Picture an aperture opening and closing. Each medium requires different degrees of focus," explains Adrianna Mateo, a polymath perpetually in evolutionary motion. Adrianna is a solo violinist, a pop-rock singer-songwriter, and an actress. The constant within her work is imbuing each artistic endeavor with methodical attention and unbound emotional investment. As a twenty-something performer, Adrianna has been hailed as a "rising artist" by The New York Times. Time Out New York praised her solo debut at the Bang On A Can Marathon as being "triumphant." Adrianna's live appearance highlights include The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, performing at Carnegie Hall, simultaneous performances on stage at the Met Museum and the Met Opera . Previously, Adrianna issued the achingly beautiful "August Sun" and the visceral alt-rocker "Like A Little Kid With A Raging Heart." Adrianna's pop exudes the sweeping emotional dynamics inherent in classical music with passages that vacillate between lush strings, propulsive drums, and burly guitars. "I want to make hearts race," she says of her artistic intent. At the core of her songs is a singer-songwriter sense of vulnerability. Her singing exudes a sweet longing - her voice is an instrument of pristine pitch and smoldering expressiveness. Her debut single, "Coney Island," brims with personal revelation. As a kid, Adrianna would pass Coney Island on her morning trek to school. In her mind, the theme park epitomized a freedom and carefreeness just out of reach. Within the song's narrative, Coney Island is a metaphor for a romantic relationship that threatens to slip through her fingers. The single's accompanying video is a stunning piece of intimate performance, showcasing some of Adrianna's finest work in front of the camera. For her whole life, she had been plagued by nightmares of drowning. In the video for "Coney Island," she plays violin while sinking into a pool until completely submerged. "While we were making the video, I had to willfully empty my lungs of air and keep the violin from popping up to the surface. It felt like everything was fighting me," she recalls. Sage wisdom and scrappy resourcefulness have been hallmarks of Adrianna's creative odyssey. Many times in her life Adrianna has had a performance itinerary, but not a sure place to live. She's couch-surfed, apartment-sat, and pet-walked to realize her artistic ambitions. She says: "If you want something, the opportunity always shows itself to you. It's up to you to step through the door."
