Gabriella Cilmi

Gabriella Cilmi
Gabriella Cilmi on October 18, 2009.
Background information
Birth name	Gabriella Lucia Cilmi
Born	10 October 1991 (1991-10-10) (age 19)
Origin	Melbourne, Australia
Genres	Pop, funk rock, crossover jazz, vocal jazz, R&B
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, record producer
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Warner Music Island Records (UK) Xenomania Universal Republic (USA)
Website	http://www.gabriellacilmi.com

Gabriella Lucia Cilmi^[1] (pronounced /ˈtʃɪlmi/, CHIL-mee^[2]) (born 10 October 1991) is an Australian singer-songwriter. She is best known for her debut single "Sweet About Me", released in Australia in April 2008.

In 2008, Cilmi was awarded six ARIA awards including Single of the Year and Best Female Artist. Her debut album, Lessons To Be Learned was released in 2008, as was a worldwide success. Most recently, she has released a second studio album, Ten.

Early life

Cilmi was born in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong. Of Italian heritage^[3], she lives in Melbourne Australia with her parents Paula and Joe (whose origins are in Crotone, Calabria, Italy) and her brother Joseph.

At an early age, Cilmi developed an interest in a wide range of musical styles, including Nina Simone, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, The Sweet, T.Rex and Cat Stevens.^[4] She has also cited Suzi Quatro as a particular influence.^[5] Despite her natural aptitude and vocal talent, Cilmi was told that she lacked the discipline necessary to pursue a singing career. Idolising Janis Joplin, during this time she sang with a band (Foucault) performing cover songs by Led Zeppelin, Jet, Silverchair and others.^[6] Cilmi recorded original songs with writer/producers Barbara and Adrian Hannan of The SongStore.^[7]

In 2004, Cilmi captured the attention of Warner Music executive Michael Parisi while giving an impromptu rendition of the Rolling Stones' song "Jumping Jack Flash" at the Lygon Street Festa, a community festival in Melbourne. At the age of 13, Cilmi travelled to the US and UK with Adrian Hannan and was offered four major US deals. She eventually signed a contract with Island Records UK.

Musical career

2005–2009: Lessons to Be Learned

Gabriella Cilmi at the 2008 Godiva Festival

The tracks "Don't Tell Me" and "Sorry", co-written with Barbara and Adrian Hannan, appeared on the soundtrack of 2005 Australian film Hating Alison Ashley.^[7] Cilmi shares a manager (Cassandra Gracey), writer/producers (Xenomania) and UK record label (Island) with the Sugababes, and supported former Sugababe Mutya Buena at the Jazz Café in London in 2007. She made her UK TV debut in December 2007 when she sang her single "Sweet About Me" on Later... with Jools Holland. The same month, Cilmi's song "Sanctuary" featured in the film St Trinian's and on its soundtrack. Cilmi recorded the theme to UK TV series Echo Beach, which aired in early 2008 on ITV1; it is a cover of "Echo Beach" by Martha and the Muffins. In February 2008, she supported the Parisian band Nouvelle Vague on their UK tour.

Cilmi's first album, Lessons to Be Learned, was written and recorded with hit production team Xenomania and was released in March 2008 in the UK. Cilmi has been compared to Amy Winehouse.^[8] The first single, "Sweet About Me", debuted on the UK Singles Chart that month and climbed to number six three months later, in June. It reached number seventeen on the Irish Singles Chart, and peaked at number one on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart. The song was used in a worldwide advertising campaign for the deodorant Sure/Rexona.^[9] Cilmi's second UK single, "Save the Lies", was not as successful as "Sweet About Me", peaking at number thirty-three in the UK. In Australia, the second single from the album was "Don't Wanna Go to Bed Now", which reached number twenty-eight. The subsequent single, "Sanctuary", was issued in November 2008 and failed to chart.

From March to May 2008, Cilmi supported the Sugababes on their UK Change Tour. She opened for James Blunt on his June 2008 Australian tour, and participated in the October 2008 MTV Greece concert alongside R.E.M. and Kaiser Chiefs. Also in 2008, Cilmi won six ARIA Awards in Australia, taking Best Female Artist, Breakthrough Artist: Single ("Sweet About Me"), Breakthrough Artist: Album (Lessons to Be Learned), Best Pop Release (Lessons to Be Learned), Highest Selling Single ("Sweet About Me"), and Single of the Year ("Sweet About Me"). Cilmi covered a Connie Francis song, "Warm This Winter", for Co-operative's Christmas 2008 advertising campaign;^[10] released as a single, it reached number twenty-two on the UK Singles Chart. In January 2009, Cilmi was nominated in the International Female category at the BRIT Awards^[11] and sang in the Rod Laver Arena before the 2009 Australian Open Men's Final.

