Amanda Abizaid

Amanda and Joni bring an uplifting musical experience influenced by songs from the 70's to today's most popular songs along with Amanda's original songs in the style of pop, rock, indie, singer songwriter, folk and world. The musical duo also have a library of love song covers with their unique arrangements and way of singing. Amanda and Joni bring a new beauty to the songs you’ve heard on the radio making you fall in love with them all over again. They combine these cover songs in their sets with slow, mid-tempo beats and original songs fusing eastern and western melodies together in a collection like chapters in a book you won’t want to put down. They set the mood taking you on a musical journey around the world that meets with popular American pop songs you can enjoy in the background or featured while listening closely or mingling with your friends. Joni has professionally earned her reputation in town as a multi instrumentalist and vocalist leading her Joni Mitchell Project and the famous Big Night Out band. She also sings in Spanish, French and Portuguese and specializes in love songs and really enjoys when the crowd is slow dancing and feeling the love all around the room.

Amanda and Joni sing the most popular songs from folk to indie pop and singer songwriter, popular songs you love and know. Amanda loves to engage with her audience and make them laugh in between the songs they are listening to while Joni is working her magic on the piano while shifting to different drum beats. They have a playful banter that includes the audience and are very personable. Most importantly they are sensitive in making sure the sound volume is comfortable when listening during their performances. Their audience enjoy talking with friends, slow dancing and/or sitting and listening to their music and vocals. Both Amanda and Joni are very down to earth and approachable and love to dress in colorful styles and current fashion trends. Amanda sometimes has a high fashion rock star look or she can choose to be casual, whatever is appropriate for the gig. Joni has a sleek and bohemian style that is stunning and relaxed at the same time. Amanda plays the flute during certain songs and uses the mic for her Arabic vocals to create an exotic mood and for her flute parts, which create a beautiful sound that carries throughout the melodies she plays. This resonates with the crowd and they love the diversity of popular and original songs. The biggest reward for both Amanda and Joni is to have their crowd smiling when they perform. Their continued goal is to create a loving atmosphere bringing the beautiful multicultural Sarasota audience together through their shared love for music.

Amanda Abizaid
As a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist – piano, guitar, and flute - Amanda is best known as the captivating vocalist on the Emmy winning theme song "A Place In Time" from Paramount's The 4400, as well as other lead vocal appearances in songs appearing in Smallville, Ed, One Tree Hill, Felicity, and Charmed. Amanda was inducted into the Indie Music Hall Of Fame in 2024.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, the influences of Western recording artists, such as Elton John and Crosby, Stills and Nash combined with the abundant Middle Eastern music she heard and sang daily growing up in Beirut contributed to her own unique musical identity. Upon relocating to Los Angeles in the ‘90s, Amanda immediately sought out to expand her musical universe by meeting the best musicians on the scene and by performing live with Styx drummer; Todd Sucherman, Alice Cooper guitarist; Eric Dover, Ricky Martin saxaphonist; Ron Dziubla, Foreigner's keyboardist; Tom Gimbel and Tom Jones bassist; Mike Mennell.

Amanda encourages her fans through her voice and performances to value all cultures through their shared love of music. Amanda also remains an avid supporter of women in music.

Today, Abizaid is committed to healing children living in war and promoting unity through her socially conscious, indie pop meets global cross over music. Abizaid shines a light on Lebanon by infusing her songs with mystical Eastern melodies, Arabic lyrics, and bringing together Eastern and Western music and cultural sensibilities.

Abizaid is an award-winning singer-songwriter, flautist, pianist, and guitarist with a darkly sensual vocal style. Recently, she won “Best World Music Female Artist 2025” from the Radio Music Awards and was inducted into the Indie Music Hall of Fame. Abizaid is a four-time Josie Award nominee, and a U.S.A. Songwriting Competition finalist. She has been featured on Apple Music’s “Holidays Around The World” front page, she charted in the iTunes Top 10, and she has received radio play from countries around the world. Abizaid has collaborated with rock legend Stephen Stills who she considers a mentor. In 2004, Abizaid sang the Emmy-winning song for Paramount’s science fiction series The 4400, “A Place In Time,” which earned praise in New York Times and Forbes. To date, Abizaid has released seven albums, three EPs, numerous singles, and a remix EP.

Abizaid has performed nationally and internationally. She sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” on several occasions at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, and at Jackie Robinson Stadium. She has collaborated with David Ruffin Jr. and Lou Rawls Jr. and has shared the stage with legendary artists such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Todd Sucherman (Styx), Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard), Bird York, and Lili Haydn, among many others.

As a flautist, Abizaid has performed with The American Victory Orchestra, and she sang soprano with the Metropolitan Master Chorale. In addition, Abizaid teaches peace club workshops, performs at colleges and cultural luncheon events, and she is the Cultural Ambassador to (link hidden).

Abizaid was born to an American mother and a Lebanese father in Beirut. She was the quiet one of four older sisters, and the older sister to one brother. Abizaid was always passionate about singing—honing her skills privately—but fear held her back until she was 30. “It took me a long time to call myself a singer,” she says. “What has helped me greatly is looking at singing as being of service—it’s not about me.”

Abizaid experienced a profound blossoming when she moved to America with her mother and her sisters. She was discovered as a model, and she was even invited to model for Chanel. Through modeling, Abizaid fell into the music scene which culminated in her “A Place In Time” performance. “Once that happened, I decided to use any recognition I had to promote peace,” she says.

In 2015, she reconnected with a former Marine stationed in Lebanon who once dated Abizaid’s sister. At the time, he was working to bring positive change in the Philippines, and he saw on social media Abizaid was on the same path. “As an adult, I was reminded of how living in war affects children, and how songs, songwriting, and giving children a voice can help them work through PTSD,” Abizaid says.

The passing of Abizaid’s grandmother would prove to be another catalyst for growth and change. She felt a spiritual energy jolt in her body when her grandma died, and she instantly heard the melody of her first Arabic song. “It was as if she was saying ‘don’t forget me.’ I felt called to fully embrace my Lebanese heritage,” Abizaid shares.

Her latest releases are the critically acclaimed, “Hold On My Heart Bilingual Remix,” and the award-winning remix EP, Dangerous and Young. The EP features English, Arabic, and bilingual versions of the empowering song, “Dangerous and Young.” The “Dangerous and Young Arabic Remix” video has won several international festival music video awards.

Abizaid is currently writing a new album themed around fighting through fears, sharing transformative stories, and spreading healing vibes. “It’s not about being political or preachy. My music is about world peace, and getting cultures to understand each other,” Abizaid says.

Have a PA and speakers, instruments, stands everything for a live performance. The lighting must be bright enough to have good film quality for live performance videos and moody enough to set a tone for the performance. Stage must be big enough for an acoustic duo, piano, guitar, drum beats, speaker and PA system and two vocalists with two vocal boom stands, guitar stand, music stand.