GIRL ULTRA’S MEXICAN ROOTS HELPED HER EXPLORE DIFFERENT MUSIC GENRES
Girl Ultra is the type of artist that doesn’t shy away from trying different musical sounds to find the perfect sound. Born in Mexico City, she recently sat down with us to discuss her love for exploring various sounds from R & B, to house and pop and meshing them together to make her kind of music. If you’ve been wondering about the “Bombay” singers’ journey, must have beauty items & more, keep reading below!
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
What was it like growing up in Mexico City and how has your culture influenced your music sonically?
I was fed from a very early age by chaos, color, noise and madness within Mexico City, so I think that kinda took the fear out of me to dive in any kind of genre and collect textures and sounds to use in my music. I’m not afraid of the dirt, not afraid of the loudness.
In 2017 you released your first EP “Boys” which features 6 songs, including my favorite, your cover of Daniel Caesar “Get You”. Take us back to this time during the beginning of your career and talk about what it was like creating this project.
I didn’t have any time to learn music before I started actually making it, I feel like diving into something as digestive as R & B was a great canvas to get to know myself better and display all my influences as time went by and my knowledge and skill allowed me to do so.
From 2018 to 2022 you released 3 other projects: Adios, Nuevos Aires and El Sur. In your opinion, what is the main difference between each project, and which one was the most challenging to create?
Probably the difference in the need to improve the sound, the recording experimentation and mostly the development of my voice and pen as a character.
El Sur was so fun to make but so challenging, I feel like I wanted to nail a lot of ‘’in between” mixes and it felt like a little university for me and all my collaborators, all trial and error.
You recently dropped your new single “Rimel” paired with a music video. What was the inspiration behind creating this song and video?
This is the first song of my upcoming material with Big Dada/Ninja Tune, and for this project I wanted to have fun again. Rimel to me is like a breath of fresh air, a song that dances within house endeavor, with a little acid, bringing back visually some indie sleaze-controlled madness. It’s about the depiction of beauty and makeup as a weaponized element in my life.
As you prepare to release a new project this summer, what can your fans expect from it?
A love letter to the sad and horny youth, dirty drums and faster bpms.
You recently performed at Coachella and gave an amazing performance. Talk to us about your time at Coachella and what all you did that weekend.
Thank you, yes first time. As a young Mexican artist, playing Coachella is on every bucket list. To me it was something I was looking forward to doing with my friends, giving a very natural unhinged show, very unapologetic of what girl ultra means to me, and very fun. Felt very proud of all these years of hardworking. Other than that, I visited my friends and my favorite diners.
This fall you’ll be going on tour with Chromeo as well as working on new music together. What are you most looking forward to going on tour and what cities are you most excited to perform in?
I love it when people don’t expect this kind of get togethers, also it’s nice to share the road and the studio with people who share your vision and that you use to save money to go to their shows. I’m always excited to go back to NYC and the East Coast.
Gloves @alexandermcqueen via @farfetch
You recently signed a record deal with Big Dada Record Label. What are you looking forward to achieving with this new partnership?
I feel like big dada/ninja tune is a perfect nest for this specific project, they are really into club music and different interesting avenues of sound, almost an all-girl team, I just feel like a gained a superpower and future good friends.
Have you always played the guitar? Are there any other instruments you’d like to learn how to play one day?
Not really, I’m a recent guitar player, I took the task to get to know myself with the guitar in the last couple years. I feel like I’m very crafty and playful, I do some stuff here and there. I also produce and do executive production on everything.
What’s your go-to makeup look?
Smudgy eyeliner that looks like I slept with it!
What do you love most about your Mexican heritage?
The melodies hidden in my head that my mom listened on the radio,
people smiling and saying buenos Dias/buenas tardes all the time, the micro universes inside everything houses, people, music…
If you could only keep 3 fashion items forever, what would they be?
A black miniskirt, a plain black tee and a black thong!
Outside of touring and releasing new music, do you have any other plans for the rest of the year that you can share with Galore readers?
That’s basically all I do ha ha, wait I might open a restaurant this year or one day!
TEAM CREDITS:
Editor in Chief: Prince Chenoa (@princechenoastudio)
Feature Editor: Taylor Winter Wilson (@taylorwinter)
Cover Art Design: Carlos Graciano (@sadpapi666)
Photographer: Abraham Mora (@abrahamhdzmora)
Stylist: Emiliano Sanchez (@emiliano.sr)
Makeup Artist: Sheila (@psychedelixx)
Publicist: Frazes Creative (@frazescreative)
