Whats Hot Tampa Bay Online | October Issue

“There’s just something special about her, you can tell in the first 10 seconds you meet her,” said Ian Beckles after a recent impromptu set on the air of the Ron and Ian Show on 620 WDAE. What’s amazing is that at the age of 13, this songstress is able to maintain an aura of innocence but still sing with a broad appeal to adult audiences.

Of course Mom says that being surrounded by a tight knit family is the defining factor. She’s all too aware of little girls who grow up too fast in the spotlight.

“How do you keep her innocence and protect her in an industry which can be scary? Kudelko said. “We keep the circle very small. It’s limited to very trusted people who we believe have Caroline’s best interest at heart. Plus, my husband and I play a very active role. I’m always with her.”

When the glitz gets too big and it’s time to wind down like a normal family, the troops head off to Orlando and Universal Studios. Younger sister Ellie is always a trusted companion and Grandma and Grandpa live close by as well. Caroline says that making sure they all sit down for a proper family dinner every night helps keep her grounded.

Don’t let her innocent smile fool you, she’s a performer at heart, one with a stage presence well beyond her years. She proved that at the annual Strawberry Festival this past year where she headlined a show in front of 6,000 fans.

“I love audiences,” she said.

“Whether they are passers by or people who came there specifically to see me. I love to see them, hoping they understand the song.”

Be it a room with two people or a mass of thousands, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference from Caroline’s performance. Whether she’s singing an original like Old Enough to Love off her latest album or an acoustic rendering of Jimi Hendrix’s All Along the Watchtower she takes advantage of every opportunity as if she were belting it out live at the Grammys.

“Music just makes me happy,” she said. “Every song I write comes from my heart and is an experience which I’ve felt so strongly about that I had to write it down. It’s what I love and even if I didn’t make it big, I always see myself playing and singing to my friends and family.”

Not making it big isn’t likely. She recently returned from a summer tour which took her to Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Nashville. She even played at the Martin Guitar factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, a company with which she has an endorsement deal. You may also recognize her as the darling of the GTE Federal Credit Union ads on radio and TV. Right now Suite Caroline is a full time job for both daughter and mother.

Balancing school and friends is still a priority though. But this is one act if you don’t catch soon, may be pretty hard to get a ticket to in the future.

One thing seems certain, Suite Caroline is the real deal. “ I love to speak through music,” she said. “I would get nervous when I was younger, but when I had a guitar in my hands I could say anything. My guitar is my home—it’s my comfort zone.”