By Nick Christophers
The music business being what is has many brick walls and sometimes dark alleys. But the young Alessia Guarnera never let any of that keep her from her goal of breaking down those walls and escape those dark alleys. From the innocent age of 3 Alessia made her first crack at singing. She went ahead and studied under various trainers and entered many recitals, school shows and was always involved in her school's choir.
Some say that her families music history can be traced back to her Grandmother Grazia who was apart of the MGM Guarnera Brothers Band a dream that she soon realized. Her talents seemed to have been passed on to her granddaughter.
Presently, Alessia is in her last year of High School who has already performed at well known locations like Don Hills and The Bitter End in Manhattan. She intends to continue her musical studies in college as she has in high school. "If singing is something that you really want to do I encourage those of you to get that extra help, and you are never too late to learn new things," added Alessia.
Growing up in Brooklyn, Alessia was inspired by many artists: Janis Joplin, Led Zepplin, John Mayer, John Legend, Etta James and more notably her father, Armando Guarnera. Her father is not only one of her inspirations but also her co-writer, producer and guitarist.
If there was one or two key moments in her singing career that Alessia can point out it was when she was five years old and fourteen. "When I was five years old I performed in front of five hundred people for a New Years Eve celebration. I was so thrilled. There was another time: My first live performance at the Bitter End. I was about fourteen years old. I just couldn't wait to express my energy through my songs. I really wanted to see people's faces light up. That is the one thing I admire about performing."
At the present time Alessia is working furiously in the studio finishing up her first CD. There is no completion date as of yet but it will be in the near future. In the music circuit industry it is rare that local bands do original works. But Alessia has prided herself on pumping out her own lyrics and stay real as possible. Her music seems to blend the sounds of 70's rock, Southern soul and a touch of jazz.
The support of her family has served as the backbone to her successes. "My family actually is the reason why I am where I am today. I cannot ask for a better support system in my life. We are all very close and I find family a very important part of my life. Then there are my close friends who mean a great deal to me. I appreciate all the support that I have been getting through this musical journey."
Looking ahead Alessia hopes to share her love for music with the world and to basically relate to individuals through her words. She is one of the more passionate performers on the circuit today. Besides performing on stage she also hopes to become a strong role model for young women. "I want to be a force in this new generation and nothing should make you feel or act differently because of whatever you're surrounded by."
For all you lovers of live music bands look out for the talents and musical excellence of Alessia Guarnera. Those of you who would like to get an earful of her music just log onto www.myspace.com/alessiaguarnera