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    Gia Fagnelli: Featured Artist

    "Transmitting amalgams throughout the galaxy creating a uniquely augmented reality." - Gia Fagnelli

    Gia Fagnelli's bio ended with the words above. Without a doubt, it's the coolest description I've ever gotten of someone's artistry. 'Amalgam' is the perfect word to describe Gia's work, which bridges galaxies of drag, sex work, video art, soundscapes, installation art, and many forms of movement. Up until today's feature, I've written primarily about artists I already know. Until Princess Jafar put me on, I had never heard of Fagnelli, or their brand of multi-dimensional art. Here's what I've learned and what I'm looking forward to!

    Photo by Princess Jafar

    Gia Fagnelli is a 3rd generation yinzer and they are the current reigning Mx Innovative Erotic City. Fagnelli has shown work at the CMOA, Miami Beach Art Basel, Kelly Strayhorn Theatre, House of Yes and has been featured in VICE, Autostraddle, Argot Magazine, and most notably: at http://giafagnelli.com Check out Bjordan's music video for PASSING LIGHTS below to check out some of Gia's work. This video was directed by Princess Jafar and edited by Gia Fagnelli.

    On top of these accomplishments, Gia has a debut coming very soon. On October 10th, they will be premiering "The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning", the first episode of The Exorcism Exhibition. The Exorcism Exhibition began as an hour-long collection of video art paired with live performances created around the time that Fagnelli's father died. When asked about the premiere, they said, "It's a lot of never before seen work - some that's recognizable if someone's seen enough of my live performances from 2018, now reimagined as digital drag + video art pieces. Creating this work was my way of understanding the death, complex grief, and intergenerational curses I was bearing witness to- both in my family and throughout the US."

    Photo by The Childlike Empress

    Fagnelli further explains, "Quarantine has helped me realize that it makes perfect sense to release in a digital format, this time in 30-minute episodes.  Episode One features Louisianna Purchase who made the top three in the third season of Dragula, the most popular horror and alternative drag competition series.  I was also able to collaborate with Jordan Harris of Pittsburgh + Austin TX who is a powerhouse of a movement artist.  These new collaborations really bring this slow-cooked piece to the next level and I'm so grateful to have their talents incorporated into this work.  It sends a literal thrill through me to even think that I am so close to publishing this collection - it has been over 2 years in the making!"

    Gia describes The Exorcism Exhibition as "astringent" meant to "bring things to the surface, to confront our own reality and the impact it has on the world, the way we are all interconnected, and simultaneously the human experience is steeped in profound solitude." Episode One of the Exorcism Exhibition will be available on Princess Jafar's Vimeo channel and a $7 offering (@giafagnelli on Venmo, $giafagnelli on Cashapp) bestows the password to experience Gia Fagnelli's one-of-a-kind spiritual cleanse.  

    (CW for Episode One: discussions of death, some scenes of blood and gore.)


    Gia would like to thank Princess Jafar, Louisianna Purchase, and Jordan Harris for making this vision truly come to life.


    Anyone interested in bookings, commissions, or collaborations can email Gia at GiaFagnelli@gmail.com


    Until The Exorcism Exhibition premieres on October 10th you can support Gia Fagnelli on the following platforms!


    onlyfans.com/giafagnelli

    instagram.com/giafagnelli

    twitter.com/giafagnelli

    youtube

    http://giafagnelli.com


    Thank you for reading.

    - Ryan

    Do you want to be featured as our next Featured Artist? This monthly series will dive into Pittsburgh art and bring recognition to some of the hardest working, most inspired talents in Pittsburgh. No matter your artistic medium, send us an email at contact@highfivemusic.co so we know about the work you are doing to grow Pittsburgh's already incredible artistry.

    • Featured Artists

    Princess Jafar: Featured Artist

    From the Princess Jafar Show to Princess Jafar's Instant Messages to Twitter's most retweetable timeline, September's featured artist has been hard at work for years in Pittsburgh, becoming a phenom bigger than the city itself.

    As a recording artist, Princess Jafar has graced stages internationally. You can purchase Princess's recent projects on Bandcamp and wait in anticipation for her 3-Course yet-to-be-titled Food EP that will be dropping on the platform in the near future! Princess also collaborated with our own Lyn Starr for a song that dropped back in December of 2019 titled "Lunesta".

    Believe it or not, this is only the Princess's musical body of work. Across multiple mediums, it seems that Princess Jafar is able to produce incredible content for her fans. The Princess’s video recording and performance art have been featured internationally at the European Media Arts Festival, The Gay Film Fest of Rio De Janeiro, Toronto’s OutFest, London’s X4 Festival and Berlin’s Pride Festival, as well as in San Francisco’s National Queer Arts Festival, NYC’s Porn Film Festival, NYC’s Bushwig Alternative Drag Festival and was a major recipient of artist grants from Heinz and The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. There is no denying Princess Jafar is a pop culture phenomenon.

