Meet two student musicans on Saturday, Aug. 8 who will be performing at our InkandescentKids Book Fair and Birthday Bash
Meet Elizabeth Lane: An award-winning 21-year-old Singer-Songwriter born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia — at 15, Elizabeth started writing songs after her vocal coach from Rock of Ages Music, Taisha Estrada, encouraged her to do so. She has recorded and released 18 original songs since then, including a full-length album, and has garnered over 300,000 streams worldwide.
In 2023, Elizabeth was awarded the Bernard/Ebb Young Songwriter Award, recognizing the best youth songwriter across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region. When she’s not writing songs or performing, Elizabeth is a busy college student at UC Santa Barbara, where she is double-majoring in Communication and Political Science.
Watch her performance on InkandescentKids.tv
Listen to her song, Something New on InkKidsRadio.com
Check out all of Elizabeth’s music on Spotify!
Student musician Gia Attikin
Meet Gia Attiken: Music has been the driving force in Gia Attiken’s life for as long as she can remember. Inspired by watching her father perform when she was just three years old, she has spent over a decade developing her skills as a musician, songwriter, and performer. She is classically trained in piano with 13 years of study and is also proficient in guitar, giving her a versatile foundation across multiple genres and styles.
Her musical education includes intensive private instruction at Opal Music Studio, where she developed strong technical skills, music theory knowledge, and sight-reading ability. She also completed the five-week Aspire Performance Intensive at Berklee, earning college credit and a Certificate of Achievement while studying songwriting, advanced performance, music production, and the music business.
As both a solo artist and a member of the band Redwood, Gia has performed original music and cover arrangements at venues throughout the Washington, D.C., area. Through her social media account, @giasjams, she shares cover performances to connect with and grow her audience. She enjoys every aspect of the creative process, from songwriting and arranging to recording and producing music using Logic Pro with her bandmates. Her experience also includes award-winning choral performances and annual concerts with the Alexandria City High School choir, where she has continued to grow as both a vocalist and ensemble musician.
Beyond performing, Gia is passionate about creating opportunities for others through music. She cofounded the Music Movement Club, where she serves as co-president to expand access to music education for underserved students. She is also an active member of the leadership team and volunteers at school, promoting musicianship, leadership, and community service.