Gina Sedman, known internationally as The Black Girl Hippie, is a multi-award-winning soul, jazz, funk, and gospel vocalist, songwriter, producer, filmmaker, and author whose distinguished career spans decades and continents. A fully independent creative force, she writes, arranges, produces, records, mixes, and masters all of her music under her own imprint, Gico Music (BMI), maintaining complete artistic freedom and an uncompromising creative vision across her entire catalogue. Her artistic footprint extends from prestigious American stages to the United Kingdom’s premier music venues, earning her a reputation as one of the most versatile and respected independent artists working today.
Her rise in the United States is marked by landmark achievements and elite industry recognition. On August 13, 2006, she won Best Gospel Performer – Female at the Las Vegas Sounds of Soul Music Awards, selected by a committee of music executives, radio programmers, and entertainers. In 2007, she was invited twice to perform as a featured guest artist on the legendary televised stage of Showtime at the Apollo in Harlem, New York. Her American concert legacy includes opening for Rose Royce in Los Angeles and headlining major venues such as the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa—where Grammy-winning saxophonist Gary Bias of Earth, Wind & Fire joined her on stage—as well as the Fox Theater in Ontario, the Miramonte Hotel, the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, JW Marriott Desert Springs, Marriott Palm Springs, The Westin, the Riviera Resort & Spa, Woody’s Palm House, Wang’s in the Desert, and Fisherman’s Market & Grill. These performances established her as a commanding live presence across California’s elite soul and jazz circuit.
Upon relocating to the United Kingdom, Gina quickly became a defining voice in the British soul scene. Fronting her powerhouse live band Monopoly, she completed a successful Southeast England tour, repeatedly selling out The Bear Club in Luton, ranked among the Top Ten Jazz Clubs in the UK. Her UK performance history includes headline and sold-out shows at PizzaExpress Live Holborn, Chelsea, and The Pheasantry, as well as Soul Mama London, The Stables in Milton Keynes, the Bedford River Festival, the Luton Funk & Soul Festival, the St Neots Festival, and a special guest appearance with Cong-Fusion at the Temple of Art and Music. Her extensive regional touring footprint spans the Pump House Theatre in Watford—where she also performed live at the premiere of Who’s Clyde The Movie—alongside performances at the Tranquil Turtle in Stevenage, the Reading Biscuit Factory, Soulscape in Bushey, the Charles Bradlaugh and The Vocal Club in Northampton, Barratts Snooker Club and Bar, HMV Westfield, Soul Brother Records in Putney, Jungla Afro Alternatives in Camden, Eight Six Bar & Restaurant in Harrow, Off The Record in Milton Keynes, The Cellar Bar and The Herd in Bedford, Angel Bar in Caversham, Art & Soul Café in St Neots, Buckstar Brewery, and Daleys in Kempston. A major milestone occurred on June 14, 2025, when her headline performance at HMV The Vault in Birmingham earned her a permanent induction onto the venue’s prestigious Wall of Fame.
Gina’s studio catalogue spans more than three decades, beginning with In His Time (1996), followed by Changes (2003), Tell Um (2006), My Journey (2008), Melodic (2011), Love Letters, Love Letters 2, and Live, Love & Laugh (2012), The Songbird (2013), Funk Rhythm & Soul (2014), and The Soul Singer and Can You Dig It (2015). Her critically acclaimed 2024 album Valuable People was named Album of the Year by Soul Sation Radio in the UK, ranked in Canada’s Radio TeeRex Top 40 Albums, and charted prominently on the Solar Radio UK Chart. She followed this success with the 1972 EP (February 14, 2025), the full 1972 LP (June 1, 2025), the Said MAN! project (November 2025), and the cinematic soundtrack Who’s Clyde (June 1, 2026), which achieved major radio success by holding the number seven position for two consecutive months on Stretch Taylor’s Mi-Soul Radio Top 20 Chart. Her current campaign, Black Girl Hippie, launches with the single Give You My Heart, premiering exclusively on Mi‑Soul Radio on October 24, 2026, leading into the Black Girl Hippie EP on March 1, 2027, and the full twelve-song Black Girl Hippie studio album and premium vinyl release on June 1, 2027. Her complete catalogue is available through Gina Sedman’s official Bandcamp music store.
