INTRODUCING CHRIS SORBELLO…

Born and bred in Brisbane, based in Sydney, and with a sound that’s ready for the world … meet Chris Sorbello.

If you want to hear why Chris has been hailed as an artist to watch, just check out So Lonely and Dangerzone.

As Chris explains, So Lonely is a song with many musical sub-plots. It’s a thrilling slice of electro pop, with a hypnotic vocal and a hook that will haunt you. Produced by Sam Littlemore (Gwen Stefani, Sneaky Sound System, Empire Of The Sun), and look out for some stunning remixes by Sydney band Van She.

Then there’s the seductive Dangerzone, which has been remixed by Marco De Mark (who was also responsible for the recent re-working of Elton John’s Tiny Dancer, a number one dance hit in the UK). One listen and you’ll be caught in the trap!

Chris Sorbello’s musical adventure started when she caught an episode of Young Talent Time when she was just five. Soon after, her dream of joining the Johnny Young Talent School came true. “I just wanted to be a performer,” Chris explains, “even though I didn’t know exactly what that entailed.”

Chris remembers singing along to Madonna’s Borderline and Cherish in her bedroom, while her cousins recount the tale of her singing Locomotion for their grandfather. “They say I was singing it off-key,” Chris laughs, “but I think they’re just jealous that I got more pocket money from grand-dad than they did!”

The stage became Chris’s second home, with regular performances at Italian festivals and outdoor events. And then her life changed forever when she was nearly killed in a car accident when she was 16. She spent 10 days in a coma. “I was lucky to survive,” Chris confides. “That experience really shaped who I am. It made me more determined than ever to follow my dream. Life’s too short.”

Chris’s lust for life comes across in her songs. “Pop has a reputation for being disposable, but I really want to say something with my music. Lyrics are really important to me.”

Just check out So Lonely. Chris sings, “Why does it feel so lonely when I’m your one and only”, but this is no “poor me” song. “I don’t write songs about feeling sorry for myself,” Chris asserts. “My songs are about strength.”

Chris was still a teenager when she relocated to Sydney in 2003. She studied contemporary voice at the Australian Institute of Music before hooking up with David Musumeci and Anthony Egizii from DNA Songs (Ricki-Lee, Amy Pearson, Shannon Noll). “It was love at first sight,” Chris smiles. “I found my sound.”

And that sound is a compelling mash of old and new. Chris manages to sound both retro and right now – think Blondie and Donna Summer meets Ladytron and Lady Gaga.

“I also love Goldfrapp,” Chris adds, “she’s amazing.”

Though Chris has a knack for creating songs that are ready for both radio and the clubs, this is definitely no studio project – Chris is itching to tour. “I’m passionate about performance,” she declares. “I really want to bring a visual element to the stage.” To create her live show, Chris has been collaborating with choreographers Brandon Barton and Ramon Baynes, who have worked with Britney Spears, Beyonce and the Pussycat Dolls.

Chris laughs when she describes herself as a “triple-threat”. “It’s something I heard someone say on a New York TV show. She was talking about how she was a singer, dancer and actor.

“I smiled and thought, ‘That’s me.’”

http://www.myspace.com/chrissorbello

Chris has her first and only performance this year taking place at 9pm this Wednesday 18th October at the Piano Bar in Kings Cross.