Cilmi performed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March 2009 for Sound Relief, a multi-venue rock music concert in support of relief for the Victorian Bushfire Crisis.^[12][13] The event was held simultaneously with a concert at the Sydney Cricket Ground.^[12] All the proceeds from the Melbourne Concert will go to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire relief.^[12][13] Cilmi made her U.S. television debut in March 2009 and performed on the Pyramid (main) stage at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2009. The following August, she won Grand Prix at Sopot International Song Festival, an international song contest in Poland.

2010–present: Ten

Cilmi debuted a new single, "On a Mission", in January 2010. It was released in February 2010 in Australia, reaching number sixteen, and the following month in the UK, where it peaked at number nine.

Cilmi's second studio album, Ten, was released in March 2010. According to Cilmi, the album features "lots of uptempo funk and disco-inspired numbers designed to make people groove" as well as "some more sexy tracks". One song incorporates a type of yodel into it.^[14]

While producing the album, Cilmi worked with Greg Kurstin, The Invisible Men and Dallas Austin, as well as Xenomania on the song "Hearts Don't Lie" which she likens to a Bee Gees song. The track "Love Me 'Cause You Want To" is the song she's most proud of due to the fact it was produced with her band.^[14] It features production from Xenomania, Dallas Austin and Greg Kurstin, and bears an electropop sound in contrast to her first album. Ten was not as successful as Lessons to Be Learned, reaching number seventeen in Australia and number twenty-eight in the UK. The second single, "Hearts Don't Lie", was released in June 2010 in the UK.^[15][16] The third single, "Defender", will be released on August 16, 2010 accompanied by a B-side track, "Magic Carpet Ride". Cilmi supported British artist Leona Lewis on the UK leg of her 2010 tour The Ladybrinth Tour.

Cilmi has announced that she is working on a third studio album that will be released sometime in 2011. She is aiming for a more pop/rock sound.

Discography

• Lessons to Be Learned (2008)
• Ten (2010)

Tours

Headline

• 2008 - Lessons To Be Learnt Tour

As Supporting Act

• 2010 - Leona Lewis - The Labyrinth (UK Dates Only)^[17]

Awards and nominations

Television appearances

• Hating Alison Ashley (2005) Performer of Don't Tell Me and Sorry
• Later... with Jools Holland (1 episode, "#30.7", 2007) .... Herself
• Echo Beach (unknown episodes, 2008) Soundtrack
• This Morning (1 episode, "14 February 2008", 2008) .... Herself and Singer
• Saturday Disney (1 episode, "Mothers, Muck, Music and Manners!", 2008) .... Herself
• The National Lottery: Big 7 (2008) (TV) .... Herself
• Wetten, dass..? (1 episode, "4 October 2008") .... Herself (as Gabriella Cilmi)
• Today Show (1 episode, "27 October 2008" .... Herself
• GMTV (1 episode, "29 October 2008" .... Herself and Singer
• Australian Idol (1 episode, "Top 7 Verdict", 2008) .... Herself
• Never Mind The Buzzcocks (1 episode, "#22.6", 2008) .... Herself
• Star Academy (1 episode, "31 October 2008", 2008) .... Herself
• The Xtra Factor (2 episodes, "#5.17" and "#5.18") .... Herself
• Loose Women (1 episode, "#14.48", 2008) .... Herself and Performer
• City Homicide (1 episode) ....as Claudette Wyms
• TV total (1 episode, "11 November 2008", 2008) .... Herself
• Hollyoaks (1 episode, #1.2367, 2008) Sweet About Me
• Other People's Breast Milk (2008) (TV) Performer of Sweet About Me
• Lipstick Jungle (1 episode, "Chapter Nine: Help!", 2008) Performer of Sweet About Me
• 90210 (1 episode, That Which We Destroy", 2008) Save the Lies (uncredited)
• Divas II (2008) (TV) .... Herself and Performer of Sweet About Me (uncredited)
• Top of the Pops (2008) (TV New Years Special) ....Performer of Sweet About Me
• The L Word (1 episode, "Long Night's Journey Into Day", 2009) Awkward Game (uncredited)
• The Paul O'Grady Show (2009) (TV) ....Performer with Enrique Iglesias
• Loose Women (2009) (TV) ....Performer with Enrique Iglesias
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (24 March 2009) ... Herself
• Let's Dance for Sport Relief (27 February 2010) ....Performer
• GMTV (11 March 2010) ....Performer
• The Alan Titchmarsh Show (22 March 2010) ....Performer
• Popstars: Girls forever (9 September 2010) ...Performer/Vocal Coach

Personal life

In May 2010, Cilmi posed topless for FHM magazine.^[18]

References

Sources

• Gabriella Cilmi poised to make a big splash Jack Foley, Indie London, March 2008

External links

• Official website
• Official Australian website
• Gabriella Cilmi at the Internet Movie Database
• Gabriella Cilmi on Myspace
• Gabriella Cilmi interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 2008
• BBC profile
• Gabriella Cilmi ilikemusic Interview
• CD Times gig review
• FemaleFirst article
• GenerationQ article