Gale doesn’t care how cliché or “woo-woo” it might sound, however she actually believes that music selected her.
Ever since childhood, the singer-songwriter, born Carolina Isabel Colón Juarbe in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, has performed every little thing to verify her pop star goals come true. She began off by performing boleros for her household, then studied to grow to be a classically skilled singer. She broke into the business by co-writing songs for artists like Shakira (“Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran”), Christina Aguilera (“Brujería,” “Santo”) and Anitta (“Loco,” “Me Gusta”), till she finally scored a file cope with Sony Music Latin.
Whereas acting at South by Southwest earlier this 12 months, Gale was within the midst of making her second album, “Lo Que Puede Pasar.” On the time, she had solely shared two singles from the upcoming undertaking — “Skittles,” an indie-pop tribute to her late old flame, and “Ysilandia” a punky guitar ballad that includes fellow Puerto Rican singer Robi.
Since then, she’s accomplished her sophomore album and is eagerly awaiting its launch. She says she got down to make one thing “energetic, straightforward and more big-sounding” and achieved that purpose by means of creative writing workouts and dwelling life wholeheartedly.
When she first launched herself along with her 2023 debut “Lo Que No Te Dije,” the singer blurred the strains between guitar-powered rock, reggaeton-inspired dance beats and radio-ready synth pop. Taking listeners by means of the difficult emotions of a breakup, Gale says she wasn’t serious about genres or boundaries — she needed to create one thing distinctive and private.
“The first album is very nostalgic, vulnerable, personal, and overall a breakup album, that’s it. So for the second one, I want to have fun and be creative,” stated Gale.
In March, Gale spoke with De Los about her new artistic course of, her calling towards music and why she has such an affinity for pop. We reconnected over Zoom to get the complete story behind “Lo Que Puede Pasar,” her sophomore album that comes out Thursday.
This interview has been condensed and edited for readability.
What was it like first stepping into the studio after releasing your debut album, “Lo Que No Te Dije?” The reply to that’s pure creativity. The primary album may be very nostalgic, susceptible, private, and total a breakup album; that’s it. So for the second, I need to have enjoyable and be artistic. The message behind “Lo Que Puede Pasar” is to get out of your head and cease overthinking issues — attempt to dwell each expertise together with your coronary heart. Possibly you’ll study one thing from it. You would fall in love and even really feel unhappy. However both method, you’ll develop.
I used to be capable of faucet into this by writing prompts for myself. They are often something from themes or titles that I need to discover by means of writing. I’d throw them within the bag, after which within the session, I pull out a immediate, and we go from there. It’s like touring again in time or connecting to a sense that I haven’t felt shortly.
It sounds such as you’re placing on a writing workshop within the studio. How a lot of the brand new album got here from these prompts? It’s how a lot of the songs had been born. All of us picked little papelitos and began speaking about how I imagined every idea. For “Sería Cool,” I knew I needed to write down from the attitude of going by means of a heavy heartbreak. So, it was much less about how I felt on the day I used to be truly writing.
With “Skittles,” the immediate was the title of the music. I needed to write down my love story with my old flame. I really feel like that’s one thing so particular — I imply, perhaps not everybody. However, for lots of people, it’s memorable, dramatic and intense. Typically, like in my case, it was very stunning. So I needed to honor that relationship in that music, and that’s what we did with “Skittles.”
Some songs, although, weren’t from a immediate — like “Ysilandia” and “Domingo.” “Ysilandia” got here from a remedy session. I used to be speaking to my therapist and developing with all these worries — “What if I don’t make it to the show? But what if my manager can’t go?” She instructed me I lived in “Ysilandia,” which immediately interprets to “What if Land?” — and that none of these issues exist. And I believed, “Oh my God, I have a castle in ‘Ysilandia.’ I have a whole life there. I’m overthinking everything.”
“Domingo,” the final observe on the album, was written on a Sunday. We had been within the studio, and I used to be actually lacking household and residential. The album total is a mixture of what was occurring in actual time with me and themes the universe picked out.
