Meet Gabriella Delliponti: Artist, Songwriter, Recording Engineer, Music Business Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabriella Delliponti and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabriella, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Because it scares me, and that’s the truth. Anything that I have ever done that has meant something to me has been because I put myself in uncomfortable situations and find a way to learn and grow from them. I feel like a pretty lucky girl to even be in the spot I am in pursuing a career in music. When I transferred to UGA, I transferred because of the amazing music business program they have here. I transferred in with a list of over 300 concerts I had attended on my resume thinking that put me at the top of the ranks amongst my peers but I quickly learned I was wrong. Everyday I go to class and am intimidated by the hustlers that are constantly surrounding me. I have never been surrounded by so many like minded individuals doing so many amazing things, and as easy as it is to stop what I’m doing in fear that it won’t be as good as what they might be, I am pulled out of that funk and inspired by them to work a little harder. I think that is the biggest appeal to me in pursuing a creative career. The fact that I get to be in an environment where people are constantly bettering themselves, getting comfortable being uncomfortable, lifting each other up, and driven by their passion is an environment I never want to stop being in… and one I know I wouldn’t be in if I wasn’t pursuing something creatively.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a singer/ songwriter based out of Atlanta. I also was lucky enough to start interning at a studio in Athens last November and have picked up the basics of being a recording engineer for a few hip hop artists in that area! It wasn’t until I started working with them and spending more time at the studio that I gained the confidence to start recording my own music. I now have one single out and several on the way! I definitely fall into the pop genre. My journey hasn’t always been the easiest, but it has been one I love. I think when you are passionate about something, no task is too little or opportunity to small, and so I have jumped on board every opportunity presented to me to get to where I am today. I feel like I have an itch for uncomfortable situations because I know I can learn from them and walk out of the situation better than I was when I walked into it. So much of what I know and so much of what I have done is because I walk into these experiences knowing with 100% of my being that I am supposed to be in music and anything that can help these next 30 years be the best they can be is something I want to take advantage of for sure. I think if there is anything I want people to know about me- if they don’t know this already- is that at the root of it all I am just a girl who really loves music. It feels like a superpower that makes me think I can do anything. I hope that all the people who listen to my music feel like they can do and feel anything too because that is the effect that music has had on me, and I know if it wasn’t for those feelings, I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this right now.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh gosh, Atlanta is full of so many gems I can’t imagine hitting them all in a week! I would start probably in Piedmont Park and then walk the Belt-line. Both are so pretty and offer amazing views of the city. Then we probably would grab lunch at Einstein’s and make our way down to the Five Points area. Five Points is my favorite spot in Atlanta. The creatives that fill those sidewalks are unlike any other. We definitely would spend time in all the thrift stores and then make our way to Criminal Records. I could spend all day in there alone sorting through all the old records, spending way too much money on old band posters, or listening to the artist showcase they sometimes do. We of course would have to stop by the Variety Playhouse and either catch a show or walk the halls of it chatting about how obsessed my sister and I were with Alexander 23 when we first saw him there live! The night would end on the rooftop of Gypsy Kitchen in Buckhead with views of what once felt like my second home before the pandemic- the Buckhead Theatre. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am so lucky because I have the most amazing people behind me that support my every move. I have said it a million times though and I will say it again: the UGA music business program literally saved me, and I know that if it wasn’t for the people involved with that program, I would never have found the courage to actively pursue my dream. On my first day of my 5100 class, my very talented professor went through the syllabus and left us with something that I think about every day. He said: “We’re lucky if we get 80 years on this planet. 25 of those will be spent sleeping. Another 25 will be spent doing things you have to do like brushing your teeth. That means you’ve got 30 years. What’re you going to do to make them count?” Nothing about that statement was anything insanely profound- it is just the honest truth. But it was the truth coming from someone I had idolized and looked up to for so long. This program has completely changed the way I see the next 30 years of my life going. Because of this program no dream seems too farfetched, no opportunity seems too small to take advantage of, and no question seems too dumb to ask. I can’t thank the people behind this program enough for the constant encouragement, inspiration, and time they pour into us students every day. I could go on for days and I still am not sure if they ever will understand how much it all means to me. I also would be absolutely nowhere if it weren’t for my family. Their support has been the biggest constant through all of this and I never will be able to put into words how lucky and thankful I am to have them on this journey with me. I also would be remiss if I didn’t give credit to Hunter & the people at Full Moon Studio- thanks for teaching me what you know, the team at Square One Fish Co who have played my songs on repeat for all the customers and memorized every word, my sweet friend group- Katherine, Mike, Brett, & Ted- who have taken up the role as my management team, Bryant for always lending his creative hand…and his camera, Cecilia who is the best booking agent I will ever have and the sweetest pal, Kiki & Cannon for being the most talented musicians- it is the utmost honor to jam with you both, Donald Passman for writing “All you Need to Know About the Music Business” which has taught me so much over the past few years, Taylor Swift for being my inspiration since I was 10, and everyone who has listened to my music in some way or the other. It all still feels very unreal to me and I am so thankful.

Instagram: gedelliponti

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriella-delliponti-2470671b3

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/51zyuO0XTFXSPLQJOYbrNv?si=IT_JQjkMTn6A-oQUJr_Zfw Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/gabriella-delliponti/1556981326

Image Credits
Bryant Alvarez