Discovering Guianna By: Amanda Moulton-Proctor Guianna is an emerging artist known for her diverse style and soulful voice. From the church floor to the stage at St. Pete, Florida’s Pride Festival, her messages of Courage, Sobriety, and Love are truly an inspiration for all. I had the opportunity to meet with Guianna via Zoom and get a glimpse into the world of this amazing soul.
AMP: Who is Guianna? Guianna: I am a child of God, an empathic person. I’m determined, stubborn, creative, passionate. A deep-thinker, an over-thinker (that’s who I am).
AMP: What motivated you to get into music? Guianna: I remember singing at 6, preparing a song for church. I think because I saw my family sing, music was always just a part of my upbringing. In high school and middle school, I was always in choirs; I was in theater for all four years of high school. I started writing when I was 9 and started performing out in talent shows and events when I was in my early 20s. I didn’t start doing it professionally, like where I really made money until 2016.
AMP: Are there any musicians that have inspired you or influenced your style? Guianna: Yes! Nai Palm of Hiatus Kaiyote is my favorite person in the world. She’s the reason why I play guitar. I heard her, found out she taught herself how to play guitar and I was like “oh, that means its possible, I have to do this”.
AMP:
What goals do you have for 2021?
Guianna: I do have a meditation coming out on the 21st. Meditation saved my life, so I am making a whole album of meditation. I’m going to put it out there and people can make of it what they will. I started rapping in 2020. I did a Bi Pride song and a Black Pride song that have some rapping in them. So, I would like to do more rapping as well. I would say
more meditation and rapping¦ for now.
AMP:
What do you hope people take away from your music?
Guianna: I hope they take away healing and courage. I hope that I can shine a light in any way in areas of people’s lives where they don’t feel liberated and they can feel safe to come out of whatever prisons they find themselves in. I also hope to open the minds and eyes of people who might have their eyes closed to certain things like sexuality, even about God, and shine a light on the vastness of God and the existence of queer Black and Brown people who are also deeply steeped in their faith.
AMP: What would you say to people who are struggling between their faith and their sexual orientation/gender identity? Guianna: That God loves you. God’s love is huge. There is room for you and you were created to shake things up and make people uncomfortable and let them know that you exist and you are valid. There are some people who choose to stay in their church communities and shake things up there- you can totally do that! I had to stop going to the church I was going to because I couldn’t go to a church that was telling me that who I am is a sin. I wasn’t able to live with that. I came out to
