OPEN SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW
http://www.openspotlight.com/profile/lisa-bello.html
Lisa Bello — General Info
Posted on June 12, 2011
Singer, Songwriter
10+ years
A middle school teacher by day, tatted-up R&B chick by night. Lisa Bello is not only a singer, but also a songwriter and co-producer. Tackling numerous shows, gigs, songs, and YouTube videos, Lisa has put in work (and still is) to receive the attention that gained her career appearances in big name publications such as – The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, and Stuff Magazine. Along with that exposure, Bello is also a familiar face on the popular Boston hip-hop morning show on JAMN 94.5 with Ramiro & Pebbles. With a stronghold in the Boston music scene, Lisa is a familiar well-respected person with a wide range of support behind her.
Interview
Q: How do you promote your music?
A: I have a few avenues that I promote my music through with internet as the main route. I also have my street team that physically goes out into the streets with promo cards and music samples to make sure that it’s hitting everywhere and all ages of people, not just the heads that are glued to their computers and phones all day.
Q: I’m sure you get this alot, Does being a female in this game make you have to work harder?
A: I actually don’t get that question often enough and I,m amped that you are asking it. I do feel that I have to work harder especially because I am not that female that walks around on stage wearing a napkin sized top singing about my “whore-ish” ways. I’ve been through many situations where using “what I got” could have furthered my career and I deaded that. I will use my actual talent and connections to get me to where I need to be. Being a woman is most definitely at times a handicap in the music world, although I know its not always easy for the boys either.
Q: Do you feel Boston is giving you the support that you need?
A: Do I feel Boston supports me?… I feel like many people in Boston support me…The actual homegrown Boston people support me as well as the “implants” that know in order to get respect as an artist you need to first give it. I am out there at every show spreading support and I receive it back full circle.
There are still many people out there who need to get off of “story lane” where they pretend that they support everybody when in fact they have yet to see a “local” artist do their thing. But overall I have felt like people in the city know who I am and respect my hustle. The live music scene has opened up more in the past few years which has brought many new faces to my shows and exposed what I do to many who have yet to see me live.
Q: What are your top three artists (any genre)?
A: My right nows – Pusha T, Adele, and Jessie J
My overall favorite 3 – Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, and Lauryn Hill
Q: Favorite show youve performed?
A: My favorite show was more of a quick performance in front of 30,000 people. It was June 2010 when I sang the National Anthem at the Red Sox game. I have never been more moved by a venue than I was that day. I will carry that memory for the rest of my life.
Q: Whats your favorite song youve made?
A: My favorite song that I wrote is Leave Me Alone. I wrote it four years ago about a few friends and their “situations”. I became tired of hearing the same story and felt that I needed to express it through song. It has since become the ladies anthem. They recently featured the video on KarmaLoopTV.
Q: How do you describe your sound/genre?
A: My sound is R&B, pop, rock and soul. I’m in my own world right now trying to figure out new moves and directions for sounds. I have a Mary J. Blige/Pink tone with a Lauryn Hill swag…It’s hard to put my sound into a little box.
Q: What are some of your other interests or things to do?
A: I lead a Double Life…I’m a songwriter/artist and a middle school teacher in the city. In my free yet not so free time I work with students around PEACE and ways to solve conflict through non-violence through an organization called PEACE Boston.
Q: What motivates you to keep making music?
A: Music is the one thing in my life that is consistent. It brings out the best and worst of me. It follows me through all of the emotions one can possibly go through. I am motivated to keep making music because I know how much it affects and helps me therefore I understand what it can do for others. Hearing from a friend or fan that one of my songs got them through the day is what motivates me to continue down this path.
Q: Do you ever get nervous or stage fright while performing?
A: I never ever get stage fright when I am actually on the stage but mannnnnnnn when I am awaiting the performance I am a hot mess. Right before I perform I go through everything from the shakes, sweats, fumbling words etc… The second I hit the stage my alter-ego kicks in and Im in another zone. Same feeling every single time I perform. It amazes me that I can snap out of the anxiety right before I hit the stage.
Peace’ corps
Boston hip-hop stars do their ‘Best’ to get along
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 – Updated 2 weeks ago
Think the Boston music scene is plagued by divisiveness and separation?
Twenty artists are flipping the script on local drama with the collaborative peace record “The Best I Got (Boston Master Peace),” written by Team 220 Records’ Ernest “Big CEO Red” Taylor and co-sponsored by Peace Boston.
