We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gina Zo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gina below.

Gina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

I often find that as a woman, I am misunderstood or mischaracterized. My most recent story comes from me performing a show where I was yelled by an audience member to take off my dress the moment I got on stage. The worst part of it all was that I was on the radio when this happened and could not confront the abusive behavior in a way I wanted to – so I bit my tongue for the moment and remained respectful. It’s hard to categorize exactly “why” this happens, but I honestly think that this happens because we teach men in this society that it is okay to cat-call women who may look “curvy” or “sexy” based on their body type or outfit to their audience. Later, I decided to post about this experience on social media, and the head of the radio station where I performed reached out to me to apologize for what happened. What I learned in that moment was 1) you ABSOLUTELY should speak out and be vocal about harassment and 2) that there is no excuse for this disgusting behavior among people.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Gina Zo, a powerhouse vocalist originally from suburban Philadelphia, now based in LA, where I’m making my mark in the rock-pop scene. I’ve always been about being real and staying true to myself, and that’s something I try to reflect in my music. In 2023, I released an anthem called “Faking It” that was a personal declaration of my bisexuality—it felt important to me to share that with the world. I wanted to create something that resonated with the LGBTQIA+ community and also showed that being yourself is the ultimate form of rebellion.

Growing up, I was always drawn to music, and I’d spend hours putting on little performances at home. I found inspiration in legends like Norah Jones and Stevie Nicks. That early passion stuck with me. After some tough experiences with an indie label, I reconnected with my original band, and we formed Velvet Rouge. Our debut EP, which drops in 2024, was produced by Brian McTear and Amy Morrissey, and it channels that raw, unapologetic energy from the early 2000s rock scene that I’ve always loved.

We’ve been lucky to play some amazing festivals like Beardfest, MusikFest, and XPoNential, and we’ve even been named Best Rock Band in Philly. Our music’s been featured on NPR and WXPN, and honestly, it feels incredible to be part of a movement challenging the systemic barriers in the music industry.

As I get ready to release my first solo record with Grammy-winning producer Justin Miller, my mission is clear: to inspire young women everywhere to embrace who they truly are and break free from the molds society tries to put them in. Music’s my platform for change, and I’m here for it.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

At the age of 17, I had the opportunity to go on The Voice! It was such an incredible experience. From that, I was given the chance to be a part of a small label in Philadelphia – it was my first record deal. This record deal was not what I had expected. I was certainly a bit glittery-eyed from my time on The Voice, so I expected there to be a lot of support and joy like I had seen on the show. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I learned very quickly that not everyone is here to help you and many people in power are here to support themselves. I had to push through the deal and take it on day to day – I had a contractual obligation to make music even when it wasn’t music that I had wanted to make. I narrowly missed the opportunity to continue my career when I decided after being signed that I never wanted to sing again. However, I came back 2-3 years later and now I am chasing my dreams the right way.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I do not have the largest social media audience, but I believe I have a very dedicated audience that follows me. The way I did this is by being real. For example, posting about how I live with anxiety, showing photos of my acne journey, sharing my favorite outfits, posting my nights out with my girlfriends, and really anything that reminds my audience that I am just like them. If I was going to give advice to people building their platforms, is that people don’t follow you for just the one thing you’re pursuing (for me, music). They are following you because they connect with you. They want to be your friend, your partner, your champion on the journey – so ask yourself how can you remind them that that is exactly what they are to you?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ginazomusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ginazo_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ginazomusic
• Twitter: https://x.com/_ginazo_
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gina_zo

Image Credits

Hunter Carrico for curlers photo and tulle white dress photo. Ellen Miller for performance photo outside in black outfit.