Meet Orianthi
The South Australian-born musician, who is known professionally as Orianthi, has been on board with PRS Guitars since 2004. Performing at the 2005 NAMM show in Los Angeles led to her music being shown to industry people and in turn a meeting with Geffen Records president/producer Ron Fair (Christina Aguilera, Black Eyed Peas, Pussycat Dolls) and signing with the label in late 2006 when she relocated to Los Angeles to take the next steps along her career path. She has spent the last 2 1/2 years writing songs with a host of top-name composers from the US and Australia and laying down tracks for inclusion on her first US release. Howard Benson (All American Rejects, Daughtry, My Chemical Romance) is producing her debut album. She has been to Nashville to song-write, she met and jammed with Prince, played the Eric Clapton Crossroads Festival, played a 6 night support with Steve Vai in California and performed with country music sensation Carrie Underwood, at the American Grammy Awards.
We were pleased to learn that Orianthi had been chosen as the lead guitarist for the Michael Jackson “This Is It” comeback tour and have been working very closely with Ori over the last few months to help support her as she ventured through this wonderful opportunity. The news of Michael Jackson’s death is devastating to the world… here’s what Ori had to say in a recent interview with Australian news source, Sunday Mail.
“She said she was honored to have worked so closely with the superstar since joining his This Is It comeback tour. She is featured prominently in the video of Jackson's final Los Angeles rehearsal, recorded two days before his death, that has been shown extensively around the world.
"He had this wonderful aura about him, a beautiful spirit," Orianthi stated. "It's been a surreal time working with him and it's devastating what's happened."
Orianthi, 24, was a key part of the concert marathon, which was to have begun in London on July 13. She had been rehearsing with Jackson six days a week for the past three months.
Jackson can be seen dancing with her during the song They Don't Care About Us as she plays an intense guitar solo.
"We practiced so much and knew the songs so well," she said.
"Because we rehearsed so much . . . we knew the parts like the back of our hands," she said.
For Orianthi, the chance to play with one of the world's greatest-ever entertainers was a major coup. "It was so surreal, I'm a big fan," she said.
Orianthi performed at Jackson's public memorial on Tuesday, July 7th and will continue to be involved in subsequent events to support the legacy of Michael Jackson.