Gianni Paci

Long before he was legal, Gianni Paci was sharing the stage with rock stars like Ace Frehley of Kiss, Steven Adler of Guns N Roses and the late Mike Starr of Alice In Chains. Having performed at music festivals like Austin City Limits in Texas, Zappanale in Germany and Musikfest in Pennsylvania, Gianni learned the ropes while in the ring, honing his craft in front of audiences far and wide. Songwriting was a talent that sprouted even earlier, as he wrote his first original piece of music at the tender age of eight. “It just seemed to pour out of me so naturally,” Gianni recalls, reflecting on his propensity towards poetically simple songs that are as alluring in their charm as they are surprising in their depth.

Before graduating from New York University in January 2014, Gianni released two full-length albums of original material under his old pseudonym, The Pine Hollows. This work landed Gianni on the cover of Performer Magazine and helped him to establish a considerable presence in the NYC music scene. An online feature at Tiger Beat labeled him “The Cutest Boy You’re Not Crushing On Yet,” claiming, “[Gianni] will be bursting onto the mainstream music scene soon,” while Darryl Norrell of Aquarian Weekly wrote, "Gianni’s been likened to Buddy Holly and it’s appropriate, not in the timbre of his voice but in the mannerisms and the writing, airy and innocently heart-on-sleeve.” Mike Ragogna of The Huffington Post noted similar comparisons, likening Gianni’s songwriting to classic artists like The Rolling Stones.

Last summer, Gianni was hired as the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for Capitol Records recording artist Basic Vacation, with the band serving as opening act for Owl City during a portion of his 2013 Northeast US Tour. The experience was formative in Gianni’s understanding of the music business and served to bolster his artistic ambition, leading him to his latest work at Cove City Sound Studios with producer Eren Cannata. Gianni released his new single, “Goodbye,” in February, with promotional appearances at college radio stations like WNYO 88.9FM SUNY Oswego, WMSC 90.1FM Montclair State and OWWRNY SUNY Old Westbury showcasing his talent for live, acoustic performance and providing him with the opportunity to expound upon his songwriting process.

In a recent interview with Long Island Pulse Magazine, Gianni explains, “‘Goodbye’ is really a culmination of all the things I had been itching to do…it’s very danceable in a contemporary radio sort of way, but at the same time, very quirky and representative of my roots as a songwriter.” Richie Cannata, longtime sax player for Billy Joel, just recently invited Gianni to perform as opening act at Glen Cove Downtown Sounds Festival. “Richie has been such a huge help this past year,” Gianni said in a recent interview with The Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot, “he and the rest of his team have been invaluable.” Gianni has truly established himself close to home, with Newsday featuring him in “Close-Ups: Long Island’s Rising Stars.” He continues to perform regularly at venues like Pianos, Sidewalk Cafe and Dolphin Bookshop.