GRIPPA
True artistry and stardom cannot be manufactured; rather it can only be cultivated and nurtured. For rising Pop star GRIPPA, her true talent was evident since childhood, as the Florida-bred singer/songwriter knew very early on that she was destined for great things. At only 18 years old, GRIPPA is already a force, and as she readies the release of her next single “Want That,” she’s geared to be a household name.
Growing up in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, GRIPPA’s journey in music first began as a toddler, singing along to the radio in her car seat. “When my parents heard my voice, they both looked at each other like, ‘This is not normal,’” she says with a laugh. With built-in range to carry a tune, it was clear that this was more than just a small child who loves music. GRIPPA found herself at just four years old watching Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball Tour footage over and over again, singing along to Gaga as well as other powerhouses like Celine Dion. Her parents, recognizing her extraordinary talent from the start, have been the unwavering force behind her, nurturing her passion and supporting her every step of the way.
By the age of five, she joined the youth choir at St. Patrick’s Church, as well as the traveling Palm Beach Garden's Children’s Choir up until middle school. She was then accepted into the Number One Arts School in the state of Florida, Bak Middle School of the Arts. There at Bak, GRIPPA was classically trained with an added focus in music theory. However, her ambitions for Pop music remained at the forefront of her mind and heart.
GRIPPA attended high school at King’s Academy, focusing on theater and film. She was initially connected earlier on with the first female H.O.F. boxing manager Jackie Kallen, who managed GRIPPA and brought her to California to meet with heavy hitters like Joel Diamond, only furthering GRIPPA’s belief that this was the career for her. During her first year at King’s Academy, she delved deeper into songwriting, working with the cutting-edge songwriter YX. GRIPPA was introduced and then managed by Willy Perez-Feria who was responsible for her introduction to songwriter and producer Chris Rodriguez (C-ROD), who then co-wrote and produced several records with GRIPPA. Later she was connected with the woman who discovered Lady Gaga, Wendy Starland. Together GRIPPA and Wendy co-wrote and produced their upcoming song “Alien” in LA. It became even more apparent that GRIPPA was fated for stardom, as songs like her most recent single “Love Is Enough” run the gamut of both sound and subject matter. “I like to write about topics that people my age are going through,” she explains. “My music always has a deeper meaning.” Through countless studio hours, she’s cut enough music for multiple albums, and this is only the beginning. Upon graduating King’s Academy just this Summer, GRIPPA deferred her acceptance into New York University’s renowned Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music to truly catalyze her music career.
She then was introduced to New Jersey native and lifetime musician John Cinquino through GRIPPA’s neighbor Tommy Mitchell, another lifetime musician. John has actively guided GRIPPA’s career and introduced her to multi-platinum songwriter and producer Mark Borino to co-write and produce 7 GRIPPA songs. John was also instrumental in introducing GRIPPA to Sat Bisla (A&R Worldwide), Sat then introduced GRIPPA to major music labels in NYC such as Island Records, Republic, Concord, Elektra, and many others.
The sky is the limit from here. Artists like GRIPPA are rare, fueled by a passion that was evident since birth. As she continues along her journey to the top, she maintains a strong identity in the kind of artist she wants to be. “I want my brand to be strong,” she explains. “For me, when people hear something or see something, I want them to think, ‘That’s GRIPPA.’”