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EDITOR: BETTIE GILIOMEE
Gino Lee star in the making ZELDRÉ SWANEPOEL
T
HERE is no stopping the young, multi-talented, local teen sensation on his journey to stardom.
Port Elizabeth music artist, Gino Lee, is about to record two singles at the same Atlanta studio where Justin Bieber recorded his debut album. He also recently landed a role in an international film to be shot in Mauritius this December. Gino Lee (18), who has been back in his hometown for a short break, spent the past year in the US where he was enrolled at the New York Film Academy (NYDA) - a prestigious scholarship he earned while at the ARTS (Applause Rising Talent Showcase) in Orlando, Florida, in 2013. ARTS give aspiring artists the opportunity to audition in front of industry agents, managers and label executives. Gino received 18 call backs from these auditions. Music and singing being his first love, Gino was however scouted for acting and modelling. Being no stranger to acting, he performed a lead role in Theodor Herzl High School’s musical showcase, Aida, when he was in matric last year. Gino and his mom, Bernie, spent the past year in New York, where Gino not only studied at the Academy but also performed at various gigs to keep his music going. He also gained experience in front of and behind the cameras by getting involved in numerous student films. “The decision to go to the USA was the best decision I could have ever made. It has really changed my life. It have learnt so much and words cannot describe how grafeful I am for my parents for supporting me and encouraging me to make the move,” said Gino. According to him, the best part of his year spent at NYDA was the fact that he was able to do both acting and music. Although New York was a bit daunting at
first - with extreme weather conditions and having to take three trains to get to school - he found the academy a refreshing mix of different cultures where he made many friends and industry contacts. “The lecturers are working actors who also had to go for auditions sometimes - which is an indication of how hands-on the academy is. I had the opportunity to do various advertisement shoots and work behind the camera as well.” The school hours were long - from 9am until 9pm, but on weekends he had time to go and perform at gigs organized by mom Bernie. One of these gigs was at The Bitter End, a venue which saw the likes of Bob Dylan, Bill Cosby, Lady Gaga and Joan Rivers performing there. “The most important thing for us was to keep in constant contact with the people he received callbacks from at the ARTS, and we did just that,” said Bernie. “It is all about how many contacts you have and who you know. We have met many big names, such as Beyonce’s former manager and people who have worked with artists such as Coldplay, Bruno Mars and Miley Cyrus. It was overwhelming at first, but we realized that we were very privileged to be in that position and appreciated all the valuable advice we got from them,” said Bernie. Gino Lee has since received his working permit, so he can now legally earn money while performing in the US. He will be returning to the US in January where he will pursue his music career, with the option of returning to the film academy for another two years. He will, as he has the past year, keep his local fanbase informed of his doings via his very popular Facebook page. “I am so grateful for the support I’ve been getting from my friends and fans in Port Elizabeth. I want to thank each and every one for all the messages of encouragement I received. They really kept me going.”
Gino Lee in the USA. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
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