On “Domingo,” you open up about what it’s like to go away residence in pursuit of your goals. What made you need to memorialize that homesickness?I’m very near my household. They’re very intense. They spend each Sunday collectively, they go on yearly journeys collectively, all of them have matching shirts — it’s like a continuing celebration of over 20 individuals. I’m very linked to all of them, and having to go away them to chase my goals was one of many hardest selections I’ve ever needed to make. However that dream was so sturdy, and I had the blessing and encouragement from them. All of the sacrifices that you must make and settle for while you select this profession is such a problem.
Your music profession appears to be marked with dedication. You’ve been performing because you had been a child, you left residence to review music and broke into the business by writing for different artists. What do you suppose was pushing you?I’ve been very decided since I used to be little. I at all times knew that this was what I needed to do, however I didn’t know the technicalities of it. I knew I might write a music, and I felt like I had a superpower. I at all times knew I used to be going to make it. I didn’t understand how, however I knew music is what I’m right here for. It’s been very rewarding.
You’ve gotten so many probabilities to surrender, however it’s too late to surrender — that’s what I at all times inform myself. I attempt to benefit from the course of and discover myself in it. Typically it takes slightly bit longer that method. However I additionally want to know my path and respect that I went to school. I studied music and began writing with different artists, and I embrace it a lot.
Had been there any true moments of doubt or had been you at all times dead-set on chasing music?I at all times knew I used to be going to do it it doesn’t matter what. Once I was 17, I graduated from this music college, La Libre de Musica in Puerto Rico, and I instructed my mother and father that I used to be prepared to maneuver to Miami and be a celebrity. My dad instructed me I needed to go to school, so I instructed him I’d if I might research music.
So, I nonetheless did it. I moved to Miami, began writing, bought a publishing deal and was capable of concentrate on my artist profession.
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Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Gale arrives in Austin forward of her efficiency at Rolling Stone’s Way forward for Music Showcase throughout South By Southwest on March 13. (Cat Cardenas / For De Los)
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Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Gale arrives in Austin forward of her efficiency at Rolling Stone’s Way forward for Music Showcase throughout South By Southwest on March 13. (Cat Cardenas / For De Los)
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Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Gale arrives in Austin forward of her efficiency at Rolling Stone’s Way forward for Music Showcase throughout South By Southwest on March 13. (Cat Cardenas / For De Los)
In case you had been to place your self within the mindset of that 17-year-old, how did it really feel to be so sure about understanding what you needed? Music’s at all times been like my secure place. Once I consider 17-year-old me, I take into consideration me writing songs on my own in my bed room. I felt secure and heard. It was like remedy. It selected me — if that sounds cliché, I don’t care. However I actually can’t consider the rest. I by no means felt like I selected music.
From the digital dance break on “Pa’ Qué Te Quedas” to the piano-powered ballad “El Amor Y Sus Consecuencias,” it is a pop file at its core. Why do you suppose you’re drawn to pop? What in regards to the style resonates with you?Rising up, I at all times say, I’m a pop girlie. I used to be raised by Britney [Spears], Christina [Aguilera], Shakira, Avril Lavigne and Selena Quintanilla. So it was both that or boleros, due to my dad. I used to be performing and singing all these stunning songs by Armando Manzanero and Pablo Milanes after I was 6 or 7 years previous. Their lyrics have a lot depth and are like stunning poems. I really feel like I’m these two worlds — pop and the very dramatic, heartfelt lyrics. I simply love that mixture.
So due to that, pop music is rarely superficial to me.
Numerous the album is about studying from lived experiences. What was the most important one or lesson you discovered whereas making it? Not chasing perfection. I was a management freak the place every little thing wanted to be good. However with this album, I discovered to let go of issues, settle for it and let issues be. I additionally discovered to essentially fall in love with the method. Earlier than, after I would attempt to management every little thing, I used to be not having a superb time. I noticed I simply wanted to do my finest and perceive that I’m dwelling the dream of Galesita who was 7 years previous, writing her first music. I simply have to be grateful and preserve working arduous.
