October 2014
KIDS stop him for photos in his neighbourhood. Over a million people have watched his videos on YouTube (more than Jake Bugg). But Gino Bonazzi isn’t a household name. Although he has every confidence that will happen.
“I’ve been networking and travelling from city to city,” explains the 22-year-old from Radford of his huge following.
“I’m a friendly guy, I’ve got a friendly face, I carry myself with good vibes,” he adds.
He started MCing aged 13.
“I did music as a hobby but people liked what I’d been doing so I thought I’d better start taking it seriously and putting in the hard work. I’d go to events in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall, London... sometimes on the train on my own, to gigs and open mic nights.”
After school he worked in construction and plastering, played football for Notts County juniors and had trials for Forest. He also studied music technology with now manager Courtney Rose at Take One Studios, where he launched his new single Turn It Up this week.
“Courtney has got me together. I was all over the place. I love being organised,” he admits.
The single #OK, the video for which has notched up over 400,000 YouTube views, and Now That I’m Out has 770,000 views.
The latter was about his spell in prison.
“It was case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” says Gino, who won’t say what the sentence was for.
“I got caught up in a situation. I’ve been blamed.
“Everybody knows who’s actually done the crime but from where I’m from, I can’t say ‘this is the chap that’s done it.’”
He was in prison for six months.
“I knew people in there. I didn’t have a hard time. All it makes you do is give you a kick: ‘What am I doing?’. I got my head down and I realised that when I come out I know what I’ve got to do and I’ve stuck to my word. I haven’t been anywhere near silly foolish people.”
The video has also been played on Sky TV channel AKA. Gino is currently shooting one for the new single that he expects to be aired on the channel, along with music station Flava.
He has big hopes for Turn It Up.
“I’ve already had serious conversations about the Top 40,” says Gino, who has been a member of a group in the past but found it too restricting.
“When there are seven people, it’s hard to go places. Someone has missed a bus or we have to wait for another to finish work... we were missing out on too much because of that.
“And out of all of us, people were drawn to me. I was getting all the bookings, I was getting all the hits on YouTube... and I got a lot of jealousy. So I had to move on.”
He adds: “I’m not a follower, I’m a leader.”
His confidence is down to his mum.
“Everything she’s wanted to do, she’s done. She’s a single mum and has worked really hard,” he adds, although he does see his dad “nearly all the time”.
Turn It Up is out now at HMV and through iTunes. For more about Gino find him on Twitter: @GinoGmanGi
KIDS stop him for photos in his neighbourhood. Over a million people have watched his videos on YouTube (more than Jake Bugg). But Gino Bonazzi isn’t a household name. Although he has every confidence that will happen.
“I’ve been networking and travelling from city to city,” explains the 22-year-old from Radford of his huge following.
“I’m a friendly guy, I’ve got a friendly face, I carry myself with good vibes,” he adds.
He started MCing aged 13.
“I did music as a hobby but people liked what I’d been doing so I thought I’d better start taking it seriously and putting in the hard work. I’d go to events in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall, London... sometimes on the train on my own, to gigs and open mic nights.”
After school he worked in construction and plastering, played football for Notts County juniors and had trials for Forest. He also studied music technology with now manager Courtney Rose at Take One Studios, where he launched his new single Turn It Up this week.
“Courtney has got me together. I was all over the place. I love being organised,” he admits.
The single #OK, the video for which has notched up over 400,000 YouTube views, and Now That I’m Out has 770,000 views.The latter was about his spell in prison.
“It was case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” says Gino, who won’t say what the sentence was for.
“I got caught up in a situation. I’ve been blamed.
“Everybody knows who’s actually done the crime but from where I’m from, I can’t say ‘this is the chap that’s done it.’”
He was in prison for six months.
“I knew people in there. I didn’t have a hard time. All it makes you do is give you a kick: ‘What am I doing?’. I got my head down and I realised that when I come out I know what I’ve got to do and I’ve stuck to my word. I haven’t been anywhere near silly foolish people.”
The video has also been played on Sky TV channel AKA. Gino is currently shooting one for the new single that he expects to be aired on the channel, along with music station Flava.
He has big hopes for Turn It Up.
“I’ve already had serious conversations about the Top 40,” says Gino, who has been a member of a group in the past but found it too restricting.
“When there are seven people, it’s hard to go places. Someone has missed a bus or we have to wait for another to finish work... we were missing out on too much because of that.
“And out of all of us, people were drawn to me. I was getting all the bookings, I was getting all the hits on YouTube... and I got a lot of jealousy. So I had to move on.”He adds: “I’m not a follower, I’m a leader.”
His confidence is down to his mum.
“Everything she’s wanted to do, she’s done. She’s a single mum and has worked really hard,” he adds, although he does see his dad “nearly all the time”.
Turn It Up is out now at HMV and through iTunes. For more about Gino find him on Twitter: @GinoGmanGi
No comments:
Post a Comment