’ve grown as an artist. More than anything, I just want to keep growing and making new choices.