Gabriela Martina, who is from Switzerland (Lucerne), was on stage for the first time at the age of five with her family as a traditional Swiss Yodel Group. She was a singer in various choirs (from classical music to gospel) and musicals. After a year at London’s Vocaltech Music College, she started her professional studies in singing at the Music College (Jazzschool) in Lucerne in 2006.
Before she moved to Boston to study at the renowned Berklee College of Music (in Aug 2008) she was the singer with Talking Loud, Soulvirus, Pink Bliss (pop/ rock), aromat (Electro/Urban) not2help (a cappella) and her own Jazzduo featuring Luzia von Wyl. Gabriela has worked with renowned teachers such as Donna McElroy, Diane Richardson, Susanne Abbuehl, Lauren Newton, Bob Stoloff, Dennis Montgomery III, Mili Bermejo, Kudisan Kai-Regalot, David Scott, Armsted Christian and Lisa Thorson.
In Fall 2008 she had the pleasure to sing at the Steppin’ Out 2008 at the Waterfront Hotel in Boston for what she auditioned at the Sculler's Jazzclub. On the 7th of November of this year she will be a participant of this event.
During her education at Berklee she had the pleasure to share the stage with musicians like MeShell Ndegeocello, Jack DeJohnette and she was part of a Masterclass and sang at a Symposium for the Gospelsinger Dr. Bernice Reagon and received a Certification of Completion from the Liberal Arts. In April 2009 she sang as a Background Singer in a Recording Session at Berklee with the well-known Studio drummer from L.A. whose name is J.R.Robinson.
In July 2009 she was invited to sing at the Sure Voice Competition at the Montreux Jazzfestival with Lee Ritenour’s Backing Band (Patrice Rushen pn, Melvin Davis b, Will Kenneth dr).
In Fall 2009 she was singing at the Berklee Opening Day for faculty and stuff at the Westin Copley Place.
In Oct.2009 she had a performance on TV NECN and presented one of her Originals to advertise for her upcoming Gig at Steppin Out 09, at the Westin Waterfront Hotel downtown Boston, where she used to perform already last year. She will also be singing at the Singer’s Showcase at the BPC in Dec. of this year as a part of Annette Philips Performance.
More and more she's working on her own compositions that you will find under ‘own songs’.
Gabriela's voice is very various and versatile and sounds good in differnet styles and genres. Personally she feels most comfortable in the genre of Jazz, Funk and Soul.