Introducing: Blossom Sessions

Who are you (and team!), and what are the Blossom Sessions?

Hi! My name is Alessandra Gibson, and actually–I am the sole operator behind the Blossom Sessions. Luke Oxendale, based in Nashville, TN, is my in-house mix & master engineer for the audio recordings.

Each session I invite a guest photographer out to capture BTS content alongside me! The Blossom Sessions is a music discovery platform featuring artists performing original songs in a reimagined fashion.

A unique audio/visual experience that fans would not normally experience at their live show. This could look like a rap artist performing with a violinist, a metal band performing with a choir, a DJ performing with a saxophonist, etc.

The Blossom Sessions has a very strong, unique floral/cherry blossom vibe in the content you put out – where does the inspiration for that come from?

The inspiration for this floral aesthetic runs quite deep. When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time sitting in front of a heat vent, just being sad. Looking back on those times, I’m not quite sure what I was sad about, but it was my spot.

The wall was bare; it was dark, and all I had was the warmth from the vent. I’d fall asleep there at times and wake up realizing my parents carried me to bed. One time, as I sat there, my mom came and sat beside me. She had paint, flower stencils, brushes, etc. She painted the wall with a garden of flowers, glued on a white picket fence, and wove Christmas lights throughout it.

It was my spot before, but now it was MY spot.

I wasn’t a super physically affectionate kid, so I believe it was her way of being right there with me, physically and not. The flowers & lights carried through my life in a lot of different ways, starting my business, Blossom Media, and of course with the Blossom Sessions. My mom passed in November 2024, and only then did I realize – the inspiration of all of this was from her.

You will notice that in every session, there is a microphone stand covered with flowers, and she made that herself!

You offer a great mix of Interviews, BTS, and music, which is fantastic for maximizing the artists' exposure. What does a typical filming day look like for you to achieve that amount of content?

A typical filming day for me is the equivalent of a normal 9-5, I think. I spend time before the film day prepping the recording session on Logic Pro, creating and labeling my folders on my pc so that I can just drag and drop any of the content I get as soon as I’m home.

On a normal film day, I arrive at the space at 9 am. I load all of my audio equipment, lighting, set design, and more and get to setting up. Usually, I plan for the BTS photographer to arrive at 12:30, so I make sure I have plenty of time to set up as well as take a break / eat lunch.

The artist/band arrival/load-in is typically set for 1 pm, and we begin filming & recording at 2 pm. Since I am the only videographer, I record 3 to 4 takes of the song at different angles, as well as different takes of the audio. We run through the song another time or two for B Roll and BTS photos. Then we do a quick 6-question interview - overall, from film start to finish, it’s about 2.5 hours of production. There’s just a lot of time dedicated to set up and tear down on my end.

What process do artists need to follow for the opportunity to be featured? And how can they maximize the experience?

We have a submission form that we ask artists to fill out so that we can learn more about them, and it also keeps everything organized for scheduling. The basic requirement is to perform your song in a way that your fans would not experience at your next concert.

We’re always willing to help give direction with that as well! We also have a talent release form that is required to sign, and as of right now our booking cost is $250. This will increase to $350 starting for bookings after May 1st, 2025. This is truly the bare minimum we can charge and it is to cover production costs & rent. We also waive this fee for touring artists performing in or passing through Pittsburgh.

For an artist to maximize the experience, I’d recommend choosing a song that is either your #1 hit or your next new release. We do work with artists on session release dates so that everything can coincide with their rollout! Artists also receive a 70% discount code on a 4-hour rehearsal block at a local space named Little Giant Studios.

This is great for adjusting your set before your next show or polishing your performance for your upcoming Blossom Session!

Can you tell us about your journey in the industry to this point and what you think the future holds for Blossom Sessions?

My family and I opened an under-21 dance club in 2011 in our town. In 2013, we started booking local bands for shows, and in 2015, we realized what we were doing had more purpose - we then converted to an independent 501(c)3 non-profit venue.

During that year, I learned everything about venue operations and more - ticketing, marketing, photography, graphic design, negotiating contracts, talent buying, light design, live audio engineering - you name it.

We had to close our doors permanently in 2023 due to the pandemic, and since then I’ve applied my knowledge to everything I’m doing now! I think the Blossom Sessions is going to grow very quickly - faster than what I realize. There’s plans of us touring our setup to other cities, and even making pop-up appearances at music festivals and other music-based events!

And finally, we can’t let you go without asking – who are you listening to right now, and who would be your dream artists to feature on the Blossom Sessions?

As of lately, I’ve been listening to Darci, Anella and Chappell Roan. The list is so long as for who I hope to feature on The Blossom Sessions, but just to name a few - Chris Grey, Marina, Braden Bales, and Sabrina Carpenter!