VALÉ Shares the Influences Behind Her Sizzling, Summery Debut EP, under the sun
Colombian singer-songwriter Latin pop sensation VALÉ's debut EP, under the sun, is finally here, and it was worth every minute of the wait.
VALÉ, who was recently dubbed PEOPLE's Spring Emerging Artist, recorded the six-track EP in her hometown of Barranquilla, capturing the essence of the hot, humid weather and playful summer vibes in each note. Together, the songs offer a vibrant fusion of alt-pop, R&B and Latin sounds as VALÉ sings about everything from freedom and self-expression to basking in her confidence before ending the EP with "siempre serás mi corazón," a touching love letter to her home country. We had the pleasure of catching up with VALÉ to ask her all of our most burning questions about the new EP, which she answered for us in the interview below.
Sweety High: What does the EP's name, under the sun, mean to you? Why did that title feel like the perfect summation of this group of songs?
VALÉ: I named the EP under the sun mainly because it was made in my hometown, Barranquilla, Colombia, which is known to have extremely hot and humid weather. It felt fitting in that regard! There is also a lyric in the song "siempre serás mi corazón" that goes "under the sun, I was missing you," and I thought that was a really sweet title for the EP.
(under the sun via Nvak Collective)
SH: What do you feel are the overarching themes of the EP? What kind of feel do you hope fans take away from it?
VALÉ: The overarching themes of the EP are definitely summer vibes, lighthearted, having fun under the sun, confidence and self-love. I hope fans feel very confident and at home while listening to these tracks. During dark times, I think I felt the most comfortable releasing a bright project into the world.
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SH: How would you describe the album's sound? Production-wise, how did you go about bringing these tracks to life?
VALÉ: The EP sound is most definitely Latin pop with a hint of dance or reggaeton. I was inspired by more traditional Latin songs and artists that I grew up enjoying such as Daddy Yankee and Shakira. I also took inspiration from artists that I currently love such as Karol G, Rosalía and Kali Uchis. With all of this inspiration, I think we were able to produce a very unique sounding body of work.
SH: How do you feel that these songs represent where you all are in life right now?
VALÉ: I think the songs clearly show that I am a growing young woman. It shows multiple themes of evolving as a human, becoming more confident in yourself, doing and exploring things young people do. There's also themes of homesickness and longing which I also believe are very common for a young woman my age.
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SH: What is your favorite song on the EP? Why?
VALÉ: My favorite song on the EP has to be either "chill like that" or "siempre serás mi corazón." I am really proud of how those two trucks turned out. I also really love "coco water." That song took the longest to record and finish, but it was definitely worth the wait!
SH: Was there anything that surprised you about the process of recording and putting together your debut EP?
VALÉ: I did not start creating this EP intentionally; it all happened without me even knowing that I was writing a project. It all started with a group of really amazing songs that resulted from a writing trip that I did with my collaborators, The Fund, in my hometown Barranquilla. We all really loved what we created in that trip so we decided to put a project together based on those. It was a very smooth process since it had a clear direction. I think that was the most important aspect.
(Photo credit: Ashley Osborn)
SH: How are you feeling about releasing this debut to the world?
VALÉ: I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I think that as an artist, you are always looking forward to the moment you are able to put out a full project for the world to enjoy. I am happy that this is what I am presenting to fans and supporters because I am truly proud of my evolution as an artist and I think this project truly showcases that.
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SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?
VALÉ: I am looking forward to touring and seeing everyone that I met on The Driver Era tour very soon! I love performing live, and I can't wait to be able to perform the full EP for everybody. Miss you all!
For even more on VALÉ, click HERE to discover everything we learned about her as our Woman Crush Wednesday.