JUNE 2006
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM INTERVIEW

Jill Gioia

Jill Gioia (Joy-a) a gritty, soulful rock singer/songwriter from New York has opened for Third Eye Blind, 98 Degrees, Jeffery Gaines, B-52's, Nine Days, Dee Snider, Berlin, The Alarm, and Greg Raposo. She’s appeared on Late Night with David Letterman and Steve Madden named the "Jill Joy Boot" after her. She’s graced the cover of Flatiron Magazine, and been featured in Newsday, Glamour, Billboard, Inside Connection, RockrGrl, and GoodTimes.

What’s up next for this talented singer? Rock Star: Supernova!

ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM caught up with her by phone just days after she entered the Rock Star mansion in preparation for the show. We got exactly ten minutes to talk music, clothes, and rock star roommates!

ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: Can you tell us about your music?

JILL GIOIA: The music that I write is very gritty, very earthy. I’m very spontaneous on stage!

It’s got the grittiness of rock but there’s a softness to it melodically. Just combining a lot of different influences. But really everything that I write about is from life’s experiences – things that I go through.

ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: You have two CDs out?

JILL: There was also a first CD that I never released, that some people may have from shows, but I never had that one pressed. That first CD was piano, organ, acoustic guitar, and some people melodically, even though it was rock, could hear a little bit of country. It was just something that happened naturally - I’m not saying that it is [country] because it’s rock music to me, but I guess you could hear a little bit of that in somebody like Sheryl Crow too. It’s not a good or bad thing, it’s just what was coming out of me at the time.

With the He's My Bitch CD I got a little more pop rock, and then later I pressed Got Some Issues.

I think that as you grow as a person and you experience things, your music takes on that same personality. So as I was learning from life’s experiences the songs [reflected that.] If I was going through an immature phase in my life, maybe the songs took on that personality? Or if I was going through a breakup, they showed that part of my personality. There were a bunch of songs that I never put on a CD that were very aggressive.

It’s so hard for me to analyze or explain what I write about because it comes from so many different places and so many different experiences. I don’t know what necessarily triggers a melody? Usually how I write is I carry my little tape recorder, and I’m driving in the car and I get a melody. Usually it’s when I’m most busy and things are hectic! It’s kind of something that interferes, and comes out and gets in the way. For me, it’s usually melody first, and then lyrics and it evolves into something, a song.

ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: Two silly questions – first, how many suitcases did you bring with you?

JILL: I was pretty good! Although if you saw the size of my suitcase… I only have one suitcase but it’s huge. It’s definitely oversize. The airline didn’t mind charging extra for that.

It’s funny I’m looking around and I see some of the girls have three suitcases. I have the one and it’s definitely stuffed to the max – I just threw everything that I could think of in there, cause you never know what you’re going to need. And then I have my little carry on bag – really not that bad!

ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: Second silly question, who is your roommate?

JILL: I’m rooming with Patrice Pike and she’s very sweet. We’re all just starting to get to know each other right now but there are things I can learn from her. She’s really into yoga so I told her I’d love to learn some yoga, cause I think that would definitely help with the stress of daily life. I could probably use a yoga class! She’s just lovely – really sweet – and just a calm relaxed person. Very Zen-like.

I’m very, very happy!

ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: Thanks Jill and good luck on the show!

JILL: Thank you!



Interview conducted by
Cheryl Spelts
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM



Jill Gioia Official Site
Jill Gioia on ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM
Jill Gioia Forum
Jill Gioia's Rock Star: Supernova Bio

June 27, 2006

Back to Top