Blaine musician set to bring gospel vocals to Bellingham concert

Gina Williams will bring her jazzy, gospel vocals to the FireHouse Arts and Events Center in Bellingham on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22 for upbeat performances that are sure to keep audience members grooving all night long.

Williams, a Blaine resident originally from Alberta, will mostly stray from her own songs at these performances to cover classics from Whitney Houston to acoustic Top 40. She may even deliver a surprise melody for her Gen-Z fan base.

“I try to put different elements into the music so that when people come to the show, even though it’s the same song, it feels a little different,” Williams said. “Music is living, breathing, moving.”

Williams holds a master’s degree from the University of Alberta as a concert pianist and has performed all around the world from Houston to Hong Kong. This winter break, Williams was honored for her music in Kiev, Ukraine during a Christmas carol concert where she played alongside four choirs and two combined orchestras.

Following her performance in Kiev, Williams was featured in a Twix commercial released in January. In the commercial for Twix’s new Cookies & Creme candy bar, Williams is seen working in a Twix factory. Williams, who auditioned for the commercial in fall, didn’t realize she would be one of the main actors until she arrived on set in November. The filming lasted two days in Vancouver and included complimentary Twix for everyone involved.

In the past, Williams also played an English teacher in season one of Riverdale, a popular T.V. show based on the Archie comics, and she has had roles in other commercials including one for Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.

Last August, Williams also debuted her latest album, The Trilogy Part 1: Music for Meditation.

Her performances this month will accommodate the audience and there will be something for everyone, Williams said. The setlist, which Williams hopes people sing along to, is likely to evolve based on how the audience reacts to the music.

“If you don’t like to have fun, don’t come,” Williams said. “If you like to have fun, you know where to go.”

Music honoring the end of Black History Month will also be performed at the Bellingham concerts to highlight songs of universal hope and emancipation from struggles and triumphs.

Williams said she is breaking through 350 years of classical music in Canada that lacked representation of black female composers. Paving the way for herself, Williams said, was not without difficulty from prejudice she experienced growing up in Alberta.

“There’s no template before you who looks like you,” Williams said. “The mentality is, ‘Who are you to think you can break the mold?’”

Performing, she said, gives her chills when she sees the audience react to her music. The audience’s feedback inspires Williams to tailor songs to what the audience needs most at the time.

For her, music is a way to serve people. “It’s all about the experience,” Williams said. “They come for a show but walk away with an experience.”

Tickets for the show are $20 for adults and $15 for students, seniors and veterans. Tickets can be purchased at firehouseperformingarts.com or ginawilliams.com. Tickets will also be sold at the door, but Williams recommends buying tickets in advance, especially for the Saturday show, to ensure entry. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for the Saturday show and at 8 p.m. for the Sunday show.