Merry Christmas – Indie Voice to pleased to present the final Women in Entertainment profile for 2015, shining the spotlight on San Francisco own’s Katie Garibaldi, singer-songwriter extraordinaire, label owner and the unofficial troubadour to the Golden Gate city. She also recently obtained an endorsement deal with Breedlove Stringed Instruments, who worked with her to build a new custom Master Class guitar.
Garibaldi, who has been compared to the likes of Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile, Ani DiFranco, Fiona Apple, Jewel and Taylor Swift, continues to play regularly in her San Francisco Bay Area home base at such premier music clubs as Hotel Utah, The Little Fox, Cafe Du Nord, and Neck Of The Woods. She has also toured nationally, including frequent stops in Nashville where she has performed at Music City’s (world-famous) Bluebird Cafe.
Garibaldi is also an innovative entrepreneur and the owner of her own label, Living Dream Music. She has acquired a devoted fan base, due in no small part to her incredibly engaging live shows and the personal connection she has developed with her listeners through her music. Regardless of whether she is performing by herself or with a band, Garibaldi shares her emotions with her audience through melodic and catchy songs and soulfully expressive vocals, creating a distinct sound that is both pop and country with a tinge of Americana.
A prolific writer, she recently released her seventh full-length album, Follow Your Heart, which was recorded at John Vanderslice’s Tiny Telephone Recording Studios in San Francisco and engineered by Ian Pellicci. The album features some of Garibaldi’s most personal songs, many of which are inspired by her recent marriage, reflecting back to her simple yet powerful message of the importance of having the conviction to follow one’s heart. The album also includes performances by several notable musicians, including the Magik*Magik Orchestra.
Follow Your Heart is the first full-length release of all new compositions since her award winning Next Ride Out album in 2009. During those six years, she has continued to tour the country, building her brand DIY-style with help from her friends in Nashville and elsewhere, and has garnered critical acclaim from both press and peers.
Guitar Player magazine called her “a gifted songwriter with a gorgeous voice,” while Music Connection magazine wrote “Garibaldi is blessed with a sweet and pure soprano, and we hear a sincerity in this artist that is real.” Music Connection also included Garibaldi on their annual list of the Top 100 Live Unsigned Artists, while her peers in Songsalive! voted her the Songwriter of the Year award. Garibaldi is an active voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) and the current Emerging Artist Of The Year winner from the Indie Music Channel 2015 Awards. Most recently, Bay Area music blog The Deli Magazine named Garibaldi the San Francisco Artist Of The Month for September 2015.
What inspires Garibaldi? “My relationship with my husband inspires me a lot, as I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of writing love songs that are inspired by him. Also, I get really inspired to write when I’m touring, seeing different cities and just soaking up all of the various adventures that come with traveling and new experiences. I always seem to come back home with an itch to write something new. And in general, my family and my faith have always inspired me to be myself, do what I love, and follow my dreams, which keeps me motivated as a person, as well as an artist and songwriter.”
Where does she see herself in the future? “Regarding the near future, I’m working on wrapping up my new EP, which I’m very excited about and planning to release it sometime in the early part of 2016. The EP consists of five new songs that I recorded in Nashville with some extremely talented musicians. These songs are a bit of a departure from my usual song topics, where I focus more on self-discovery and faith. They’re also a bit different sonically speaking from my last album, being more stripped down in production and feature a lot of intricate string arrangements. I can’t wait for people to hear them! It’s the latest piece of my heart and soul. I’ll be promoting and touring with the new release next year, and also plan to release a new music video for one of the songs leading up to the release, which I’ll be working on soon. As far as long term plans, I hope to keep living my dreams, making and sharing music, and growing my business as an artist/songwriter to encompass larger opportunities in this industry. ”
To find out more about this artist, check out her website and Facebook pages, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to her YouTube channel.
