Austin Giorgio – Crooner

By starrymag | February 4, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I’d say my singing pays homage to the crooners of the 40’s-50’s yet my instrumentals are produced and composed to fit modern musical tastes.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Drake and Frank Ocean are inspirations through both their music and their public perception.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Stardust.”

 

A) At two in the morning I had this piano sound in my head that really painted a vivid picture. I envisioned behind the glass of a cafes window sat a beautiful girl, hair up in a bun, looking semi focused on whatever it was that she had in her notebook. This girl would hope to be approached by that special person, yet that special person never comes. She is the embodiment of a hopeless romantic. As the song progresses, day turns to night and she walks through central park where one day she’d hope to walk with her lover. To her lonely surprise, all of the couples in the park surface her sadness. She feels like an actor on a movie set, yet in the back of her mind wonders if the movie ever will come to be. Rather than changing the ending of the song to happy chorus ending, I left it to repeat, emphasizing neither her or the listener really know if she ever finds the one.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I, for one, believe I’m a hopeless romantic with the constant day to day grind, finding a good life balance is an immense challenge. Most people can relate to that. Also, my fans are like my close friends I never had. They enjoy oldies, vinyls, nostalgia and old mannerisms as much as I do. When I wrote this song, I wanted to give it that nostalgic feel. The beginning opens with the warm crackle of a vinyl record and a love scene from a famous public-domain romantic comedy movie. This opens the song with an old soul embodiment and one other focus of the song was word selection. It was a priority to me to use lyrics that sound like a blast from the past hence, “Stardust” – “will this fairytale come true,” “a grin that could make you sigh,” etc.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) The video is in production as we speak, but we are trying to keep the cinematography to a minimum so that the viewer and listener can use it as a guide yet paint their own picture of this story.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics? 

 

A) I’m very much a music first, lyric second type artist. I like to produce tracks seventy percent of the way and then begin laying lyrics on top. With that being said, both this song, “Table Top” and “Photograph Underwater” began with the first verse before even having music. The song writing magic begins around 12:30 in the morning for me. I usually lay down some foundation and see where the personality of the song wants to go.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music? 

 

A) I produce almost all of my music, with the exception of a few (“Photograph Underwater,” “Table Top,” “Broken Ballerina” and “Text Last Night” – these were co-produced). My lyrics are all written on my own and to be completely transparent, most songs start off to personal and I back step making them more approachable to most. Names are removed, places are generalized, etc.

 

Q) You’re out on the “America’s Voices” tour. What can fans expect from a live Austin Giorgio performance?

 

A) How this side tour is setup is that I play both the MC and Performer roll. I truly have the most fun entertaining people, so expect humor, dancing and singing. In regards to songs, I’ll pull a few songs from the American Song Book with my own jazzy spin as well as my own original music.

 

Q) What songs off your album Crooner are you looking forward to performing live?

 

A) “Table Top,” “Do You Feel It” and “Roaring Nights” would have to be the one’s I’m most excited about. One song tells a story, another gives off a summer vibe and the last is all out dance.

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your new album as a whole?

 

A) I really have no expectations for the album, as this is more of my sampler pack than a full-blown album. I put in several different types of songs and really excited to see what everyone enjoys the most.

 

Q) We loved seeing you on “The Voice.” What advice did mentor Blake Shelton offer that you took to heart?

 

A) Be in it all the way, nothing is worse than regrets. I think one major take away is that if you are sincerely a genuine person, have significant drive and a strategy – you’ll make it. How you define “making it” is up to you.

 

Q) Have you stayed in touch with him since your time on the show?

A) Yes, the whole “Voice” crew is like one big family. I think what makes the show so impactful is that it surrounds you with great people.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I think it’s tough to say, I’d categorize it this way:

 

My Idols: John Mayer + Michael Buble + Harry Connick Jr + Jamie Cullum. I recently had a friend show me an artist named Alaina Castillo. I really enjoyed her voice, production and vibe.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

 

A) One album I’ve been playing on the late-night car rides is “Her” by J’san

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Social media was something I once resisted…a lot. Once I began pursuing music two years ago, I dove head first in learning the platforms and it has been the greatest gift. It is like a virtual dinner table where all my friends and I can now interact.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) You have no idea what kind of an impact you have on me and I couldn’t thank you enough. This is a journey not of just me but us and to know we are side by side is the greatest feeling. Thank you and I hope your day is stellar as always.