Videos : Guinevere : Ran for My Life
Who Is Guinevere?
Guinevere is a dark pop diva with the soul of an admitted Star Trek fan and gaming geek, an expert Call of Duty player who often surprises her online male competitors when she reveals her true identity. Named after the legendary Lady of the Round Table, who stepped out on King Arthur for his best friend Sir Lancelot, the Toronto native also plays ice hockey and counts some of the NHL’s best as the biggest fans of her music.
The 21-year-old singer-songwriter’s debut solo album for her own Nuke Town Records—a nod to Call of Duty, naturally—shows off a unique ability to take the stage and make it her own, transforming from the self-described “shy, polite” girl next door into a larger-than-life pop icon—like Clark Kent rushing into a phone booth to turn into Superman, or woman as the case may be—mixing her beloved classic rock with the most up-to-date dance-floor beats. Her first single, “Crazy Crazy,” was produced by Cirkut [Ke$ha, Britney, Taio Cruz, Jessie J], while “I Don’t Believe in Love” was a collaboration with The Smeezington’s Ari Levine, Bruno Mars’ partner who helped co-write the hit songs “Grenade” and “The Lazy Song” as well as Cee Lo’s “Fuck You” and Bad Meets Evil’s “Lighters.”
“I was definitely born in the wrong era,” explains the real-life Gwendolyn Lewis, who made her performing debut at a second grade talent show singing the Beach Boys’ “Surfer Girl,” getting turned on to Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Black Sabbath and her idol Stevie Nicks by her dad growing up. “Music has always been in my life. I keep gravitating to it, and there’s no avoiding it now.”
After leaving business school (“I was absolutely bored to death”), she made a deal with her parents to give a recording career a shot. She fronted a short-lived rock band called Get Rebel, which lasted for a little more than a year, but drew the attention of Crash Karma bassist/ songwriter/producer Amir Epstein, who became her manager and collaborator. Veteran artist manager Sherry Kondor, who has worked with the likes of the legendary Carole King and Jesse McCartney, joined the team shortly afterward. Guinevere recorded the new album with Epstein in both Toronto and L.A., working with a veritable all-star team of top producers like Cirkut and The Smeezingtons, as well as Illangelo [The Weeknd, Snoop Dogg], Arthur McArthur [Big Sean, Dr. Dre, Drake], Pilzbury [Mia Martina, Alyssa Reid] and Brian West [K’Naan, Nelly Furtado].
The new album features her in-your-face attitude on songs like the first two singles, “Crazy Crazy” and “I Don’t Believe in Love.”
“’Crazy Crazy’ is about saying I love you and I’m going to show you I love you,” laughs Guinevere. “It’s about everything a person might be thinking in the back of their head, but are too afraid to say. I tend to lose all my inhibitions on-stage. What do you say, a lady in the street, but a freak in bed? I wanted to express that feeling of abandon you have with somebody you really love.”
She explains the sarcastic “I Don’t Believe in Love,” may sound bubbly and feel-good, “but the message is the opposite. It’s about a friend of mine who’s very picky when she meets guys, has trust issues and isn’t open to 'love'. It’s about a girl who truly doesn’t think she’ll find anything like that, but decides to take the risk, and does end up believing in the end.”
Other songs on Guinevere’s debut include “Liar” (“It’s about finding the love of your life is cheating on you and telling them what you really think- no holds barred I suppose”), “Go” (“That moment you realize it’s time to move on from a relationship”), “Beautiful,” ("a song about our own immaturity, narcissism and ostentatiousness- being at a club and dancing with someone who looks hot until the lights turn on") and a spirited cover of Bon Jovi’s arena-rock anthem, “Livin’ on a Prayer.”
It’s all part of Guinevere’s no-holds-barred approach to letting loose. You never know what she’s going to do next.
“I like using extreme measures to get my point across. It’s all about the heartbreak and raw emotion,” she says of her songwriting. “Those moments of truth, when you honestly feel like killing somebody and don’t care what happens to you. I want to tell a story on-stage people can relate to.
“When I’m performing, it’s a lot easier to express how I feel because I can become the person I’m too afraid to be in real life. This is how I work out my issues. It’s my way of expressing myself.”
Putting her career first, Guinevere is intent on making the most of her opportunities. “If I don’t take this chance and pursue what I’ve always wanted to do, well you know, regret never sleeps,” she says. “I take it day by day. We’re working with some amazing people. I’m going to shoot for the stars, but at the same time, be realistic and make smart business decisions.”
Her current team is ready to take “Crazy Crazy” to Top 40 radio, which is pretty crazy, admits Guinevere, but she’s convinced her DIY approach, along with a great team, will still be a big challenge since I’m not signed to a major label,” she admits. “But I really trust the people I’m working with plus it’s a killer song!”
Pointing to the likes of Joan Jett, Gwen Stefani, and Madonna as role models for women in rock, Guinevere is ready to shoot her arrow and aim for a bull’s eye.
“I want to kick ass and do the best I can,” she says.
Turns out King Arthur got off easy.
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Sources : Guinevere Photo | Ran For My Life Video | Guinevere Biography
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