Alé Araya’s Ascension: From Piano to Pop Stardom
Alé Araya, a name that’s rapidly gaining recognition in the global music scene, is more than just a talented artist. She’s a visionary, a trailblazer, and a powerful voice for a generation. In this exclusive interview with GALORE, Araya delves deep into her artistic journey, from her early days as a classical pianist to her status as a multi-faceted musician.
We explore the challenges she’s faced, the inspirations that fuel her creativity, and the empowering messages she weaves into her music. Join us as we uncover the story behind the music and the woman who’s redefining the boundaries of contemporary pop.
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
What inspired you to start producing and writing your own music at such a young age, and how did you teach yourself the ropes?
My mom put me in classical piano classes when I was five years-old and always pushed me to stay dedicated and disciplined in my practice. That was a natural gateway and playground for me to slowly fall in love with music. When I was in high school, I joined the jazz band. There I learned so much about jazz chords, structure and fell in love with that.
When I was 16, I walked up to a DJ at a party, he told me he was a producer and made most of the beats he was playing that night. He brought me to my first studio session, and I realized the studio was a whole new playground for me, I never wanted to leave.
I spent most of my 17, 18, and 19 years in the studio every day and every weekend. I didn’t consider myself a producer then because I was still so new, and I didn’t really see any women producing so it wasn’t obvious to me that I could call myself that, but I was writing a lot of music.
Slowly but surely by observing others and just being in love with the creation, I learned how to use ableton and logic, learned how to produce on my own and built my studio in my home.
As a self-taught artist, what challenges did you face in the music industry, and how did you overcome them?
Any industry is challenging but the music industry is especially challenging because there is no real structure. It requires insane amounts of belief and dedication in what you are doing, and in the beginning a lot of people will treat you like you’re chasing a dream that will never become reality.
But I believe if you love something enough to ride through the hard parts, and ground yourself in why you do it, nothing can knock you off your path. I’m still facing challenges to this day, there is insane pressure to conform to success by other people’s standards, and a lot of saturation in the industry. I continue to overcome these challenges by just being myself and knowing that my artistry is true to me. It’s genuine and it’s a story that only I can tell.
Your music blends into various genres. How do you approach the creative process when composing a new track?
I honestly go with whatever I’m feeling at the moment, what I’m listening to, what I’m inspired by. I’m a producer, writer, and a singer, so when I’m creating the options for what I can make are limitless. It just depends on what type of emotion I’m feeling that day, what’s on my mind and what I want to say.
I have genres that I naturally gravitate towards of course. Because I’m a piano player, jazz chords are imprinted in my fingertips. It’s hard for me to write a song without using 7th chords. So, I have all this baseline knowledge I use when creating, but I usually just allow my taste and imagination to run wild.
Can you share more about the thematic elements in ‘INTUITION’ and how they reflect your personal experiences?
“INTUITION” is a very personal project to me, it represents an inward journey trying to make sense of my identity, who I am and what I bring to this world. It’s my first time speaking mostly in Spanish on a record.
Before creating it, I felt a huge sense of writer’s block, there was a lot going on in the world, a lot of war and devastation. I didn’t want to add more nonsense to the chaos, I wanted to have a clear message and be sure of who I was. But honestly in the last year I experienced a bit of ego death, I didn’t know who I was or why my story mattered.
In a world where we log onto Instagram and see mothers and children dying on our screens, nothing makes sense. I made “INTUITION” in the depths of these feelings; I had to go back to my origins.
My father was born in Santiago, Chile, and came to America in his 20s. He lived a long life but got sick when I was 13 and passed away when I was only 19. This project is my way of connecting to that part of my identity I lost.
Growing up in America and dealing with his death, my name being Alejandra Araya, so much of it was confusing to me. Throughout creating this project and speaking so much Spanish, writing and reading so much about Chile, I have never felt closer to who he was and who I am meant to be.
How has your background as the daughter of immigrants shaped your perspective on identity and your artistry?
It has shaped everything, my artistry is a genuine expression of the child my parents raised, my destiny and my purpose on this earth. Growing up I changed my name from Ale to Alex (for a short time) because a lot of people in my middle school couldn’t pronounce Ale.
I don’t know why because it’s really quite easy to say. I changed it back because Ale is way cooler haha. But I think a lot of children of immigrants grow up with that feeling. A feeling of “I don’t belong here, but I don’t belong there either, do I have to change who I am? ”.
