Famed guitarist and 2013 She Rocks award winner Orianthi was interviewed by Guitar World to talk about her new release, Heaven in this Hell, and about her biggest influences.
The 27-year-old Aussie musician said she’s always been drawn to blues-rock, and lists Carlos Santana and B.B. King as some of her guitar heroes.
“I was inspired to play electric guitar from listening to a lot of Carlos Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King, and that’s always been the kind of music that I gravitate toward,” she said. “My last record, Believe, was certainly a more commercial record. There was some rock and also a bit of blues, but overall it was more pop. But this time I went back to what I first loved and didn’t overthink it.”
She also talked about the time she got to play Santana’s music right in from of him at the Experience Music Project Museum in Seattle.
“I don’t get nervous very often, but I was like, ‘You’re listening to me play all of your solos. I’m pretty nervous right now.’ It was surreal,” she said. “But truthfully, every time I’m around him, I’ll always be in awe. He’s the reason I play electric guitar. His playing is like church. It’s so powerful.”
Read the full interview at GuitarWorld.com.
