For dance icon GiaNina Paolantonio, choreography isn’t just about moving your body—it’s a means to creating viral moments that stick with people for a lifetime.
GiaNina’s talents have made her part of the pop culture conversation with her dance compositions for Jennifer Lopez, Billie Eilish, sombr and more, and with more than 4 million follows on TikTok, she’s definitely making people take notice. And as if that wasn’t enough, she’s spent 2026 branching out and showing the world even more of what she’s capable of.
She recently signed as a recording artist with Atlantic Records, releasing two debut singles “I See It” and “Should’ve Known Better,” in February. These two introductory songs take us through opposite aspects of her journey so far, through the hurt and heartbreak and into confidence and self-discovery, further brought to life with the compelling choreography that put GiaNina on the map. She also launched GiaNina Headquarters, a free app that plugs her directly into her community, offering a new way to connect and share content directly with fans—including dance classes, exclusive drops, music releases, news and more—without getting lost in the algorithm, and sell tickets without fees and unnecessary middlemen. It’s a very busy time for the star, and we had the pleasure of catching up with GiaNina to learn all about her latest endeavors and more in the interview below.
Sweety High: What does it mean to you to be signed to Atlantic Records?
GiaNina Paolantonio: Being signed to Atlantic Records feels like a full-circle moment for me. I’ve always told stories through movement, and now I get the privilege of sharing them through my voice and music too. It’s really validating having a team believe in me as a full artist and support such deeply personal work.
(Photo credit: Adam Kudeimati)
SH: Tell us about your debut singles, “I See It” and “Should’ve Known Better.” How do these two songs tell your story and showcase what you’re capable of as a musician? Why did they feel just right for introducing yourself to the world as a recording artist?
GP: “I See It” and “Should’ve Known Better” really tell two sides of the same story for me. “Should’ve Known Better” came from my lowest point, I felt heartbroken, betrayed and honestly a bit lost. Then, “I See It” is me on the other side of that, stepping into my power and turning that pain into confidence.
They felt right as my debut because they’re completely real and show my range, both emotionally and sonically. It felt like the most honest way to introduce myself, not just as a dancer, but also as an artist with something to say.
SH: Can you walk us through a little bit of the choreography for each track, and how you translated both of those stories into movement?
GP: “Should’ve Known Better” is really grounded and more internal, it’s a lot of tension, heaviness and representative of moments where I felt stuck or like I couldn’t escape the emotions I was feeling.
“I See It” flips that completely, it’s a lot sharper, more confident, and almost confrontational, like I’m reclaiming my power and not holding back anymore.
Also read about: 15-Year-Old Viral Artist Dom Innarella on Leaning Into Classic Sounds With New Single, ‘Magic’
SH: What is your GiaNina Headquarters app all about? What makes it unique, and how does the app inspire independence for creators?
GP: GiaNina Headquarters is really about connection first and building a true community around what I do. I wanted to create a space where I can connect directly with my audience in a more real and personal way, without barriers, where fans don’t just watch, but feel like they’re part of the journey. It brings everything together, my dance, my music, my classes and my day-to-day life, so people can experience all sides of me in one place. Sharing my music on the app has been especially important because it allows me to connect with people on a deeper emotional level and bring them into the stories behind what I’m creating, not just the final product.
At the end of the day, it’s about building something bigger than just content. It’s a community where people can grow, feel inspired, and stay connected to me, no matter where they are in the world. I also love that we can bypass the traditional ticketing platforms, and I can help sell my tickets to my classes and sell my merch, all in one easy and convenient place.
(Photo credit: Adam Kudeimati)
SH: Any notable stories around the app you can share with us?
GP: One story that sticks out is when I realized how many fans were missing out on content or events just because of algorithms. That inspired me to create a space where everything lands directly with the people who want to see it, and seeing fans engage instantly and feel a part of the community has been so rewarding.
SH: What does it mean to be making these big career shifts right now? What are you the most proud of at the moment?
GP: It feels like I’m stepping into who I’ve always wanted to be, and I’m most proud of being honest and putting out work that comes directly from my real life experiences, even when it’s uncomfortable.
(Photo credit: Adam Kudeimati)
Also read about: Everything You Wanted to Know About ‘double edged sword’ Artist Hailey Picardi
SH: Do you have an all-time favorite piece of choreography you’ve performed? Can you describe it for us?
GP: I have so many pieces of choreography that are my favorite, it’s so hard to pick. I absolutely love what I created for “Should’ve Known Better,” and “I See It.” I think another favorite is definitely choreographing and performing to JLo’s, “On the Floor.” It went super viral online with over half a billion views. Seeing how that movement connected with so many people around the world, and getting to watch fans recreate it themselves, was completely transformative and really proved to me the power of dance to tell a story beyond the stage.
@gianina obsessed is an understatement, love my little <3 @A S H A L E E ♬ original sound – GiaNina
SH: Can you tease anything else coming up for you in 2026?
GP: We have a bunch of new cities that I’m so excited to announce as our next world tour stops, and I’ll definitely be heading back into the studio to record more music. On top of that, we have some exciting film and TV projects in the works that I can’t wait to share more about soon.
SH: Is there anything else we should know about you right now?
GP: I’m really in this special phase of trusting myself and creating without overthinking. Everything I’m putting out right now is rooted in real life, and that’s the energy I want people to feel when they connect with me.
For even more from the artists we adore, click HERE to read our new interview with folk-pop artist Steinza.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.sweetyhigh.com ’
