Adonis Cross

When Adonis Cross sits at a piano or clutches a guitar, he wants to make an intimate, lasting connection with listeners, no matter how many people are listening. "I want to write songs that bring back a focus on well constructed melody and lyrics most everyone can empathize with", says Cross, 23. "I feel that's what I do best, and I feel there's still an audience for those kinds of songs." He's been finding that audience by playing gigs and open mics in Miami venues like The Wallflower Gallery, Churchill's Pub, The Hard Rock Cafe and I/O Lounge, performing songs from his six song self released EP (recorded live at The Wallflower Gallery). He sells them for five dollars, joking with the audience, "Each one is signed and Ebay ready, so you're not spending money, you're making money! I don't have a ton of them right now, so I'm not going platinum anytime soon...I'm just trying to go aluminum!" His songwriting and musicianship has earned him comparisons to some of his heroes, among them Aimee Mann and Elton John. Of this he says, "It's very encouraging to hear others draw parallels like that; it's confirms for me that, while I'm far from being a legend, I'm doing something right." Cary Brothers, who is a featured artist on the Garden State movie soundtrack, has called him "Elvis Costello in the making", and with lyrics like "you're the girl of my dreams/my cocaine with legs/'til my poor self esteem's/raised a couple a pegs", he's keeping the spirit of sardonic wit in music alive. In 2005 Adonis is making plans to maximize his exposure and expand his fanbase - songs for a studio album, tentatively titled "The Wizard of Flaws", have been written and tested on audiences. "This MySpace thing is a monster!" he reports. "It's great to be able to connect on a personal level with people from around the world, people who like the music, people who want to promote it - and it's great discovering good talent ready to emerge." Look for Adonis Cross to be among those emerging.