    Recently, Princess Jafar created a Medium series entitled, "Princess Jafar's Instant Messages" which finds her interviewing dope artists over text. As simple as this concept may seem, Princess's personality shines through in the interviews and takes the format to a new level. The first 'instant messages' interview with The Childlike Empress found the pair connecting over similarities in their lives, Grandmothers, and music. There have been two more installments in the series that I need to catch up on myself! You can find them here!

    Princess is currently working on a telethon fundraiser for Lebanese Queers affected by the recent Beirut Explosion. Also this summer Princess Jafar began producing for Native Cocopah Tribe member Bae Lè Stray’s dragcentric YouTube channel.


    To make sure you're up to date with everything Princess Jafar, follow using the links below!


    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/princessjafar/


    Twitter - https://twitter.com/princessjafar


    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theprincessjafar


    Medium - https://medium.com/@theprincessjafar


    Also, don’t forget to pick up your hot Princess Jafar merch at PrincessJafar.threadless.com!

    Haven’t had enough Princess Jafar? 

    Call 1-34-PRINCESS for exclusive 24/7 unfettered access to Princess Jafar herself!

    Standard data and messaging rates apply!


    Thank you reading.

    - Ryan

    Do you want to be featured as our next Featured Artist? This monthly series will dive into Pittsburgh art and bring recognition to some of the hardest working, most inspired talents in Pittsburgh. No matter your artistic medium, send us an email at contact@highfivemusic.co so we know about the work you are doing to grow Pittsburgh's already incredible artistry.

    • Featured Artists

    INEZ: Featured Artist

    "If you keep hoarding that truth in your ideas, you'll never let it float to the heart it's meant to touch." - @MusiqalProdigy (INEZ)

    It's been almost a year since INEZ closed the Pittsburgh's Very Own concert without having an album out. When "Voicemails and Conversations" finally dropped in December of 2019, there was no denying INEZ's superstar status in Pittsburgh and the incredibly bright future that is in store. I'm not sure I've heard an independently released project this impeccably produced and performed. INEZ's voice commands your attention and soothes your soul simultaneously. INEZ, a Cum Laude, Berklee College of Music alumna, is a musical polymath for singing, music production, arranging, songwriting, drumming, and audio engineering.That's why I had to pause for a second when I scrolled past this tweet from INEZ.

    The first sentence says so much about the artist that INEZ is. There are thousands of changes she would still make to perfect her debut artistic statement. She also understands that "Voicemails and Conversations" is just the beginning of the INEZ story. This project has touched so many people already because she didn't hoard it and keep tweaking those 3000 things. "If you keep hoarding that truth in your ideas, you'll never let it float to the heart it's meant to touch," is a statement that I will certainly be living my life by from here on out.

    Photo by Erin Allport
    Photo by Erin Allport

    Proud Homewood resident, Pittsburgh native, and self-proclaimed FireShorty™️, INEZ (Danielle Walker) is a multi-faceted artistic Renaissance woman. The nurtured product of two musical parents, INEZ developed an intense love of all things music and audio. INEZ credits music, faith and family as her biggest motivators, citing them as the reason she has been able to continue her craft, despite traumatic life events and hardships.

    Photo by Matt Palichat
    Photo by Matt Palichat

    In 2019, INEZ not only performed on stage at Hartwood Acres Amphitheater, Mr. Smalls Theatre (for Pittsburgh’s Very Own 2), and the Thunderbird Cafe, she also graced the cover of the Pittsburgh City Paper. As I mentioned before, INEZ released her debut album in December 2019, an audio diary of her navigation of love and growth as a Black woman; “Voicemails and Conversations”. So, you need to go listen to that project now!! Click the photo below!

    Photo by Nicolette Kalafatis
    Photo by Nicolette Kalafatis

    Before you listen to the project straight through, go watch this music video for the song "Get It Off Your Chest" that features a heartfelt prelude to the album, with INEZ thanking her family right before she plays the album for them.

    INEZ recently started a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to support her next big steps. Check that campaign out here and support her artistry! INEZ's artistry is an incredible gift we have right here in Pittsburgh. I write a feature every month talking about our city's seemingly endless talent. But Pittsburgh artists, listen to INEZ. "If you keep hoarding that truth in your ideas, you'll never let it float to the heart it's meant to touch." So create your masterpieces, wrap them up with a huge bow, and send them into the world. Our city only continues to grow musically if you do. Let us have your work! It's ready!


    Keep up with INEZ!

    Linktree - https://linktr.ee/INEZMusic


    Indiegogo Campaign - https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/support-inez-s-next-big-steps#/


    Bandcamp - https://inez412.bandcamp.com/


    Voicemails and Conversations - https://album.link/i/1492618804


    IG - https://www.instagram.com/musiqalprodigy/


    Twitter - https://twitter.com/MusiqalProdigy


    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FromInezWithLove


    Thank you reading.

    - Ryan

    Do you want to be featured as our next Featured Artist? This monthly series will dive into Pittsburgh art and bring recognition to some of the hardest working, most inspired talents in Pittsburgh. No matter your artistic medium, send us an email at contact@highfivemusic.co so we know about the work you are doing to grow Pittsburgh's already incredible artistry.

    • Featured Artists
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