BY DC CUEVA
Five years ago, the strong relationship I had with a show I've grown up with, MTV's Real World, grew stronger when I joined Twitter that summer and became close in social media with the cast of Season 27 in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. What lacked in the kind of big time drama viewers expect from MTV reality shows there in the Caribbean, that season made up in the fan friendliness of the whole cast as I got to become virtual friends with the entire group, allowing me to get comfortable in not only following the show socially, but also become friends with the cast too.
A person who we just got to enjoy her company once again is Marie, who we saw hook up with a tall ginger on Hassel Island, then push a couple Challenge competitors into a poor pot in Turkey, and have no doubt entertained us in her four seasons on the Trifecta. She's proving that Staten Island has more to offer than just being that lonely island located far from Manhattan and its famous Ferry - even coining a unique word named "Statitude." And she even pulled off the most epic Challenge Instagram takeover yet in asking quite literally the entire Trifecta community to hop in and tell everyone about how awesome she is, even if what happened on this past week's episode earned her scorn from a person who prefers everyone to give it their 100%.
But despite her having just exited from her second straight Challenge - Dirty 30 - and earning her spot in Colombia by way of that infamous night in Turkey as well as her time in the Virgin Island, Marie may not even be the most well-known person in her own family circle. The person who is the subject of this weekend's first piece of ExtraTime.
Back in February, DCBLOG looked at the emergence of YouTube as a viable platform for anyone, famous or not, to post videos and become superstars with the snap of a finger. The person spotlighted was Rachel Levin, whose videos of beauty and beyond has garnered her over 12 million followers and over 2 billion YouTube views. There, she asked Are You The One? alums Ashleigh from Season 1 and Gianna from Season 5 to join her and become Disney princesses for a day in one of her videos. And last year, we looked at fellow AYTO alum Francesca Duncan, who turned to the web to further her musical resume after making it into the live shows phase on the first season of The X-Factor USA as part of a teenage supergroup.
YouTube has made anyone capable of making videos that can turn those who make it into an overnight sensation. Everyone from the guys of Dude Perfect to megastars like Jake Paul and Rachel have established a large legion of followers thanks to their videos, and proves that you don't have to go on a reality show to become famous: just be yourself, and have the bare necessities of a camera, a decent web connection and other things to make it all happen, and you'll be ready to rock and roll.
This very reality brings us to our subject: Gianna Ruggerio, a talented 15-year-old singer and songwriter from New York who taught herself to sing and play the guitar... and who happens to be Marie's cousin. Like others who share those common dreams, she moved out to Los Angeles a couple years ago with ambitions on taking the next step in a career that seems destined for her to become one of the next big things in music, as well as acting too. And just as it was for a number of other big names in today's music world, it's a profession that began in the land of YouTube.
In summer 2013, a year after Marie's first summer in the MTV spotlight, it was Gii's turn to take over the reigns of being the star in extended family circles when, as just a young girl at only age 11, she released two original songs on her YouTube channel, produced by music producer Alex Cantrell - who had worked JoJo, Brandy, Marques Houston, Shaggy, Frankie J., and recently Zendaya. The second of the two tracks provided a foreshadow of sorts of her future, and collectively her first two songs have garnered nearly 1.4 million YouTube views.
Like any other YouTube musician, Gianna has performed and recorded a number of covers of some of music's biggest hits from Lana Del Rey to Ariana Grande.
Gianna has also helped further her musical resume in writing some original songs below, including performing at a local talent showcase too.
Fifteen years ago this coming Halloween Eve, the hip-hop world suffered a tremendous loss when Jam Master Jay from Run DMC was gunned down outside his New York City studio, two months after he, Run and DMC appeared for the last time together as a trio at that year's MTV Video Music Awards. A year ago and shortly after settling into her L.A. digs, Gianna was asked by Sticky Fingaz of the hip-hop troupe Onyx to perform the hook on his tribute to JMJ, "Celebrate Life."
And what would any look into an aspiring superstar be without a trip to their house? Well, she admits in the video's captions that is actually be a joke, but earlier this year for a project for her high school class she took a camera inside her apartment for a version of MTV CRIBS, which includes - of course - a look at her musical setup and how, as they say, the magic happens.
And in light of the disasters that have taken place in the past month in the two hurricanes that ravaged Houston, Florida and the Caribbean where her cousin spent her first MTV experience in, as well as the Mexico, just this week Gianna wrote and recorded a song on Instagram to do her part in offering a message of hope and peace during this time of unrest.
She wrote in the captions below, "I think we all need to realize what's going on in the world right now. We all need to come together and do our part. My prayers go out to Texas, Mexico, Florida, and everywhere and everyone else affected. And I pray for all of the war going on in the world. I hope to one day live in a world of peace and unity where everyone loves each other and we do not chose to resolve our problems with violence. We can all make a difference together. 💜💜💜"
So, who do you think is the most well-known member of their own extended family? It's a coin-flip: Marie has now done four MTV shows in a Real World season in the Caribbean and three Challenges that have seen her give us a lot of laughs and drama too. Gianna is more well-known through the land of YouTube in her videos of covers, songs and a music video garnering over 1.8 million hits.
One has done television, the other has done YouTube and has eyes set on a musical career that, if the cards fall where they may, Gianna Ruggiero could become the next big thing in music. And if her cousin Marie becomes a regular as she is pegged to be after appearing on this year's two Challenge seasons... look out.
