We had the good fortune of connecting with Gia Carello and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gia, what’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
I would say the decision to keep fighting for my dreams and goals as an artist has been the most difficult. It’s not easy to wake up every day and tell yourself “Okay. You’ve got this, just keep going and don’t give up. It will all be worth it someday.” A lot of kids I grew up with wanted to become doctors, teachers, lawyers or be in other college-dependent careers, which is great if that is your passion, but when you say you want to be a singer or in the entertainment arena, most people will just brush you off or politely advise you that maybe you’re dreaming too big. There is no specific path to becoming a successful singer/songwriter in the industry today. You can go to college and you may or may not be able to use those skills in the studio or on stage. You can post hundreds of tik toks and stream live every day and there is still a chance you may never make a big name for yourself. It’s really an uphill battle to stay authentic and remind yourself of the reasons you want this so badly to begin with. Being a singer/songwriter is not something I simply want to do in life, it is literally a part of who I am. I was seven years old singing my heart out to Christina Aguilera and Stevie Nicks in my backyard and I was nine years old when I started writing my own lyrics over their melodies. Giving up on my music would be giving up on myself, so I know that for all the “no’s” I have gotten and will continue to get from this industry, I have to keep pushing for that “yes”, keep creating and keep showing up no matter how much I feel like giving up in that moment.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a singer/songwriter based in Los Angeles and I have been creating music all my life, although, you’ve probably never heard of me! I am a total fire brand and I don’t hold back in my writing. Sometimes people like it and sometimes people don’t, but I think that is what makes me unique. I am not interested in making the next hit single unless I truly believe in the words I’m singing/writing. It comes as a surprise to many that I have never released an album, but there is a good reason for that. I was raised by my grandmothers, one from Italy and the other a California native with roots in Germany. My mother has been a struggling addict since before I was born and my father spent 12 years of my childhood paying for crimes he committed years prior. To this day my childhood home has been a war zone, and to say my childhood was filled with trauma and degradation is putting it lightly, but a lot of what I went through has shaped me into who I am today. There was just as much good at times as there was bad. I came out as lesbian when I was just 13 years old, part of living in survival mode for so many years allowed me the ability to understand how important it was to be able to be myself in the world. If I was going to fight for every inch of happiness, success, or love, then I had better be able to do it unapologetically, me. I have always stayed true to my heart and my beliefs since the beginning. It has not been easy, but it has been worth it. My passion for music came during those times when I felt like I had nothing and no one at all. I’d play Christina Aguilera’s “The Voice Within” or Stevie Nick’s “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You” on my portable CD player and lose myself in their words for hours and hours, it was the beginning of an era for me, for the me I wanted to be someday and the me I was going to leave behind with all that hurt. I began to believe in myself through their music.

In 2018 I started writing my first album “The Archer”. It started with songs about falling in love and learning to walk away from people who hurt you, but when the love of my life was killed in a car accident in 2020, those songs started to shift from falling in love to falling to pieces and recovering parts of myself that I lost when I lost her. The entire mood of the album changed and I had to take a step back from it and rediscover who I am now as opposed to who I was when I started writing this album four years ago. Nonetheless, the album is finally coming together and should be set to drop sometime in mid 2023.

You don’t have to wait until 2023 to hear some of my original music though, my single “Castle Walls” released last year and is available on all major streaming platforms! It made its way to number 10 on the Q Music Charts in the USA and was played on the radio over 500 times across the globe in the first week of its release. I also have some cover songs on my SoundCloud and YouTube accounts. I consider myself very fortunate to have played for POWER 106 in Pomona’s SkyFox Lounge a few years back, and more recently I was invited to perform alongside other amazing artists at The Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, which completely sold out in one week.

Life is a series of oceans to cross and mountains to climb, and somehow everything comes back around full circle to remind us of what’s really important. Making a difference in someone’s life, creating an imprint, leaving this world better than the way I found it, that’s what’s important. That’s what I’m aiming for through my music, and believe me when I tell you that I am just getting started!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh man, this is a tough one because I love so many places in LA. I’m going to literally make a simple itinerary because if I made an actual one it would take up several pages.

