Today we’d like to introduce you to Gelina And The Diamondbacks
Hi Gelina and The Diamondbacks, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Gelina and The Diamondbacks first met at our alma mater, St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. We were all music majors in a relatively small department and when our annual Battle of the Bands competition opened I(Gelina) asked my friends if they would be down to throw our hat into the ring. They said yes. As a songwriter, always playing solo shows, it was a dream for me to play my songs with a band, and there was nothing more exciting than seeing it come to fruition. We won first place and our prize was a 1 hour slot at Fiesta OysterBake 2023. It was a pivotal show for us and, looking back on it, remains as one of the most influential shows we have ever played. That stage, with its professional equipment, crew, and process, gave us a taste of what could be, and it ignited a hunger that still goes strong today.
Since 2023, a few of our players have changed but the heart has stayed the same. From garage recordings to playing ‘exposure’ gigs, we’ve worked hard to reach a lot of cool stages around town and to give the best show that we can. Our mindset has never revolved around ‘if’ we’re going to make it as a band, but around the enticing idea of ‘when’. Gelina and The Diamondbacks have released a few songs and are planning on releasing more singles this coming year.
It’s taken a lot of wins and a whole lot more rejections to have gotten this far. Of course, there is a lot of credit to be given to our growing fan base. It’s because of their support that we are able to do play the music we love and to meet the people just like them that enjoy it just as much we do. We’re excited for what the future holds!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Any path worth taking has never been easy and we have definitely felt that. As bandleader, I have been responsible for booking the band. At first, it started with one or two shows a month at Market Square at the start of 2024, but our calendar has now turned into multiple full band shows every weekend. This didn’t happen overnight, nor was it easy. I’ve spent countless hours building up our media and our pitches, contacting a venue every possible way I can, and negotiating business for us. The quick math would show that for every 12 venues that ignored or declined our pitch, there was one venue that gave us a shot. The rate of ‘success’ isn’t ideal, but we’ve proved it time and time again that with the right amount of focus and consistency in our music, one shot is all we need.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am Gelina, a Texas songwriter, born and raised in San Antonio, writing Country/Americana music with a little over 50 songs in my catalog. Of course, those are just numbers and titles for me to flash around. The truth is that my art really isn’t all that flashy when you distill it down to its roots. On the days when I’m songwriting, it’s just me and my guitar, sitting on the floor of my bedroom, with a journal and pen out in front of me. A lot of songs lead nowhere, shorter than a breath of words, but some will have me there for hours playing over and over again until the story is complete. I approach all of my business just as I do my songwriting. I’m most proud of my grit, that drive to keep pushing forward even on the days when I don’t feel like moving at all. The cherry on top is that I’m surrounded by people who share that same value too, making it a little bit easier to keep going.
What makes you happy?
Oftentimes, when I play my songs, the most interesting things happen. A couple will dreamily get up to slow dance or a little girl will watch me with a big smile on her face as her father holds her in his arms. And for those 2-3 minutes, my song becomes a part of these perfect moments. Not only that, it sparks these moments that people share together. And they may not recall that moment a week later, but for me, there is no feeling that quite compares to the joy of having my songs be a part of someone else’s life.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://gelinamusic.weebly.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gelinaandthediamondbacks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Gelina-and-The-Diamondbacks/100093340877721/?_rdr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@GelinaandTheDiamondbacks?si=RWeHOSXeGVLj1nDG