Her elite musical pedigree is reinforced by collaborations with Grammy-winning legends and world-class musicians. She was featured as a lead vocalist and lyric co-writer alongside Dave Lee and hip-hop icon Leroy Burgess on the internationally acclaimed track Love Walked in the Room from the album Produced with Love 2, which garnered thousands of global downloads and significant physical sales. She has collaborated extensively with Grammy Award-winning guitarist Michael J. Calhoun of the Dazz Band, who contributed his signature guitar work to her single Smile and her 1972: Give Love EP, and selected her as the commanding lead vocalist for The Kinsman Dazz Band’s single There. Her studio recordings are further elevated by award-winning producer and pianist Kevin Flournoy (Chaka Khan, Babyface, Gladys Knight), alongside the groove-heavy rhythmic foundation of legendary bass and keyboard duo Peewee & Michiko Hill, who have anchored the instrumentation across her last four critically acclaimed albums. Her historic live sets include exclusive headline dates with the late Ricky Lawson—the Grammy-winning drummer for Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Steely Dan—at Woody’s Palm House, and two major New Year’s Eve gala shows fronted by master session guitarist Darrell Crooks (Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, The Isley Brothers). Today, her UK touring legacy continues with foundational percussionist Andrew Sedman, powering her live band lineups, acoustic radio sessions, and international future-soul tours.
Gina’s music receives heavy rotation from iconic presenters Robbie Vincent, Greg Edwards, and Robert Elms across premier stations including Jazz FM, Mi‑Soul Radio, Solar Radio, BBC Radio London, and BBC Radio Northampton, collectively reaching more than 600,000 listeners worldwide. She has earned five number-one UK soul chart singles, multiple Top 20 placements, and widespread international airplay across Europe, Japan, and North America. Her excellence extends into film, where she has written, produced, and directed seventeen independent films, earning awards such as the Assorti Film Festival Heavenly Award for Who’s Clyde, the Cinemafest Award for The One Year Pact, and the Nevada International Film Festival Award for The Unexpected, alongside official selections and semi-finalist placements at FilmMakers Sessions, Follow Your Heart NY Film Festival, and the Hollywood Screenings Film Festival. She was named one of the Top 12 Most Interesting and Influential Women in the Coachella Valley in 2016 and made Black history in the Coachella Valley in 2019 as the first African American female filmmaker.
Across music, film, literature, and live performance, Gina Sedman continues to shape the global soul landscape with authenticity, depth, and a signature sound rooted in truth, freedom, and artistic mastery. Her work resonates with purists, tastemakers, and international audiences, solidifying her legacy as a defining voice of modern soul and future-funk culture.
What the Industry Is Saying
Three decades of artistry are distilled through the voices of broadcasters, tastemakers, and music leaders who have witnessed Gina Sedman’s work first-hand. On BBC Radio London, Robert Elms enthusiastically proclaimed her live performance as "Amazing!!" Meanwhile, the team at Jazz FM has shown immense adoration for her craft, with Danielle Perry celebrating her as "an internationally renowned Soul & R&B artist-songwriter of which we are most obsessed with on this show." Fellow Jazz FM host John Osborne repeatedly championed her rare vocal gift, calling her "such a unique voice sounding absolutely marvellous," highlighting her "distinct voice, such an amazing voice," and summarizing that "Gina is an exceptional talent." Closing out the station’s praise, Simon Phillips highlighted the emotional depth of her music, concluding, "Let’s wrap up this hour with a song that has really hit the spot... love love love the sentiment on this."