Monday: Venice Beach. Okay, this is a MUST for anyone who has never been to the area. It has changed a lot over the years but it still holds a lot of the original LA culture. It has a bit of an eclectic boardwalk located feet away from the ocean, super artsy and edgy with lots of music playing (both good & bad), but that is also part of what makes it so unique. There are also the Venice canals to check out! It’s hard to get bored at Venice in my opinion, there is just so much to experience.

Tuesday: The Getty Center. I am a huge fan of anything and everything art. So this is just par for the course if I’m in charge of your itinerary. The structure itself was designed by Richard Meier and inside the museum is a vast array of art pieces ranging back from the 20th century. Not to mention, the view of the city is to die for, especially at night.

Wednesday: Sunset Blvd. This is a hit or miss with some LA natives because to us, Sunset is just, well, Sunset. BUT, as a music artist that has spent countless amounts of hours in traffic (seriously, probably 5 years if you added up all the hours) to get to the Roxy Theatre on time to see my favorite band play, this is absolutely a must-experience part of town. Aside from the classic music venues, it has a booming nightlife scene and lots of great places to eat.

Thursday: Thursday is all about food. Every day is all about food, but this day, it’s special. Why? Because, In-N-Out. I am now a vegan and no longer partake in the downfall of planet Earth by eating meat or anything related to it. However, I remember it very well, thanks to In-N-Out. I will gladly live vicariously through you as you have a full sensory overload because ANIMAL FRIES and a cheeseburger never tasted so good. As for other vegans, there is no shortage of amazing restaurants, but personally I go to a small place in the valley called Leo’s Superfood Vegan Cafe, and I love it. Best breakfast quesadilla ever.

Friday: Hike to the Hollywood sign. Take Burbank Peak Trail for the shortest hike up, but it is challenging, so consider yourself warned. It can take about two hours but it is worth every sore muscle just to see the entire city below you. Also, pack a backpack with lots of water and maybe…a couple tiny bottles of wine and some snacks if you want to hang out up there for awhile and make it last.

Saturday: Malibu. Yes, another beach. Malibu is totally different from Venice. My brother and I always come here to relax, even in the winter (winter…?). Grab some incredible food from a local landmark and biker bar, Neptune’s Net, and then walk directly across the street to eat on the beach and enjoy wathcing the sweet waves. Packing a small picnic is also a good way to go!

Sunday: Last but not least, Downtown Los Angeles. Home to 13 different districts like Chinatown, the Broadway Theatre District, the Arts District, the Fashion District and my favorite, the Flower District, you can basically pick what ever interests you the most and then head to that district to check out the awesome art, shops, exotic foods, and historical buildings. It’s an amazing experience all around.

There is so much to do that I feel a week is almost not enough time, but this is certainly how I’d start my bestie off!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are truly so many people that have taken part in my journey to becoming successful it would be impossible to name them all. I’d have to say that it started with my high school counselor Ms. Story, she stood by me through some of the most difficult and most important years of my life. She taught me that love and kindness really does matter and that your differences are your strengths in life even when others try to use them against you as a weakness. Of course it wouldn’t be fair to leave out my one and only vocal coach Sabrina. I was only with her a couple years but she was such a strong motivator in my life. As a matter of fact, when I really get down on myself about not being exactly where I want to be in my career, I remember her and how she believed in my talent and ability to make it one day in music, all the hours she spent teaching me and pushing me to do better, and it reminds me that I’m not the only one who believes I can do this. Last but certainly not least, I have my grandparents to thank for never making me feel like my dreams were out of reach. There is something extraordinarily powerful about others who dare to believe in your dreams with you. To me, that’s the best gift anyone could have: people who share your vision and want it to come true for you as much as you want it to come true for yourself.

Website: https://linktr.ee/giacarello

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giacarello/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angie-gia-carello-03497751

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/giacarellomusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrOsWeDtOSps2kWQjitbtjA

Other: https://soundcloud.com/giacarello

Image Credits
Producer & Owner of The Hidden Studio, Mike Geier. Producer and CEO of B.B. Productions, Eric Amaya.

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