A CHAT WITH Gina Zo
BY KATHERINE CHUNGGina Castanzo, also known as Gina Zo, who gained recognition on The Voice under coach Blake Shelton, is making a powerful comeback with her solo music and her band, Velvet Rouge. On Bisexual Visibility Day (September 23rd), I chatted with Gina to talk about her admiration for artists like Maren Morris, Renee Rapp, Fletcher, Brandi Carlile, and an emerging talent known as Lady Di Mega Diva. She opened up about her solo career, the challenges she thrives on, being an LGBTQIA voice for the younger generation, and the experience of balancing life as both a solo artist and lead singer.
GINA ZO | COURTESY OF HUNTER CARRICO
Could you please provide a brief introduction about yourself, including your pronouns?
I am Gina Zo. My pronouns are she/her and I am bisexual. A little bit about me: I am a singer, song-writer in the band Velvet Rouge and in my own solo project, Gina Zo. I am also from Philadelphia but now I live in L.A.
Oh, wow! I didn’t know that you were doing the solo project since the band account is still active.
I actually started it [the solo project] over the summer so it is kind of really new. I have barely announced it yet. It’s something I am starting to do behind the scenes. I have my first set of shows coming up in L.A. It’s brand new.
What’s it like playing different size stages? You’ve played intimate spaces, and large festival stages now, how does the experience differ for you when you're playing in front of a family, a small group, or a huge crowd?
You are so right. I really do everything. I think what I like is a constant challenge in some ways. Because it's really really different every night. It is not like going on a regular tour and going on the same built stage every night. You do something different every night. Sometimes it is really small, sometimes it is really big, and you have to be able to be really flexible, which can be difficult. But it makes it really fun and challenging. I love challenges.
Do you like festivals or intimate shows more?
I love festivals the most. What is interesting about it is that it’s almost like a built-in crowd where there are some people that know you and some people that don’t. There's already a lot less pressure going in. But also there is something about there being less people that is more scary to me. I think the bigger the crowd the less afraid I am.
What is your sound like? There’s the band’s sound, your solo project, and the sound you started with 5 years ago.
Velvet Rogue's sound is very pop-rock, and leaning into 90’s rock and rock pop, female rock pop is what we are. But we are always evolving and I am always evolving as an artist. I think that’s because over the years my life experiences changed, new music comes out, you get inspired and I love that it is not always the same which makes it more exciting.
I know your song ‘Faking It’ holds deep meaning for you. What other songs have inspired you to come out and talk about your journey?
When I came out with the song, I don’t know if I had at the time another coming out story that really inspired me, beyond my personal friend's experiences and their coming out stories. Because what inspired me to come out and tell people was my friend, Brooke, who is also bisexual.
She really inspired me to think about the fact that I was always concerned because I didn’t feel like I fit in. I didn’t feel like I fit in with the LGBTQ community because I was so brainwashed to think it had to be a certain way. Because media, movies, and music in some ways, make you think that being queer is a certain thing. When in reality, it is a large spectrum. It is very different from what they are trying to portray. I think now just this last year, I think of Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Maren Morris. I’m so happy to be on board with this. It’s now more normalized. People are being open to saying who they are. I love that.
What are you doing for Bi Visibility Day? (September 23rd)
Right now, what is so important to me all month [September aka Bi Visibility Month], I am remaining super true to who I am all month. With every show I do, I am making sure that I am promoting a welcomeness and making sure that everyone is welcome in my community. The only thing that is not welcome in my community is hate. I think that overall the most important thing to me is that we are ensuring that no matter who you are, you are welcome and open to being with me and my crew.
That’s what I am doing today. I am ensuring that I am promoting this awareness of joy and love. And that you don’t have to love someone of the ‘normal’ opposite sex, being cis woman or cis man, in order for you to fall in love and be happy.
What advice would you give to queer musicians who want to express their coming-out stories through their music?
I think that what we need to remember is that while you don’t need to make it a show if you don’t want to, it is important to remember that you tell people that this is your coming out song. Because it inspires young people to come out and to know that it is okay to come out and that it is not abnormal or weird. It is your right as a human to love who you want to love. And of course, we need to get to a point in society when you ask people, “Oh, who do you like?” In some ways, making it more of a topic of conversation than more of an assumption. And we [society] aren’t there yet, but I’d like people to remember that it is important to share as someone with a voice.
As an artist, I have a voice and something to say. I need to make sure I am telling everyone because you can come out at any point in your life. You need to make sure you are telling people who you are because it has inspired other people, even when I came out. When I came out, I didn’t realize I had inspired anyone.
I got notes from people saying that ‘Faking It’ inspired them to come out themselves. That was beautiful and shocking to me because you don’t always expect to be someone’s safe haven but you can be. I think that if you can inspire one person by telling them, it is monumental.
Can you give us a sneak peek of what’s coming up next for you and your band?
The band just finished our summer tour. It was absolutely beautiful and amazing. Right now we are in discussion of what is our next thing. Definitely new music. I’m hoping to do a holiday show in the philly area with Velvet Rogue, coming soon.
COURTESY OF BROOKE YARSINSKY
As far as my [solo] shows go, I have a large handful of Gina Zo shows. My first debut is going to be October 11th at the Viper Room in L.A., with all new music. I have been working with Justin Miller who won GRAMMYS for Jazmine Sullivan’s R&B album of the year and Zach Bryan’s work. I am excited to work with him. It is brand-new music and very different from what you have already heard. I am super excited about it and it will probably be released at the beginning of next year.
Find Velvet Rouge:
Website: https://velvetrougeband.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/velvetrougeband