The heavy rotation and acclaim continue across the airwaves at Mi‑Soul Radio, where the station’s top tastemakers have thrown their full support behind her releases. Calvin Francis honored her project as his "Album of the week!" before adding, "Aww I tell ya, album's sick trust me, her voice reminds me of one of the Jones Girls. This album is truly outstanding, I can't get enough of it." Mi‑Soul’s Musical Director, Ronnie Herel, echoed these sentiments by describing her work as "absolutely stunning" and "lovely," while capturing her classic vocal comparisons by asking, "Don’t she sound like Stephanie Mills?" The station’s co‑founder, Gordon Mac MBE, declared her music his "Record of the week," stating, "I do love this record... I think it's so good!" The sheer energy of her tracks on the station was perfectly captured by Chris Johns, who memorably stopped his broadcast to shout, "Hold up hold up we say rewind!, let's play that one more time, that is soooo dope!! We gotta have it again from the T.O.P."
This wave of global chart and broadcast success expands deep into the wider soul radio community. Paul Evans of Soul Groove Radio boldly crowned her record by declaring, "Gina Sedman - 1972, album of the year!" Similarly, Nigel Watson of Starpoint Radio recognized the sheer weight of her vinyl footprint, advising listeners to "Gina Sedman’s 1972 LP – put it on your list with Omar!" On the regional airwaves, Bernie Keith of BBC Radio Northampton shared his own personal experience trying to track down her highly sought-after physical catalog, noting, "I tried to buy this on Juno Records but they were all sold out." Keith went on to compare her prolific work ethic to industry giants by remarking, "Jazzy B like Gina was doing loads of stuff," while promising listeners, "If you like good music that sounds like a song, what a treat." In reviewing the creative depth of her cinematic catalog, Keith finalized his high praise of the Who’s Clyde album by calling it "an amazing piece of work" and telling Gina directly, "You've got such talent."
Official Website: ginasedman.com
Music & Catalogue: Gina Sedman on Bandcamp
GNA Universal Media: GNA Universal Media
A Free‑Spirited, Funky, Soulful, Independent Artist
Gina Sedman, internationally known as “The Black Girl Hippie,” is a multi‑award‑winning American soul, funk, jazz, and gospel recording artist, songwriter, producer, and multi‑instrumentalist whose music career spans more than three decades across the United States and the United Kingdom. Born in Chicago and raised in Inglewood and Los Angeles, California, Gina embodies the warmth, colour, and freedom of the 1970s. Her retro‑inspired style, her big natural hair, her bright smile, and her uplifting, free‑spirited personality led audiences and industry peers to affectionately name her The Black Girl Hippie—a reflection of her funky soulful energy, her message‑driven artistry, and her ability to blend classic soul and funk influences with authenticity, positivity, and independent storytelling.
Since launching her independent recording career in 1996, Gina has written, arranged, produced, mixed, mastered, and released all her music under her own label, Gico Music. Every recording since 2006 has been created exclusively under her imprint, representing her commitment to complete artistic freedom. None of her music is AI‑generated—not the writing, not the production, not even the ideas. She refuses to use artificial intelligence in her creative process because she believes true art is God‑given, born from lived experience, emotion, and personal truth. Her songs are inspired by her own life’s journey, shaped by real stories, real feelings, and real faith.
Her music stands apart from the sounds dominating today’s charts. While the industry shifts with trends, Gina remains rooted in her own timeless style—warm, soulful, funky, organic, and unmistakably human. She performs bass, synth keyboards, horns, strings, and uses her voice as an instrument, creating rhythmic and harmonic textures that define the Gina sound—a sound that does not chase the moment, but honours the era that shaped her.