It’s a very specific but very common experience, especially in America where so many people are children of immigrants. But I’m really happy and blessed to have this experience because it allows me to have such a worldly view. I understand a lot more about the way the world works. It lends itself to my artistry in every way. So much culture runs in my veins, and I can express that through my art and music.
What role does empowerment and radical self-love play in your music and the messages you want to convey to your audience?
Self-love is the core of why I make music, because growing up I felt a lot of shame. Now I make music to directly protest that feeling. A lot of people tell me that I inspire them because I seem so sure of myself, so confident and so proud of what I’m doing.
I usually respond with “Every person has insecurities and fear, I still do, but the people who make a difference in this world are the people who recognize that feeling and push past it.” I truly believe self-doubt is the devil, and every person deserves to believe in themselves and what their heart is calling them to do.
You’ve collaborated with some influential artists. How have those collaborations impacted your artistic development?
Working with other artists inspires me so much, there is nothing more magical to me than being in the studio with people who live and breathe their creation. It pushes me to be better, work harder, take more risks, be more creative, believe in myself more, have fun, so many things.
Nothing in this world can be celebrated without the love and teamwork of other people, collaborating with other artists is what fuels my fire. Not just as an artist, but as a producer, writer, a friend, and as a fellow human.
Mental health is an important topic in your work. How do you navigate discussing personal struggles while maintaining a sense of hope and empowerment?
Honestly this is a fine line I’m still balancing. I know it’s my duty to talk about what I’m really going through, and then after I do it, I have to listen to the song a million times. Then it comes out and I have to perform it and I’m like “Oh my god, I don’t wanna talk about how I was depressed and down bad anymore!”.
But I know deep in my core it’s important to be honest, and at the time that’s where I was honestly at. People’s responses to my honesty and vulnerability in my struggles keeps me hopeful and empowered, because I know that what I’m talking about makes other people feel seen and heard. It makes a real impact on people’s lives. So, I’m still navigating that, but I don’t think I’ll ever stop being truly honest because that’s who I am. It’s definitely hard though.
What does community mean to you as an artist, and how do you foster a connection with your listeners through your music?
Community is everything to me, without my community I would not be where I am today. The best music and art I’ve ever made was in my community. The times I’ve felt most happy were in my community with my fellow artists and peers.
Being an artist is all about community, because art is a commentary on society, self-expression, and humanity. All of these things are witnessed in community with other people.
I foster a connection with my listeners by being real in my music, they have a good sense of who I am just by listening to my songs.
Also being myself online makes me feel close to my listeners, I know they value the art I make because they tell me all the time. It’s part of the reason why I keep going as hard as I do, it’s so I can be there for them.
How would you describe your personal style, and how does it influence your stage presence and performances?
My personal style is a mixture of so many influences, but my mom is definitely the number one influence. My mom is a professional tailor, I grew up with her constantly making clothes and sewing every day.
There are tons of fabrics and projects around my house 24/7. She has helped me design a lot of the outfits I’ve worn in my videos and on stage. Using clothing as my form of expression comes naturally to me, and it changes all the time.
Sometimes I like to dress femme, sometimes I wanna dress super baggy and masculine. It depends on how I’m feeling, and it definitely ties into the nature of my performance.
If I know I want to jump around on stage and be super loud and confident, I tend to wear something that is baggy and masculine. If I know I want my performance to be very intimate, nurturing and spiritual I might wear something more feminine and flowy.
Fashion often tells a story—how do you select your outfits for performances or public appearances to align with your artistic vision?
I want what I’m wearing to tell a story and catch people’s attention. For a recent show I did in Chicago I had my brother spray paint a t-shirt that said “Create the world you want to live in” on the front, and “Listen to your intuition” on the back.
I chose this design because I wanted it to represent the themes of my project and subtly tell people they have the power to create whatever reality their heart desires.
My outfit for that show was super baggy and I was wearing a big black coat over it all that had my name spray painted on the back. I liked the fact that my music is really dreamy and beautiful sounding, but when you see my outfit there is a direct juxtaposition.
There is always more to uncover under the surface. I want people to leave with a sense of curiosity and sometimes even confusion when they see what I am wearing vs what my voice sounds like.
TEAM CREDITS:
Interview By Editor-in-Chief: Prince Chenoa
Feature Editor: Taylor Winter Wilson (@taylorwinter)
Photographer : Brianna Sampson (@b______rs)
Wardrobe Stylist: Alejandra Araya, Lydia Jakubowski
Outfit made by Lydia Jakubowski, Severyn Araya
