Sirens and Sealions

{ BIOGRAPHY } sirensandsealions
Sirens & Sea lions is a troop of 6 sea creatures with a mission to spread a bright, feel good sound through out the city of Miami. The band is made up of Johanna Viscaino (song writer/vox), Chantal Meza (vox), Nicholas Deluca (guitar/vox), Matt Gajewski (second guitar), Gerry Felipe (bass), and Daniel Fernandez (keys/bells). Two years ago, in 2008, this eclectic ensemble was a quirky quartet when it first splashed its way to Miami’s historical Churchill’s Pub for a performance debut. Chantal and Johanna were always the greatest of music enthusiasts and were frequently seeking out what Miami had to offer locally. After a few disappointing discoveries, they would jokingly comment on how they too could be in a band and perform around the city. This on going jest soon became a reality when Johanna and Chantal pitched some song ideas to guitarist Nick and drummer John Olin.

The group’s first single was Thump’n of my Heart, which was soon followed by Let Me Go and One Day. The soul purpose of semi coordinated rehearsals was to perform to a regular Wednesday night crowd at Churchill’s open mic night, Can You Rock a Little Softer. Nick had dug deeper into the Miami local scene and discovered an oasis of melody in the downtown area, which led to the band’s indulgence in the tunes of Rachel Goodrich, Jesse Jackson and the hosts of Can You Rock a Little Softer, Raffa & Rainer. What was supposed to be a one time only experience amongst friends unexpectedly became the beginning of Sirens & Sea lions. After performing only 3 songs in an open mic slot, the group felt accomplished, the crowd was smitten and the invitation to perform with some great local acts was extended.

Like many other music groups the band faced some bumps in the road and lost a couple of members, but quickly gained the support of local short story performer and musical engineer, Matt Gajewski. When Matt saw that the band in turmoil he soon volunteered to help keep the sound alive. Despite the dynamics of the band members, the songwriting always stayed consistent and by 2010, the S&S sound had definitely evolved, from the Dixie Land derived sound of Daisies to the unique song structure of The Suburban Ring-a- Ling. The band is currently working with New York based composer/producer Luke Moellman and expects to release their first full length album in late spring of 2011.

Ultimately, the band carries on the philosophy of “spreading the word”, using the music they produce and the fan base they attract to advocate other artists and guide the listeners toward the rest of Miami’s musical treasures. In just a couple of years this fun and talented bunch has received great response from Miami music lovers and has gained mention in the Miami Herald, The Miami New Times, The New York Times and local cultural magazines like Rev Miami. They have also had the pleasure of performing with amazing local acts such as Rachel Goodrich, The Jean Marie, Raffa and Rainer, Afrobeta ,Jesse Jackson and have even opened up for international act, Inner Circle. The anticipation for greater things through out the year is only natural.