Selena Garcia
New York City, New York, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Selena Garcia - One of the "Hot 100 Unsigned Artists" - an honor received 3 times (2012, 2011, 2006) - Music Connection Magazine, 2012, 2011 and 2006
MATERIAL:
Selena Garcia's music is a blend of hip arrangements and imaginative lyrics that gets your attention and hooks your ear. Evoking style, charm, originality plus creating mini-genres all her own, this performer exhibits a little bit of everything, each song defining it's own territory. Her music is upbeat, captivating, addictive and can take a listener's mind in a fresh direction.
MUSICIANSHIP:
Penetrating to your inner ear, Garcia's voice awakens forgotten senses while driving your interest skyward. She is backed by to distinctive players on the keys, Drew Lawrence and Dave Yaden, who trade off in an amazing display of uncanny musicianship and nimble fingers at their best. A more than honorable mention goes to Nick Bearden (Guitar), who complements the entire ensemble as he gives his axe a lesson or two. Shiben Bhattacharya (bass) and Andy Sanesi (drums) round out this group with their unflappable beats and rhythms, pressing forward and keeping it clean.
PERFORMANCE:
Garcia's vehemence echoed throughout the Hotel Cafe just as he music lingered in the air long after she made her exit. She seemed to almost casually stroll across the stage, as comfortable in her shoes as anyone on a Sunday morning wearing their favorite slippers. The entire band's cohesion was palpable, projecting an inner strength that helped the players stretch their limits musically and energetically.
SUMMARY:
Selena Garcia's music takes over where others come up short, touching upon multiple styles that include pop, rock and blues doused with soul, jazz and even funk. This is a performer whose voice and music have the ability to charm even the most hardened of critics and send others for their pens and paper. - Music Connection Magazine - Tom Laurie
MATERIAL:
Selena Garcia's music is a blend of hip arrangements and imaginative lyrics that gets your attention and hooks your ear. Evoking style, charm, originality plus creating mini-genres all her own, this performer exhibits a little bit of everything, each song defining it's own territory. Her music is upbeat, captivating, addictive and can take a listener's mind in a fresh direction.
MUSICIANSHIP:
Penetrating to your inner ear, Garcia's voice awakens forgotten senses while driving your interest skyward. She is backed by to distinctive players on the keys, Drew Lawrence and Dave Yaden, who trade off in an amazing display of uncanny musicianship and nimble fingers at their best. A more than honorable mention goes to Nick Bearden (Guitar), who complements the entire ensemble as he gives his axe a lesson or two. Shiben Bhattacharya (bass) and Andy Sanesi (drums) round out this group with their unflappable beats and rhythms, pressing forward and keeping it clean.
PERFORMANCE:
Garcia's vehemence echoed throughout the Hotel Cafe just as he music lingered in the air long after she made her exit. She seemed to almost casually stroll across the stage, as comfortable in her shoes as anyone on a Sunday morning wearing their favorite slippers. The entire band's cohesion was palpable, projecting an inner strength that helped the players stretch their limits musically and energetically.
SUMMARY:
Selena Garcia's music takes over where others come up short, touching upon multiple styles that include pop, rock and blues doused with soul, jazz and even funk. This is a performer whose voice and music have the ability to charm even the most hardened of critics and send others for their pens and paper. - Music Connection Magazine - Tom Laurie
“This girl is amazing! As pop princesses go she may be the most down to earth, real girl… she has one of the most original, radio ready voices I’ve heard in a long time. She favors Sara Bareilles, with an Amy Winehouse flare that really hooks you in and keeps you wanting more. Her tunes are sweet, but not too sugary and she seems completely organic and comfortable on stage... about three songs in, people started to flow into the venue, inquiring about her set and watching intently. Highlights of her set include the performance of “Don’t Worry It’s Not Love,” the title track off her new EP, which just hit streets in December. It reminds me of Sara Bareilles’ “Come Round Soon” with heavy moody keys and a bass line that will have you tapping your toes right away. She finished her set with a song titled “Highway,” laced with bluesy inflections and driven by delicate keys.
There’s absolutely nothing negative I can say about Selena. Her voice is magnificent, and her set brought a much-needed energy to Paradise. “ - RedGorilla Music Fest
Selena Garcia’s sound is music for many occasions! With a sound ranging from a very soulful and heart felt to a more intricate and jazz feel. From there, her sound can travel into more of a melodic rock feel, blues and even a funk sound. Diverse is the word when you think of Selena Garcia. No matter what mood you are in, it seems Selena has something for you; something enjoyable!
Selena is a very talented singer and songwriter, but when coupled with the equally talented musicians she chooses to work with, it brings out the perfection in the music they make together. With her influences ranging from the legendary Etta James and Eva Cassidy to the likes of Fiona Apple, you instantly come to the conclusion that her music MUST be great! She has big shoes to fill with such influences, but Selena is a very hard worker and puts her all into her music and performance; a make of a professional.