Her musical journey includes historic milestones across the United States. In 2006, she won Best Gospel Performer – Female at the Las Vegas Sounds of Soul Music Awards, and in 2007, she was invited twice to perform on the legendary televised stage of Showtime at the Apollo in Harlem, New York. She has opened for Rose Royce in Los Angeles and headlined premier American venues including the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa—where Grammy‑winning Earth, Wind & Fire saxophonist Gary Bias joined her on stage—along with the Fox Theater in Ontario, JW Marriott Desert Springs, Marriott Palm Springs, The Westin, Riviera Resort and Spa, Woody’s Palm House, Wang’s in the Desert, and Fisherman’s Market & Grill.
After relocating to the United Kingdom, Gina became a commanding presence in the British soul and funk scene. With her live band Monopoly, she has headlined sold‑out concerts at PizzaExpress Live Chelsea, Holborn, and The Pheasantry, Soul Mama London, The Stables in Milton Keynes, and The Bear Club in Luton—ranked among the Top Ten Jazz Clubs in the UK. She has performed at major festivals including the Luton Soul & Funk Festival, Bedford River Festival, St Neots Festival, and Soulé All Dayer events, and appeared as a guest vocalist with the jazz‑fusion supergroup Cong‑Fusion. Her extensive UK touring footprint includes HMV Westfield, Soul Brother Records, The Pump House Theatre, The Tranquil Turtle, Reading Biscuit Factory, Soulscape Bushey, The Vocal Club Northampton, Barratts, Jungla Afro Alternatives Camden, Eight Six Harrow, Off The Record Milton Keynes, The Cellar Bar Bedford, The Herd Bedford, Angel Bar Caversham, Art & Soul Café St Neots, Buckstar Brewery, and Daleys Kempston. On June 14, 2025, her headline performance at HMV The Vault in Birmingham earned her a permanent place on the HMV Wall of Fame.
Her discography spans 17 albums, including In His Time, Changes, Tell Um, My Journey, Melodic, Love Letters, Love Letters 2, Live, Love & Laugh, The Songbird, Funk Rhythm & Soul, The Soul Singer, Can You Dig It, Valuable People, 1972, Said MAN!, Who’s Clyde, and her forthcoming Black Girl Hippie album. Her 2024 album Valuable People earned Album of the Year from Soul Sation Radio UK and ranked in Radio TeeRex Canada’s Top 40 Albums of the Year, while charting on the Solar Radio UK Chart. 1972 received widespread acclaim across UK soul radio, Said MAN! was selected as Album of the Week on Mi‑Soul Radio, and Who’s Clyde reached #7 on Stretch Taylor’s Mi‑Soul Radio Top 20 Chart for two consecutive months.
Released in June 2026, Who’s Clyde stands as one of Gina’s most ambitious independent works. Structured as a two‑sided album—Side S (soul) and Side F (funk)—the project showcases her ability to move effortlessly between warm, emotional soul storytelling and gritty, playful funk grooves. Gina wrote, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered the entire album herself under Gico Music, with Andrew Sedman contributing percussion. The project reflects her signature approach: no AI, no shortcuts, no trends—just pure, human, God‑given artistry rooted in lived experience and authentic emotion.
Gina’s next musical chapter begins with the deeply soulful single “Give You My Heart,” premiering on Mi‑Soul Radio on October 24, 2026, followed by its Bandcamp release on October 30, 2026. The single marks the official launch of her Black Girl Hippie era—a celebration of her free‑spirited nature, her funky soulful roots, her big natural hair, and her unwavering commitment to staying authentic in a world of changing trends. The journey continues with the Black Girl Hippie EP in March 2027, culminating in the full Black Girl Hippie album and premium vinyl release on June 1, 2027.
Her collaborations include working with global industry greats such as Dave Lee, Leroy Burgess, Kevin Flournoy, and Grammy Award‑winning guitarist Michael J. Calhoun of the legendary Dazz Band. She was featured as lead vocalist and lyric co‑writer on Love Walked in the Room from Produced with Love 2, and as lead vocalist for The Kinsman Dazz Band’s single There. Her releases have received heavy rotation from iconic presenters across Jazz FM, Mi‑Soul Radio, Solar Radio, BBC Radio London, and BBC Radio Northampton, collectively reaching over 600,000 listeners.
