Song Spotlight: Gina Jacqueline's Medicine (a night at Hotel Ziggy)

Three months passed since I last went to a WFNM showcase at Hotel Ziggy. Those three months were instead spent hanging out at the Bar Lubitsch showcase location. As I walked into the venue, Gina Jacqueline (Gina Jacqueline Binder) was finishing up her first song of the set. I was immediately struck by how her outgoing personality shined through her singing style. I was immediately disappointed that I had missed that first song. I knew I had walked into the venue at 7:15 p.m., which I thought was the perfect time to arrive. 

Gina Jacqueline at Hotel Ziggy

Moment of the set: Prior to singing "Jet Fuel," she pointed out that the song was about her friend (who was in the audience). "We're going to slow it down a little bit. If you cry, that's okay." She likely thought that she was going to launch right into the song, but her backing musician was switching from keys to guitar and was doing some tuning. "How's everybody's night going? It's Wednesday. Hump day. Middle of the week." She soon started to run out of things to say so she tossed out a question, "Do you guys come here often?" There was an awkward half second of silence, but someone came in for the rescue, "Just for you, babe!" The response, "Thank God, someone responded." 

The guitar does give "Jet Fuel" a singer-songwriter accent of sadness. Her next song "F!LTHY" switched up genres and went for a jazz touch. The song has a lovely piano jazz opening and smokey vocals that hit the R&B beats just perfectly.

Gina Jacqueline at Hotel Ziggy

The song spotlight goes to the last song of the night, "Medicine." The song was spoken about in a personal manner, giving the impression that she especially loves this song, "She's a little slower, more emotional." It was her only release of 2024 and the song almost feels like it represents an official launching point for her. She highlighted the song in a February Instagram post, "This song & project as a whole has a special place in my heart . . .  I’m so grateful for what I’ve learned and the opportunities I’ve received, yet I’ve got so much more to learn and a long way to go." One has to love the humbleness of those thoughts. 

Gina Jacqueline at Hotel Ziggy

A song about walking away.

My tears are your medicine

Never going back to him 

She released a handful of songs in 2023 and 2024, but started ramping up releases in 2025. This ramp up has resulted in the release of her debut EP DIRTY BLONDE (you can listen to the EP here) on June 5th.  

Setlist: Loop Pedal, California Dreamin' (The Mamas & The Papas cover), Jet Fuel, F!LTHY, Medicine.