I ‘m a folk singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles. I grew up between Kalamazoo, MI, with my mother, and Singapore with my father. My dad’s a important-generation Filipino-American, and shifting between those two areas informs various who I’m and the tales I command. The importance of belonging and community has been central to my work. I learned my mother’s file collection once I modified into in heart faculty — Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen. I observed photos of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez acting at the Newport Folks Festival and contrivance, “I are desirous to attach that in some unspecified time in the future.”
Expose us about your new album, Hellbent & Moonbound, and the inspiration slack it.
The title Hellbent and Moonbound modified into inspired by Ada Limón’s poem “Drift.” The phrase “moon-journey and hell-bent on defying the standard gravity of this jog” if truth be told caught with me. To me, “moonbound” draw shifting in the direction of light, irrespective of lights you up, generally via darkness, and “hellbent” is with a deep dedication and determination – defying the gravitational pull of the relaxation that could well also retain us attend. This modified into the spine of the file, and I prefer to deem of every and every song almost devour a rib, connecting to this central concept from a distinct attitude.
What modified into the songwriting and recording project?
I wrote these songs all the draw via the final seven years after releasing my final album in 2016. It modified into a long, marinating project. A lot had modified for me; I’d uprooted my life in New York and moved to California, I modified into a mother, then the pandemic hit, and I — devour various us — went inward and chanced on solace in being inventive all the draw via that point.
What attach you hope your fans/listeners take away with them after they hear to your song?
Writing these songs helped me navigate moments of conflict and self-doubt. They gave me a converse to feel each and every my hassle and joy and give words to your entire questions I modified into grappling with. The artwork I adore supreme lets me search for my bear myth in a extra compassionate, romantic light. I am hoping my songs could well connect with those that formulation. They aren’t my proprietary myth anymore; if anyone else sees themselves and connects to my words, that’s a immense honor. If they create anyone else joy and ease or accompany them on a long automobile high-tail or whereas they prepare dinner a meal, that fills my heart up.
When did you first score the guitar, and what drew you to that instrument?
After I modified into in excessive faculty, my dad introduced a nylon string guitar dwelling from a industry day out, and I modified into directly obsessed. He taught me some chords and gave me a songbook, and I spent every day after faculty in my room studying songs and then started writing my bear. It’s an ongoing skedaddle, and I’ve devoted the previous couple of years to going attend and studying once more. I’ve been taking lessons with Molly Miller, who’s wonderful. Having a girl instructor has been if truth be told intelligent. After I modified into rising up, there weren’t many females round me who could well shred devour that, and I’d by no draw heard of any female guitar lecturers in my town. Now that I undoubtedly personal a daughter, I can search for thus clearly how considerable that representation is, and I adore seeing extra and extra girls selecting it up.
Who are some of your musical influences?
There are the ‘70s folk classics I mentioned earlier. Some contemporary artists I undoubtedly devour are Damien Jurardo, Feist, Bedouine, Aldous Harding, Angel Olsen, Cassandra Jenkins, and Madison Cunningham.
What’s subsequent?
Apt now, I’m if truth be told playing this moment of the file being out on the planet; I adore hearing how of us are connecting with it. I’m attempting to enable myself some stillness and soak that every and every one up! We’re celebrating with a file originate birthday party at Gold Diggers on Dec. 3rd. A entire bunch new visuals within the works — and I appropriate listened down to the total BBC “Witch” podcast (highly recommend) that obtained me if truth be told inspired and some new songs brewing.
Connect with Malena Cadiz
Straightforward – Reliable song video https://youtu.be/dHVML0jHvlY
Name It A Evening – Reliable song video https://youtu.be/9i7Btf4vNFg
Hellbent and Moonbound track itemizing:
- Museum Shores
- Shatter
- No topic You Want
- The Exact Thing
- My Roughly Thief
- Getting By
- Hellbent & Moonbound
- East
- Name It a Evening
- Child Once more