After writing the track, Taylor picked an all-star team of artists representing different camps and styles to deliver the message. The talent roster includes rappers Akrobatik, Frankie Wainwright, Mann Terror and Lou Armstrong along with crooners Cyrus Deshield, Benjamin Carew, Letia Larok, Chanel (also known as Miss5678), Suge Avery, Lisa Bello, Louie Bello and r & b foursome Ahmir.
“I got my Quincy Jones on,” Taylor joked during an interview at Pyrotek studios in Malden. “It was really like ‘We Are The World,’ not to be corny. It’s one of those uplifting type of records, but cats still say some borderline raw stuff on it. It’s straightforward. We didn’t approach it like, ‘Yo, we can’t swear.’ It was just like, ‘Say what you feel and we’ll make it work.’ So it’s not a gospel record, but it’s still clean and it’s real.”
The song, available for free download and on YouTube, features radio-friendly reality raps with a gospel-inspired chorus and ad libs, all imploring listeners to lay problems aside and come together. A video is in the works and Taylor says 10,000 copies of the single will be passed out at city schools. The Peace Boston compilation “Peace in the Streets,” which funds burials for families that have lost children to violence, is set to feature the song.
“The vision really came out the way it was supposed to, and it reached a lot of people,” said Team 220’s Dee Brown, who produced the record. “Boston’s a little segregated, and this record actually had people from different hoods coming together. People who didn’t really get along united on the song.”
The song promotes peace on the streets without coming off like a cheesy after-school special, so it’s not surprising it’s garnered local radio spins. DJ Pup Dawg of JAM’N 94.5 says it sends a powerful message in a way that appeals to listeners who just want to sing along with the hook.
“They did a good job of putting the record together – they made it easy for me to play the song without getting in trouble and losing my job over trying to help the city,” Pup Dawg said. “Every time I’ve played it I’ve gotten good feedback from e-mails and Twitter, asking what song it was and commenting on the strength of the message. Even if you’re not about lyrics, it fits into what we’re doing. It’s a nice-sounding record for JAM’N.”
Many artists said they felt compelled to contribute to the project.
“I had no choice but to be on it,” Team 220 singer Suge Avery said. “You can’t say no to a positive message. If you’re not down with it there’s something wrong with you – you’re part of the problem and not trying to be a part of the solution. This is something we all need. Because growing up in Boston, it’s a crying shame. Every corner there’s a memorial. Every time I get on the bus I see nothing but a bunch of young men with four and five memorial pins on them and it’s like, what’s really going on? Who’s really out here teaching youth what not to do?
“It’s time to bring down these barriers, put these egos aside and just come together and unite,” Avery said, “because the young people, they’re going to emulate what we do.”
*Sunday, July 26, 2009
“Boston Unplugged Volume III: Walk Our Way, A Tribute to Jam Master Jay”
Harpers Ferry
http://thephoenix.com/Boston/Picks/Event.aspx?id=537207&date=07-26-2009
Born in Brooklyn and slain in Queens, Run DMC turntablist and producer Jam Master Jay was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this past April, seven years after his murder. Now local anti-violence org Peace Boston pays its respects with the fundraiser “Boston Unplugged Volume III: Walk Our Way, A Tribute to Jam Master Jay.” The night includes a 12-DJ salute and live performances from Tru Indeed, Lyrical, and Lisa Bello, at Harpers Ferry, 158 Brighton Ave, Allston | 8 pm | $20 | 617.254.9743 or http://www.harpersferryboston.com.
*Making Music Outside the Box 5/22/09
Examiner.com
By: Rachel Miselman
http://www.examiner.com/x-9349-Boston-Page-One-Examiner~y2009m5d31-Making-music-outside-the-box
Some find Boston singer-songwriter, Lisa Bello, hard to define as an artist. This is partly attributable to her diverse musical influences. While she was still very young, her father, Lou Bello, who is an accomplished musician, exposed her to Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. Later, she discovered Stevie Wonder, who remains her foremost muse. But, over the years, she has equally embraced Lauryn Hill, India.Arie, and Amy Winehouse as sources of inspiration. So, any attempt to put a label on Bello would be useless. “I don’t have a genre. I am not going to be put in a box,” she says.
Yet this singing dynamo, who can do it all, does favor certain music such as R&B, soul, and hip-hop. On occasion, these musical choices have surprised some because Ms. Bello is white. However, her strong vocals and performances, punctuated with gusto, draw the attention back to her talent. On May 22, 2009, a performance at the Alchemist Lounge in Boston proved this. Throughout the night, the crowd’s enjoyment was evident as Bello played a set filled with a nice mix of material, including some original songs.