Tomorrow, we'll shift our attention from The Challenge to Are You The One?, and the beginning of the quest for our newest group of singles to find love together and win together as New Orleans offers the warm and jazzy setting for them to find their match and score $1 million. Also, find out which AYTO original is now putting his hat in the acting world thanks to your favorite binge-worthy streaming site.
Meanwhile, music's biggest stars are taking center stage this weekend as the iHeartRadio Music Festival continues tonight in Las Vegas. Coldplay, The Weeknd, DJ Khaled, Lorde, Pink, Miley Cyrus, Niral Horan, Harry Styles, Kesha, Macklemore and Bebe Rexha, among others, are performing on the Strip, and DCNOW will have live coverage starting in a bit at @DC408DxNow and, of course, on the iHeartRadio app. Enjoy that, and see you tomorrow as our look Inside the MTV Trifecta continues. For now, enjoy your Saturday everyone.
- I AM DC
Back in February, DCBLOG looked at the emergence of YouTube as a viable platform for anyone, famous or not, to post videos and become superstars with the snap of a finger. The person spotlighted was Rachel Levin, whose videos of beauty and beyond has garnered her over 12 million followers and over 2 billion YouTube views. There, she asked Are You The One? alums Ashleigh from Season 1 and Gianna from Season 5 to join her and become Disney princesses for a day in one of her videos. And last year, we looked at fellow AYTO alum Francesca Duncan, who turned to the web to further her musical resume after making it into the live shows phase on the first season of The X-Factor USA as part of a teenage supergroup.
YouTube has made anyone capable of making videos that can turn those who make it into an overnight sensation. Everyone from the guys of Dude Perfect to megastars like Jake Paul and Rachel have established a large legion of followers thanks to their videos, and proves that you don't have to go on a reality show to become famous: just be yourself, and have the bare necessities of a camera, a decent web connection and other things to make it all happen, and you'll be ready to rock and roll.
 |
| IG/@IamJustGii |
In summer 2013, a year after Marie's first summer in the MTV spotlight, it was Gii's turn to take over the reigns of being the star in extended family circles when, as just a young girl at only age 11, she released two original songs on her YouTube channel, produced by music producer Alex Cantrell - who had worked JoJo, Brandy, Marques Houston, Shaggy, Frankie J., and recently Zendaya. The second of the two tracks provided a foreshadow of sorts of her future, and collectively her first two songs have garnered nearly 1.4 million YouTube views.
Like any other YouTube musician, Gianna has performed and recorded a number of covers of some of music's biggest hits from Lana Del Rey to Ariana Grande.
Gianna has also helped further her musical resume in writing some original songs below, including performing at a local talent showcase too.
Fifteen years ago this coming Halloween Eve, the hip-hop world suffered a tremendous loss when Jam Master Jay from Run DMC was gunned down outside his New York City studio, two months after he, Run and DMC appeared for the last time together as a trio at that year's MTV Video Music Awards. A year ago and shortly after settling into her L.A. digs, Gianna was asked by Sticky Fingaz of the hip-hop troupe Onyx to perform the hook on his tribute to JMJ, "Celebrate Life."
And what would any look into an aspiring superstar be without a trip to their house? Well, she admits in the video's captions that is actually be a joke, but earlier this year for a project for her high school class she took a camera inside her apartment for a version of MTV CRIBS, which includes - of course - a look at her musical setup and how, as they say, the magic happens.
And in light of the disasters that have taken place in the past month in the two hurricanes that ravaged Houston, Florida and the Caribbean where her cousin spent her first MTV experience in, as well as the Mexico, just this week Gianna wrote and recorded a song on Instagram to do her part in offering a message of hope and peace during this time of unrest.
She wrote in the captions below, "I think we all need to realize what's going on in the world right now. We all need to come together and do our part. My prayers go out to Texas, Mexico, Florida, and everywhere and everyone else affected. And I pray for all of the war going on in the world. I hope to one day live in a world of peace and unity where everyone loves each other and we do not chose to resolve our problems with violence. We can all make a difference together. 💜💜💜"
So, who do you think is the most well-known member of their own extended family? It's a coin-flip: Marie has now done four MTV shows in a Real World season in the Caribbean and three Challenges that have seen her give us a lot of laughs and drama too. Gianna is more well-known through the land of YouTube in her videos of covers, songs and a music video garnering over 1.8 million hits.
One has done television, the other has done YouTube and has eyes set on a musical career that, if the cards fall where they may, Gianna Ruggiero could become the next big thing in music. And if her cousin Marie becomes a regular as she is pegged to be after appearing on this year's two Challenge seasons... look out.
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Tomorrow, we'll shift our attention from The Challenge to Are You The One?, and the beginning of the quest for our newest group of singles to find love together and win together as New Orleans offers the warm and jazzy setting for them to find their match and score $1 million. Also, find out which AYTO original is now putting his hat in the acting world thanks to your favorite binge-worthy streaming site.
Meanwhile, music's biggest stars are taking center stage this weekend as the iHeartRadio Music Festival continues tonight in Las Vegas. Coldplay, The Weeknd, DJ Khaled, Lorde, Pink, Miley Cyrus, Niral Horan, Harry Styles, Kesha, Macklemore and Bebe Rexha, among others, are performing on the Strip, and DCNOW will have live coverage starting in a bit at @DC408DxNow and, of course, on the iHeartRadio app. Enjoy that, and see you tomorrow as our look Inside the MTV Trifecta continues. For now, enjoy your Saturday everyone.
- I AM DC