From the recording studio to the festival stage, Gina Sedman embodies the spirit of the truly independent artist—a funky, soulful, free‑spirited Black Girl Hippie who writes, produces, and performs with complete creative control. Her work honours the golden era of soul and funk while building a new chapter within it.
An American artist. A UK‑based soul woman. A funky, free‑spirited hippie. A completely independent voice.
Soul • Funk • Jazz • Gospel • Independent Artist
Gina Sedman, known worldwide as “The Black Girl Hippie,” is a multi‑award‑winning American soul, funk, jazz, and gospel artist whose music career spans more than three decades across the US and UK. Born in Chicago and raised in Inglewood/Los Angeles, Gina brings the warmth, colour, and freedom of the 1970s into a modern, organic sound that stands apart from today’s trends. Her big natural hair, free‑spirited energy, and message‑driven artistry have made her a beloved figure in the global soul community.
A fully independent musician, Gina writes, arranges, produces, mixes, and masters all her music under her imprint Gico Music. None of her music is AI‑generated—her sound is entirely human, rooted in lived experience, emotion, and faith. She performs bass, synths, horns, strings, and uses her voice as an instrument, creating the warm, funky, unmistakably human signature known as the Gina sound.
Her discography spans 17 albums, including Valuable People (Album of the Year, Soul Sation Radio UK; Top 40 Album, Radio TeeRex Canada), 1972, Said MAN! (Album of the Week on Mi‑Soul Radio), and Who’s Clyde, which held #7 on Stretch Taylor’s Mi‑Soul Radio Top 20 Chart for two consecutive months. Gina’s music has earned major support from Mi‑Soul Radio, Jazz FM, BBC Radio London, BBC Radio Northampton, Solar Radio, Street Sounds Radio, Soul Groove Radio, Universal Soul Radio, 1BTN, Black Country Radio, Starpoint Radio, Diverse FM, and more — reaching over 600,000 listeners.
Her live performance history includes opening for Rose Royce, headlining the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa with Earth, Wind & Fire’s Gary Bias, and performing at premier US venues including the Fox Theater Ontario, JW Marriott Desert Springs, Marriott Palm Springs, The Westin, Riviera Resort & Spa, Woody’s Palm House, Wang’s in the Desert, and Fisherman’s Market & Grill.
In the UK, Gina has become a standout performer across the soul and funk scene. With her band Monopoly, she has headlined sold‑out concerts at PizzaExpress Live Chelsea, Holborn, and The Pheasantry, Soul Mama London, The Stables Milton Keynes, and The Bear Club Luton (Top Ten Jazz Clubs in the UK). She has performed at major festivals including the Luton Soul & Funk Festival, Bedford River Festival, St Neots Festival, and Soulé All Dayer, and was permanently inducted into the HMV Wall of Fame after her headline show at HMV The Vault Birmingham.
Released in June 2026, Who’s Clyde is one of Gina’s most ambitious works — a two‑sided soul/funk album written, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered entirely by her, with Andrew Sedman on percussion. The project showcases her ability to move between deep soul storytelling and gritty funk grooves with total creative control.
Her next chapter begins with “Give You My Heart,” premiering on Mi‑Soul Radio on October 24, 2026. The Black Girl Hippie EP arrives in March 2027, followed by the full Black Girl Hippie album and premium vinyl release on June 1, 2027 — a celebration of her free‑spirited nature, funky roots, and timeless authenticity.
Gina Sedman is a true independent force — a soulful, funky, free‑spirited Black Girl Hippie whose live shows deliver warmth, musicianship, authenticity, and pure 1970s‑inspired energy. She brings real instruments, real stories, real soul, and a sound that feels both classic and fresh.
Perfect for soul, funk, jazz, gospel, retro, and heritage festival stages.