- Bob Donovan - June 2007
Selena Garcia’s sound is music for many occasions! With a sound ranging from a very soulful and heart felt to a more intricate and jazz feel. From there, her sound can travel into more of a melodic rock feel, blues and even a funk sound. Diverse is the word when you think of Selena Garcia. No matter what mood you are in, it seems Selena has something for you; something enjoyable!
Selena is a very talented singer and songwriter, but when coupled with the equally talented musicians she chooses to work with, it brings out the perfection in the music they make together. With her influences ranging from the legendary Etta James and Eva Cassidy to the likes of Fiona Apple, you instantly come to the conclusion that her music MUST be great! She has big shoes to fill with such influences, but Selena is a very hard worker and puts her all into her music and performance; a make of a professional.
- Bob Donovan - June 2007
"Best Song of The Month" (“100 Pictures”) – SONGWRITER UNIVERSE, MAY 2009 - SongwriterUniverse.com
"Best Song of The Month" (“100 Pictures”) – SONGWRITER UNIVERSE, MAY 2009 - SongwriterUniverse.com
Discography
*New EP Coming this Fall!*
Don't Worry It's Not Love
100 Pictures
Never Say Never
Sunny Days
Can't Wait For You
Settle Down
Photos
Bio
Two years ago, Selena Garcia quit her job. She sold her belongings and packed up her cozy life in Los Angeles to hit the road for the unknown. Over the next nine months, she drove across the country -- playing shows, meeting with producers, and soaking up everything that her new environments had to offer. Her travels took her to Austin, Nashville, New York, and as far as London. Eventually, she settled in New York City.
“I loved every city, but had no doubt that New York was the city that was going to push me to be my best. LA was my home base for several years before I knew that in order to get better, I needed to leave my comfort zone,” says Garcia.
Four years after the release of her debut EP, Garcia rolled up her sleeves and got to work on the album’s follow up. She enlisted the help of the community through the use of a Pledge Music campaign and began searching for the right team. A recommendation from a friend paired Garcia up with Philadelphia-based Lance Davis who took the reigns on producing the album.
“I was looking for that gut feeling and that’s exactly what I got with Lance. After six months of back and forth to/from Philadelphia, we have finally finished my new eight song EP, which will be released this fall.”
In addition to Davis, Garcia attracted renowned arranger, Larry Gold (Lana del Rey, The Roots, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake) who composted strings for the release. The legendary Lurssen Mastering (Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Jacob Dylan, Ingrid Michaelson) also came on board to master the album.
Garcia’s forthcoming release takes on more of an indie direction than her previous material. “I’m excited, but I’m also pretty scared because I took some creative risks,” she adds, labeling the project as “west coast pop meets east coast grit” and revealing that early listeners have deemed it “soul rock.”
The self-titled project explores themes of heartbreak: letting go of love, fighting with a love, and being scared of love all together. “The first three songs on the EP are pop based but by the fourth song, things take a serious turn. It represents my journey from west coast to east coast and you can hear this from track one to track eight,” explains Garcia. The EP also includes several blues-inspired tunes, one that was recorded live in the studio that unexpectedly made the album.
Of all the songs on the album, Garcia pens "Brother" as her favorite. “It's the most cathartic,” she explains. “It's gritty and the heaviest in terms of rocking out.” The soulful tune was co-written with bassist Daniel Shuman and inspired by some discouraging news. “I was on my way to Daniel’s house for a writing session when I found out that my brother was being incarcerated. We had not had a relationship for some time due to our different lifestyles and that was tough news to receive. He’s serving quite a bit of time,” adds Garcia.
The New York-based vocalist is also drawn to several other tracks on her forthcoming EP. “There is a song called ‘Careless the Girl’ that I thought Lance would for sure throw out of the running to be on this EP. To my surprise it was the song that he flipped out over the most. He even insisted that we use the demo vocal track. The EP version is a mix of the demo and his production. There is no big chorus, just vibe.”
Another track, which was inspired by Michel Gondry’s romantic drama Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, is set to be the EP’s first single. “I got the idea for ‘Eternal Sunshine’ after catching my friend at the gym (who was going through a terrible breakup at the time) running on the treadmill like it was the only thing that would save her. I had spent time there myself a month before ‘working out’ my own heartache, so I imagined hearts splattered all over the floors and walls of the gym. Because we cannot erase someone from our memory, we do our best with the tools we have. For many, it's working out,” she exclaims. Garcia describes the track as an upbeat tune that carries a relatable message.
As a child, Garcia split her time between Northern California and Washington State, spending summers with her mother in Alaska. It was during those summers that she first began to experiment with writing songs. Between her mother belting out Barbara Streisand around the house and her father’s affinity for Motown, music was in her veins from a very early age.
“When I was a kid, all I wanted was to be like Cyndi Lauper. I watched a VHS live concert she did over and over until the tape was worn completely through. At 5 years old I even did a lip-sync to Jem and the Holograms for my grammar school talent contest.”
Garcia eventually enrolled at California State’s Music Business program and began singing in the university’s A-Capella and jazz choirs. During her senior year, she performed her first solo show. She bravely took the stage in front of a crowd of 500 and was quickly noted as one of the top standout performances of the evening.
Links
