Cindy Santini

The title of “Hello My Love,” singer/songwriter Cindy Santini’s instantly infectious first single from Making Sound, her debut album on Orlando based Bonded Records, may inspire the first time listener to think it’s yet another romantic guy-girl song--but the popular San Diego based performer has another kind of love in mind. It’s the reawakening of her musical spirit, her newfound desire to write, sing and play live again after spending a few post college years away from her true passion.

At last fulfilling her desire to share her heartfelt songs with the world, Santini—working with famed producers Stuart Brawley (Michael Jackson, Don Henley, Celine Dion) and Joe Corcoran--captures the high spirited, life affirming vibe of the ten track collection on a grooving, reggae influenced song that fills us in on the “Big Plans” she has for her future. The first of them was the release of Making Sound on November 10, 2009.

“The idea behind the album title is that the words I am singing are finally getting out there, where I can share my unique voice and point of view as a songwriter with the world,” she says. “A lot of these songs are about me seeking that voice, sharing the joy of discovery when I simply opened up and went from being asleep to awakening to the life I always wanted as a professional musician and artist. I know it’s not always typical for emerging singer/songwriters to write about happy things, but I usually try to focus on the good things in life and try to put a smile on people’s faces. Day to day, there are always things that can bring you down, but I’m always thinking of the light at the end of the tunnel.”

One of the greatest things a songwriter can have is a lifetime of unique life experiences, and Cindy has a rich well to draw from, musically and otherwise. Santini’s confidence about achieving her goals as an artist are an extension of the same gusto she’s brought to all the extracurricular activities she’s succeeded in: surfing, snowboarding, skateboard, soccer, tennis and playing Foosball. While the Stockton, California native now thinks it’s amusing that she began her musical life in grade school playing the trombone, it came to good use in high school when she played the horn and sang in the eight piece hip-hop/ska band Phirocious Allstars—an ensemble that played numerous county fairs in Northern California and even recorded a CD. During this time she also taught herself to play guitar and write songs and was, quite prophetically, voted “Most Likely To Become A Rock Star” by her senior class.

She set music aside for the most part her first few years at UCSD, but picked up a minor in music history as she pursued dual degrees in Communications and Computer Science. Taking the straight and safe road right out of school, she co-founded a successful web development company which took her everywhere from Park City, Utah and Argentina to Chile and Australia. She also expanded her horizons with trips to the World Cup and backpacking adventures in Europe. It would have been a fulfilling life for some, but ultimately life as an entrepreneur proved more lonely than exciting and Santini realized that it was time to return to the one thing that made her happiest and most fulfilled—music.
Combining the best of both worlds for a time as a web developer for San Diego based top acoustic guitar company Taylor Guitars, she got back to her songwriting and began playing well known coffeehouses around the city like Twiggs, Le Stats and E Street Cafe, working her way up from open mics to monthly residencies. Playing at a party celebrating a surf competition in Encinitas, Santini met pro surfer Leah Dawson and her father, film producer Kim Dawson, who loved her music and later introduced the singer—first via her myspace music page, then in real life--to David McKenna, President of Bonded Records. A few months later, McKenna signed her and she was soon at Stuart Brawley’s L.A. based Backyard Studios, working with him and Cocoran.

“There was definitely a whirlwind of growth taking place as I began writing more songs and working with these amazing guys,” she says. “It was a very interesting process, finding the perfect balance between my vision of what I felt my songs should sound like and the experience and expertise they brought to the table. There are a few love songs, but for the most part, it seems that the theme of me finding a path back to music and getting out of the rut I was in dominated my writing. ‘Let It Go’ is a beachy song about people going through different phases of life, learning to handle difficult situations and finally realizing it’s best to just let the stress go.

“The song ‘Megaphone’ is about my frustration with writing songs for this album. During that process, I sometimes felt like my creativity was tainted by trying to write songs people ‘want to hear.’ I’m really looking forward to building my fan base, doing my first tour and finding unique ways to connect with peopl