Getting a warm reception to her set, particularly to her own material, pleases Lisa. Her short-term goal is to have one of her songs recorded by a major star. In each song, she endeavors to offer something apart from the usual commercial fare. “I try to vent others’ pain and share others’ joy.”
As for long-term, Bello simply wants people to love her music. She says, “I’m fun. By the end of my life, I want to have lit up yours.” A master’s degree in special education allows Lisa to pursue a music career without the financial worry that many artists can encounter.
In addition to economic stability, Lisa Bello equally benefits from having a supportive family, that also includes brother and noted singer, Louie Bello. As she lays down tracks for her first full-length CD, she values all of the advice.
So, what can fans expect from Lisa’s first CD? She says that people should expect both a polished and substantive effort rather than a mere piece of slick production. “I don’t have gimmicks. This is who I am,” she says. Judging by the crowd’s reaction to her aforementioned performance at the Alchemist Lounge, people will not hesitate to accept Lisa Bello on her own terms.
*Super Freak Boston Globe Meredith Goldstein 1/16/09
http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2009/01/16/super_freak/
Songstress Lisa Bello – sister of local, Ne-Yo inspired R&B guy Louie Bello – says that during live shows, she likes to “freak a couple covers” (like Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor”) and then “move in with original material.” Maybe when Lisa performs at the Alchemist tonight, her brother Louie will stop by for a duet. It would be very Donny and Marie – JP-style. 10 p.m. Free. Alchemist, 435 South Huntington Ave., Jamaica Plain, 617-477-5741. www.alchemistlounge.com
MEREDITH GOLDSTEIN
*MP3 of the Week: Lisa Bello Remix
http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/onthedownload/archive/2008/11/26/mp3-of-the-week-lisa-bello-remix.aspx
Unless you’re Mark Wahlberg, it’s tough being the younger sibling of a Boston song-and-dance dignitary. Still, Louie Bello’s kid sister Lisa is on a mission to lasso her brother’s loyal frosted-tip and visibly gellin’ following with an onslaught of dance-floor smokers that ring realer than cliché soul and hipster fare. On “Remix,” the Boston Music Awards nominee (her brother’s nominated too) gets bitchy over minimal but fabulous synth flutters that complement her tremendous pipes. Download it, vote for her, and check her out at the Alchemist on December 19. Her November show filled the place by 10 pm, so be sure to get there early. You can grab “Remix” above.
*December 18, 2008 – Thursday
Article in the Boston Herald
Category: Music
Boston’s Lisa Bello breaks out of family’s shadow
By Martin Caballero | Wednesday, December 17, 2008 | http://www.bostonherald.com
No one can say singer Lisa Bello is short on ideas or ambition.
Since turning 18, the Jamaica Plain native has jumped at opportunities to showcase her soulful vocal talents. There were two “American Idol” auditions and then an offer to be part of a new all-girl pop group being built from the ground up.
Those chances came and went. But Bello, who performs at the Alchemist Lounge in Jamaica Plain on Friday, believes she’s better off for the experience.
“I said, ‘That’s it, I’m doing everything I need to do to secure my life,’ ” Bello said about passing on the girl group, which failed to materialize in the end. “I went to college and got my master’s degree in special education. So if a record label picks me up tomorrow, I have nothing to hold me back.”
This measured approach toward her career shouldn’t be confused with trepidation. Twenty-six-year-old Bello – whose MySpace [website] bio describes her as “the tattooed Italian broad with Mary’s (J. Blige) pipes and Whitney’s gusto” – is fresh off a Boston Music Awards nomination for Best Female Vocalist. Lately she’s been recording with producer John Johnson, known for helping such acts as the Funky Bunch and rapper Guru (of Gang Starr) break into the industry.
“At 18, I think I could have made it if I took some time off,” said Bello. “At that time it was Christina Aguilera, it was Britney, it was everybody that I could have snuck in. But I can’t really say I have regrets because of where I am now. I’m so happy now.”
Family has also played a big part in determining Bello’s career path. Her father sang and played guitar professionally. Her brother Louie is an up-and-coming local r & b singer/songwriter who also was nominated for a Boston Music Award. Some of her early gigs were singing backup for Louie, whose shadow Lisa had to escape.
“Up until five months ago, I was Louie Bello’s sister,” she said. “Every single show I go to, people would always ask me, ‘Aren’t you Louie’s sister?’ It was tough at times.
