Gina Baez – UNIQUEorn

By starrymag | August 10, 2021

By: Kelly Kearney

 

 

 

Q) Congrats on your new single “UNIQUEorn.” Talk a little bit about your UNIQUE (pun intended) sound. How would you describe it? 

A) Thanks so much. I would describe my sound as a literal spectrum of pop/singer/songwriter colors and textures. I am a fan of so many genres and styles and with every song I feel like i draw from this vast palette based on the emotions and vibe at the time.  I like to experiment with my sound a lot.

 

Q) What initially interested you in becoming a musician? 

A) I grew up loving musical theatre and movies like Wizard of Oz, Funny Girl, West Side Story, Oliver, etc. I loved the idea of performing and singing. I knew when I was little that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I took a few piano lessons in middle school and then always kind of self-taught myself how to write songs. I never really took songwriting seriously though until college and that’s when I self-taught myself guitar as well. I actually prefer writing songs on guitar now.

 

Q) Who were your early music influences?  

A) My early influences were Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion.

 

Q) Fans might be interested to know that besides singing, acting and producing fantastic YouTube content, you are also an instrumentalist who writes her own music and lyrics. What inspired your recent single “UNIQUEorn?”  

A) I wrote “Uniqueorn” based on one of my favorite musicals Funny Girl. I actually saw the revival production in Paris, France and it was such an inspiration evening of live theatre. It reminded me why I fell in love with music and performing in the first place. On the plane home from Paris, I was thinking about the show and the line “I’m a bagel on a plate full of onion rolls” and the idea for the song just popped into my head… “a Unicorn in a field of horses” and embracing your unique-ness.

 

Q) Your songs have this infectious smile kind of built into every note and lyric. It has a certain positivity to it that just makes you feel happy.  How did you find that sun-shiny spirit after a full year in a pandemic lockdown?  

A) I actually wrote/produced this song pre-pandemic, so I think that definitely helped. But I think it was the right time to release it now towards the end of lockdown when things are opening back up. It’s definitely a time where the darkness is being lifted and it’s time to smile and soak up that sunshine spirit!

 

Q) I love the image this paints of a proud unicorn galloping amongst a sea of horses. What’s the message you are hoping fans take from this song? 

A) I hope that everyone takes away the idea that whatever makes you different/unique/weird/out of the box is something you shouldn’t hide but embrace.

 

Q) In 2019 you caught the attention of Lizzo and the Divine Miss M herself, Bette Midler, when your “Lizzo’s Truth Hurts x Hocus Pocus” parody went viral. From the costumes to the music, it was a magical masterpiece. How did that come about and what was your reaction to the praise it received? 

A) “My Truth Hurts Hocus Pocus” Parody was another one of these really fast ideas. I was listening to “Truth Hurts” on repeat and she said “100% that b*tch” and then I thought… “Wait…What if it was 100% that witch and the Sanderson sisters were singing this song?” I am a HUGE Hocus Pocus fan and a couple hours later I had an entire parody version of the song from Winifred Sanderson’s perspective. I then recorded it at home, mixed mastered it and recruited my actor friends to play the other Sanderson sisters. The video was shot, and I edited it in just a few days and posted it on my YouTube. It was up on the internet for a while, and no one really seemed to care and then all the sudden it was featured on PopSugar and it spread like wild fire! When Lizzo and Bette Midler posted it, I was freaking out!!!! It was wild. It was the best Halloween season ever!

 

Q) Any plans to do more parodies? 

A) I did a bunch of pandemic parodies that went over really well and I’ve kind of been waiting for another idea to spark. I don’t really plan them, but I am def. open to creating more!

 

Q) As someone who is fully enmeshed in many areas of artistry, from acting to producing, and influencing, what’s at the top of your “Career Bucket List?” 

A) I have a lot at the top. I want to tour the world as an artist, write/produce TV/film and perform on Broadway!

 

Q) Are you working on any new projects the fans can keep an eye out for? 

A) I have been doing a lot of songwriting and will definitely be releasing a lot more music!!

 

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

A) If I could choose anyone to collaborate with it would be Taylor Swift!

 

Q) What would you like to say to the fans who follow you and enjoy your work?

A) Never give up!