"I love to entertain and perform. The applause excites me, and it makes me happy to see people smile." That is what Gabrielle said, one year ago, to SJ Magazine, where she was featured as one of the "Kids to Watch in South Jersey."
At the age of 15, Gabrielle has now established herself as one of the young new artists emerging on the music scene. Her roots were planted at the age of 5, in musical theater, when she joined a local theater company, Our Gang Players, transforming her desire for the theater into a passion for music and entertaining. Singing, dancing, and acting came naturally over the next years as she performed at various theaters in NJ including the Surflight Theater, Haddonfield Plays and Players, and the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center.
At the age of 10, she was given the opportunity to join the original cast of the American Girl Revue in New York City for the next 15 months, as the American Girl dolls, Kirsten, Kit, Samantha, and Kaya. Now, as a highschooler, she continues to enjoy performing at the Lenape Performing Arts Center where she has played the roles of Belinda Cratchit in Scrooge, The Musical, the Ensemble in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, The White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia, the musical version and Anita, in West Side Story.
While she is not busy with the theater, Gabrielle has enjoyed performing on stage as a Top 10 Finalist for Star Search in the New York metro area, a NBC10 Holiday Sing-Off finalist, a winner at the Apollo theater in Harlem, a finalist and People's Choice Award winner at the Lights of Liberty "Teen Idol" contest, a NJICON finalist and a winner of a national Nickelodeon/everGirl Band contest. She has also sung the "National Anthem" for the Camden Riversharks and "God Bless America'" for the Philadelphia Phillies in front of a crowd of 40,000 spectators. She has had the pleasure of singing with the Ocean City Pops Orchestra and the Young Artists in Concert as a featured soloist. But nonetheless, she makes the time for benefit concert performances for the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society, the Diabetes Telethon, the Shriners Hospital of Philadelphia, Lankenau Hospital as well as local benefit fundraisers for those in need.
Although Gabrielle began singing at such an early age with various theater groups, she did not have formal vocal training until 8 years of age when she met Badiene Magaziner, a Julliard trained, and Speech Level Singing vocal instructor, an associate teacher of Seth Riggs. She has taught performers in Rent, Lion King, Boy From Oz, and Mary Poppins, as well as recording star Jennifer Rush and vocalists from the Metropolitan Opera House. www.voice-teacher.com
Badiene recognized Gabrielle's talent and expansive vocal range at such a young age and encouraged her to pursue her dream and share her "gift"-her voice. She planted the seed and helped it grow. She was instrumental in developing her mix and expanding her range for which she will always be grateful. She continued formal training with Badiene until about age 13 and works with her as the need arises. She will always be a special teacher/mentor and friend.
At the age of 10 1/2, Gabrielle met Sal Dupree, a well known performer, vocal and acting coach who has not only coached the likes of Tiffany Evans and Bianca Ryan, but also various Broadway performers in Annie, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, and The Sound of Music, as well as American Idol Finalist, Lou Gazarra and Ugly Betty performer, Mark Indelicato. He has the largest Performing Arts School in New Jersey where Gabrielle has received his vocal coaching over the past 4 years.He reaffirmed that she indeed has a voice "way beyond her years" and a range that "sets her apart from all others." He has likened her to Whitney, Christina and Mariah as she "wows" her audiences with the soul, the riffs and the range throughout her performances. These years have been full of growth, teaching Gabrielle how to "feel" her music and bring "color" to her tones. Her vocal range has expanded and her love for singing has deepened. He has taught her to find her own style, believe in herself and love what she does best "ENTERTAIN." He has always been and will forever be a special teacher/mentor and friend.
She enjoys all different genres of music but her most favorites are R&B and Pop, although her training has allowed her to venture successfully into the Jazz, Country and even Opera venues. Her musical influences are Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Linda Eder, Andrea Bocelli, and Josh Groban.
In addition to her musical prowess, Gabrielle has achieved movie credits, as Cheryl Robinson, in "Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door", a thriller adaptation of a true-story about child abuse, set in 1958 and most recently, the role of Savannah, a member of a rock band, in the film "Mysterious", set on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas where she sang one of her original songs, "Summertime Crush", which will be featured in the film.
www.gabriellehowarth.com