PE’s Gino partners with US singers
The year 2019 is off to a good start for Port Elizabeth pop and RnB singer Gino Lee, who already has a new release out and international partnerships in the mix.
Hot on the heels of his newly formed relationship with US record label ONErpm, the 22year-old just sealed a collaboration with New York singer and songwriter Jackie Paladino on the single Can You Tell Me What Love Is, which was released on Friday January 11.
The song is a heartfelt ode to a past relationship, questioning the fine line between lust and true love.
Co-written by New York’s Paladino and London’s Jonny Amos, with Lee accompanying Paladino on vocals, the song was inspired by the songstress’s experience of love lost. “The song was written by Jackie and Jonny Amos after Jackie physically bumped into her ex in an elevator.
“This awkward encounter inspired a powerful track that questions how you can still love someone after they disappoint you,” Lee said.
The song was written three years before Paladino and Lee met through a mutual friend in New York and decided to collaborate after Lee heard the song and liked it, giving it his own spin as the producer.
Putting a stamp on his international status, Lee has also recently formed a music duo, Strangers, with singer US singer Lexi Riese, whom he met while overseas in 2018.
“We met at an open-mic session in Brooklyn and when I heard her sing, I just knew that we had to work together.
“Obviously things are a bit slow because of the distance as I’m back in SA right now but we’ll be releasing some stuff this year,” Lee said.
Lee said their ”Gino Lee” duo would expose another side of Gino Lee but would not distract him from his solo career.
“This is actually the first time I am doing something like this – being part of a collaborative group – and I’m pretty excited to see how people will react to it,” he said.
The singer and producer also plans to release his solo EP in 2019, which he will be travelling to New York to complete in March.
“I’m also planning to have a mini tour in New York to promote the two collaborations with the girls,” Lee said.
Lee plans to return to SA to host his own show at the Boardwalk in December 2019.
Can You Tell Me What Love Is is available on digital music platforms.