“effortless shredder… special and transcendent” – Blues Rock Review
Orianthi (Orianthi Panagaris) looks as much like a rock star as she does a supermodel. But it’s her extraordinary guitar chops that turn the most heads. She began playing professionally when she was thirteen years old. Since then, she has performed and/or toured with Carlos Santana, Steve Vai, Alice Cooper, Richie Sambora and Dave Stewart. Furthermore, she was hired by Michael Jackson for his “This Is It Tour” before his untimely death. Orianthi was a member of the supergroup Hollywood Vampires (Cooper, Joe Perry, Johnny Depp and Tommy Henriksen).
Orianthi’s debut album, Violet Journey, was released in 2005 and she has issued five solo albums to date. She was featured accompanying Carrie Underwood during a Grammy Awards telecast, and performed on American Idol. Also, she appears in Michael Jackson’s documentary concert film, This Is It. Elle magazine named Orianthi one of the 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists. Additionally, she won the 2010 Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year award from Guitar International magazine.
She released her latest recording, Some Kind of Feeling, in June 2025. The first single, “First Time Blues,” features Joe Bonamassa on guitar. Here, she burns up the tune with her impassioned vocals and blazing guitar licks. She and Bonamassa have played together often, but this marks their first recording together.
Orianthi explains: “‘First Time Blues’ is about that feeling of when you first feel brokenhearted. It doesn’t change throughout life if you really have the strength to love and be all-in every time. I’m guilty of that… throwing myself into the fire just to get burned, heal, then get burned again…or not. You never know. Love is a gamble!”
Recommended for fans of Joe Bonamassa, Ana Popovic, Bernard Allison and Nita Strauss.
