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"I have always tried to take the road less traveled," says new emerging pop artist, Joanna Martino. "Above all, I just want to stand behind the cross and disappear in the shadow of His glory."
With an explosive passion for music, and a humble maturity that surpasses her years, this 19- year -old is a dose of fresh fire discovered as she advanced through over four rounds of auditions for the second season of Fox's hit series "American Idol." At the age of 16, Joanna was one of the youngest competing, yet continually making the cut for judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson in Los Angeles. "I was mixed in with people who had actually gone to school to study music, and there I was, just receiving my driver's license!" With thousands auditioning, Joanna made it to the final 80 contestants. With the confidence of industry veterans under her belt, her career in music was imminent.
Coming from a long line of pastors, Joanna grew up on a farm in Michigan as one of five children in a close-knit Italian family. "My family has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams; they have supported me and prayed for me through this entire journey." Graduating fifth in her class, Joanna knows first hand the pressures that teens face today in a culture of empty promises. "Your peers are changing so much at that age, you have to start making your own decisions to determine who you really want to be, what you want to stand for," says Joanna. "I came to a point where I said 'Here's my life Lord, I don't know what you're going to do with it, but here I am.' " With a reverent surrender and a love for music, Joanna moved to Music City after high school and headed straight into the studio.
Under the creative master mind of producer Drew Cline, Joanna's debut album My World (2005) was recorded in Nashville at the acclaimed Sound Kitchen. With a pop-driven electric push, the instrumental layers within each track have an edgy melodic relevancy that is easy for younger generations to grab on to.
Joanna takes her audience in right off the bat with her opening hit, "Energy." With her power lungs soaring above a rock orchestral string chorus, this song shows the strength and experienced range of Joanna's clear vocals. Followed up by "Right Where You Want Me," the tone of the album is set, with solid lyrics and a strong, distinct vocal performance that consistently delivers through the entire album.
Co-writing the track "Lay It Down" with Cline, Martino describes the freedom that comes from laying burdens down at the cross. "We all have those things in life we try to hang on to, and we tend to pick up that cross over and over again," says Joanna, "But through His faithfulness, Christ picked it up for us once and for all, and there is freedom in laying it down. I'm so thankful for all of the things He's given me in my life, but also for the things He's taken away."
Joanna Martino's voice has captured the attention of the highest of music execs in the past, but it is her message that sets her apart. With a beautiful transparency, My World blends contemporary with eternal. At the height of her youth, Joanna has learned that taking the unbeaten path has far greater rewards than the path of compromise our culture has so clearly paved for today's generation.
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