STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Gina Picinic
By: Mohammad Hassan
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: News
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Gina Picinic is one of these NJCU students. However, what sets her apart from others is that, while being an exemplary student, Picinic is also a national celebrity back in her native country of Croatia.
"As of now, I am currently working with several producers and agents here in the States," Picinic explained, "as well as my previous producers and directors in Croatia. I am hoping that this will be my first opportunity to pursue my first love, singing, as a crossover artist."
Hailing from a small village of Susak Croatia, Picinic, a 23-year-old senior, came to the United States about 17 years ago when civil war broke out in her country. She and her mother were forced to leave everything behind and take refuge in Italy. They lived there until coming to the U.S. in 1994 when Picinic was seven.
"Although I was very young at the time when Yugoslavia was in a Civil War," she said, "I understood the consequence if we did not leave. […] The fear for our lives drove my mother to take my sister and me as far away as possible. […] While living in Italy as refugees for three years, my mother did the best she could to make my sister and me believe that we were going to be okay."
And how did she get into singing? According to Picinic, she always had a passion for singing and started to do so professionally at the age of 14 in New York City in a function called Croatian Children's Festival. In 2003 at the age of 16, she became the youngest performer ever to win the public prize in Melodies of Istria and Kvarner. In 2004 Gina released her first self titled album in Europe and then in the U.S. consisting of some previous songs and new songs recorded specifically for the album.
Picinic is actually quite famous in her native Croatia, where one of her songs, "Barka-Lipog-Imena" (which means "Beautifully Name Boat") became her biggest hit on Croatian music charts and on local radio stations. In spite of her career, however, Picinic is very focused on her studies: with a 3.8 GPA, she is an English and secondary education major and music and performance arts minor.
When asked how she is able to manage her music and studies, the singer replied, "I am not afraid to seek private tutoring with my professors; but also the OSP [Opportunity Scholarship Program] offers OSP students free tutoring, so of course I take advantage of that opportunity. I have to say that there are days that I have no idea what I am doing because I am overwhelmed, but with help and excellent time management I manage to do it."
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New Jersey Movers
posted 7/14/09 @ 10:59 AM EST
Wow, she is truly a very talented and motivated individual. There is no doubt that she will go far in life and achieve her goals.
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