“But without him, I would be pretty lost. He’s had so many opportunities that he comes back to me and shares a lot of knowledge about the industry. He tells me all the time he’s proud of the steps that I took and he’s always in my corner.”
With degrees to fall back on and local buzz propelling her forward, Bello looks poised to strike when she gets her chance.
“My father never pressured me to really go hard with music,” she said. “But now he tells me, ‘You’re secure, now do what you need to do. If you need to move, then move. Just do it.’ And that’s the point where I’m at now. If the opportunity comes, I’m gone.”
Lisa Bello, at the Alchemist Lounge, Jamaica Plain, Friday. Free. Call 617-477-5741.
Boston Music Awards soiree a sweaty, swanky affair
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Boston music may be wicked good, but is it classy? That’s not an adjective many would use to describe the local club scene, but Wednesday night at the swanky Liberty Hotel, the 2009 Boston Music Awards were doled out in front of a cleaned-up crowd dressed in slick suits and high heels.
With the big winners – Act and Song of the Year recipient Passion Pit and Album of the Year winner the Low Anthem – so big they’re on globe-trekking tours, the night was a live showcase for under-appreciated locals.
Singer/songwriter winner Will Dailey was stuck with the night’s first time slot, but made the most of it with blue-eyed soul tempered with energetic indie pop. He proved we don’t need John Mayer (a dubious 2007 BMA nominee); Dailey is less wimpy and shows more heart.
No Mayer and no Bobby Brown either this year, but New Act nominee Bad Rabbits put a little ’80s Roxbury New Jack Swing (and plenty of Minneapolis funk) into its rock/hip-hop hybrid. The sextet, essentially a paired-down Eclectic Collective, showed how to rock a party – and in a ballroom at 7:45 on a weeknight, no less. Bad Rabbits sound like the next big thing out of the city scene.
Mean Creek’s an Americana band? If you say so, BMAs. The Americana nominee and New Act winner filled the tiny Esplanade room with fans and full-frontal feedback. The group hits the road this weekend with the Whigs and powerful momentum.
Rock Act nominee Dear Leader’s whole set – especially the hooky “Radar” – played with the crescendos rock kids love. Loud, quiet, louder, repeat, but always careful to make the melody the most important thing.
In green sequined dress and matching headband, 17-year-old saxophone wunderkind Grace Kelly led her quartet through a first-rate set of hard bop in the intimate Alibi bar. The Jazz Act nominee was the star, but her sidemen’s swinging solos – particularly those from Kelly’s Berklee classmate, 19-year-old keyboardist Christian Li – showed the youngster knows how to surround herself with equally talented players.
Rock Act winner the Upper Crust proved why they deserved the award. AC/DC-like riffs played by dudes in powdered wigs? How can you go wrong?
Brother and sister Louie and Lisa Bello combined for six nominations, with sis grabbing the R&B Act trophy. With hooks as catchy as the ones in “Get Twisted” and “Stereotypical,” 2010 may be their year.
Blues Act nominees were crammed into a ballroom for a blues revue – a smart move that got all the locals bumping up against one another on a stage crowded with singers, guitarist, harp players (including the excellent Racky Thomas, a deserving nominee) and horns. The clear highlight was the powerful guitar of Troy Gonyea.
One of the last bands of the night, Vagiant provided punk at its best. Nothing says swanky five-star hotel like four tatted-up ladies telling the crowd, “We have only one more song, but it’s about how we’re whores, so that’s cool.”
Stay classy, Boston Music Awards.
Tracked Down: Blair Underwood, John Ratzenberger, Lisa Bello and more…
Friday, December 4, 2009 – Boston Herald
“Sex and the City” hunk Blair Underwood chatting up the cast of “The Best of Both Worlds” and a group of Harvard acting students postshow at the A.R.T . . . . “Cheers” postman John Ratzenberger, ex-Funky Bunch funky guy Scott Ross, Best r & b artist winner Lisa Bello and her competition/bro Louie Bello, producers Malik Williams, Billy Dufresne and Dickie Skinz, car czar Ernie Boch Jr ., Newbury Comics cheese Mike Dreese and hip-hopper Masspike Miles hanging in the VIP section at the Boston Music Awards at the Liberty Hotel . . . Ratzenberger hopping a JetBlue [JBLU] flight to Ft. Lauderdale the next day at Logan International Airport . . . “Antiques Roadshow” executive producer Marsha Bemko kicking off the release of her new book, “Antiques Roadshow Behind the Scenes,” at Barnes & Noble in Burlington . . .
