Tina Cernero Bio
"A return" is how Tina Cernero describes her musical journey. "I started off singing in church, and now here I am again".
It's that simple and its not. This resident of New York City made a mark for herself in a city where its difficult to survive, let alone flourish in the music business. But that's what Cernero set her mind to do when she first arrived in the East Village and her deep soulful voice found an immediate home in clubs around the city. From her years of singing and acting in Off-Broadway productions to her tenure as a founding member of the band DOLLHOUSE, Cernero forged ahead to make a name for herself as a vocalist who can to morph seamlessly into any musical genre.
As of late, Cernero is best known for her soloist position at the Middle Collegiate Church on Second Avenue in NYC. Her extensive training garnered her an audition at the church, but it was her passionate delivery that earned her the position of soloist in the highly acclaimed Jerriese Johnson East Village Gospel Choir. JJEV Gospel Choir recently made their national debut on The Today Show.
But Tina Cernero's talents are not limited to just voice. An accomplished songwriter, she has published music in areas ranging from R&B and Jazz, to Ambient, House and Rock. A session singer for years, her broad-based talents include a specialization in Middle Eastern vocals and keyboard programming, both of which can be heard on Integrity Music's ambient praise record, Garment of Praise, Kathy Shooster.
When asked what is next for her, Cernero says, "I'm here and I'm staying. This is my spiritual home and my musical home. This is it for me. I do this because I feel it's blessing people. It's not about me, it's about bringing a gift to other people. Everything before was a preparation for now-here-this time".
"Post-modern Gospel: soul with a modern edge", that's how one commentator described Cernero's work. With this heartfelt return to her roots, it's clear that she's bringing a rich growth and new breadth with her that much like her song "Carry Me" is both fresh and memorable.
Tina Cernero can be seen performing with The Jerriese Johnson East Village Gospel Choir at Middle Collegiate Church at 11 a.m. most Sunday mornings in addition to other venues in the New York area.