Gabriella Cilmi is another hot new talent making waves as the year draws to a close and is all set for a marvelous 2008.It’s not often that a singer/songwriter comes along so assured and original that from the first verse-chorus of her debut single, ‘Sweet About Me’, you would know that you dealing with a major new talent. Last Friday, Gabriella made her UK TV debut on ‘Later With Jools Holland’ with a show-stopping performance of ‘Sweet About Me’ her debut single, set for release on March 10th. It took one chance performance to convince the producers of BBC 2’s flagship music show to book Bagriella Cilmi (pronounced chill-me) for the same acoustic slot that would set KT Tunstall and Corinne Bailey Rae on the road to million-plus album sales. With the pop attitude of Cyndi Lauper and the gritty, unforgettable vocal style reminiscent of Chrissie Hynde, Gabriella has proved an instant hit with Rufus Wainwright too, who has confirmed the young Australian/Italian singer as a support act on his forthcoming sold-out Australian dates. The tour begins late January and gives Gabriella, now based fulltime in London, a great excuse to head back to her home country.With a handful of low key shows under her belt in London in the run up to Christmas, Gabriella head back out on the road in the UK in February with Parisian musical collective Nouvelle Vague. If the Later performance was to give an early showing to a major new talent, from January everyone will be talking about Gabriella Cilmi. The musical directors of major new TV drama, Echo Beach, were so convinced of her talent on hearing one song that they persuaded her to sing their theme tune, a cover of the Martha & The Muffins staple ‘Echo Beach’. The drama, starring Jason Donovan and Martine McCutcheon, begins screening on ITV in January.
Also in January, her music can be heard in the ‘St Trinians’ movie, starring Mischa Bartin, Colin Firth and Rupert Everett. Alongside chart favourites Sugababes and Lily Allen, Gabriella is the only new artist confirmed for the soundtrack at present.
The fact that Gabriella’s music is proving so popular for TV and movie syncs is ironic considering she is one of a very select band of Australian artists to be launched here without first starring in a soap. Quite the opposite. A firm rejection from her high school musical auditions would prove her making. Gabriella teamed up with some local boys instead and they did their own thing, mainly Led Zeppelin, Kings Of Leon and Jet covers. It was enough to give her the confidence to take the stage at a local Italian festa in her native Melbourne. One Jumpin’ Jack Flash later, and she had herself a local record deal.
Co-writing all her material, the deal allowed Gabriella the excuse to up sticks and relocate to London where she has been busy working with the modern-day Phil Spector, eccentric pop producer Brian Higgins. Recently working with Franz Ferdinand, Annie, Girls Aloud and Sugababes, Higgins and longtime collaborator Miranda Cooper traveled to Australia, Los Angeles and finally London to write with Cilmi for her debut album ‘Lessons To Be Learned’, due for release in Summer 2008.