Serge Villanova knows music from all sides

By Jann Darsie

Photo by Bryan Wallace

At an age when most are focused on having fun and playing video games, Serge Villanova was obsessed with writing and drawing. Once he learned to play the guitar, he quickly pivoted to writing songs. And by high school, he was also interested in the business side of the music industry. 

His first real experience with recording was in college at Louisiana State University — at the LSU Recording Studio — and that’s all it took to launch into a career producing and promoting music as well as recording his own. 

Now president of Stranded South Music, Media & Events and founder of the Harahan Music Festival & Food Drive, Villanova began his career at Basin Street Records. “I enjoyed every minute that I worked with Mark Samuels at Basin Street, and I learned a lot,” he said. 

It was there that he honed his sales skills. Villanova started at Basin Street merchandising its artists’ shows, and would eventually become a sales director and graphic designer. Basin Street artist Rebirth Brass Band would go on to win a Grammy Award during Villanova’s time at the company for their release Rebirth of New Orleans. 

Photo by Ashley Miller

In 2020, he struck out on his own, establishing Stranded South. He released a single titled “Ghosts of a Ghost Town,” in November that year, featuring local singer Shawn Williams. The song, written about feeling isolated during the pandemic, was accompanied by a self-directed video that was selected as a finalist in the music video category at The Scream Queen Film Festival near Nashville, Tennessee. 

In 2021, while still in the pandemic era, Villanova re-located to Harahan. He wanted to have a positive effect in his new place of residence, so he used music to do just that. “I had worked at Jazz Fest for years promoting other artists,” said Villanova, “and I thought, “why can’t we do something like Jazz Fest here in Harahan?” 

 While taking a break from recording one day, he drove by an unidentified, unused green space on Hickory Avenue. “I was immediately struck with the vision of a stage and people out in the crowd, and of course a band,” Villanova said. He would come to find out the space was called Zeringue Park. Tapping back into his artistic roots as a painter and sketch artist, Villanova created a hand-made sign for the park. It was the first in many years to identify it as Zeringue Park, named after two brothers from Harahan who lost their lives during World War II. 

The first step in bringing his vision to life was to make a formal proposal to the Harahan City Council. That would lead to a series of City Hall presentations and meetings as he navigated the complexities of establishing a music festival at the tail end of an international pandemic — a festival that was the first of its kind for that city. 

Because he was unknown in Harahan, Villanova credits the successful release of “Ghosts of a Ghost Town” as helping him gain trust as a music producer who knew what he was doing. Local businessman Danny McKearan with Colonial Estates was the first sponsor to come on board and the company remains a strong supporter, and presenter, to this day. 

In the midst of the pandemic, Villanova safely created an outdoor event with live music at Zeringue Park, and two other venues. The festival helped musicians, and their support systems such as sound engineers, during a bleak time in the music scene. He was striving for what he called “a bit of normalcy” and said he “wanted to do something good.” 

The Ella Project has played an important role in Villanova’s success. He is always in communication with Gene Meneray and Ashlye Keaton, about everything from copywriting and releasing new music to insurance and technical questions regarding live events. “The Ella Project has helped me form the foundation of my music business, which has given me the confidence to grow and expand Stranded South,” Villanova said. 

And expand it he has. The company began as a record label, and has evolved into event production with the Harahan Music Festival. This is a music event with a purpose. The festival has free admission with a donation of non-perishable food.

Since the first festival in 2021, the event has raised an impressive 11,000 plus food items for the St. Rita Food Pantry in Harahan. And like other local festivals, this one has used its name recognition to benefit other community organizations. The Home Depot, a festival sponsor, initially donated roofing materials to refurbish a Hurricane-Ida battered shelter at Zeringue Park. Villanova would continue to build that relationship, and in 2023, Home Depot donated a new John Deere riding lawn mower to the Harahan VFW. The mower is now being used to help local elderly and disabled veterans with lawn care. 

Also, in 2023, using the momentum of the music festival, Villanova would assist the after-school boxing camp, Kingfish Boxing, produce the first boxing tournament in the city of Harahan in over a decade. 

The 2024 Harahan Music Festival & Food Drive will take place on June 1st from noon to 6:30 PM at the Harahan Playground, located at 6601 10th Street. It will feature the bands of Lynn Drury and Shawan Rice, as well as T. Marie & Bayou Juju and the Sharpened Spurs. Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys will headline the after-party located at The Kamp, located at 2317 Hickory Avenue. 

Since the pandemic, Villanova has also been recording an arsenal of songs that he hopes will pack quite a punch. “The idea for a music festival came to me when I began recording my record,” he said. 

Look for Villanova’s debut record “Prizefighter” to come out in late 2024 or early 2025, under Stranded South Music, Media and Events. 

Serge Villanova can be found on the website https://www.strandedsouth.com/ & on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StrandedSouth

Notes From Ella is presented in part with funding from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation.