Angelina Cara Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Angelina Cara is a fantastic artist with a recent single, "Round 2", that I can't stop listening to. I am so excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss the single and more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Angelina Cara visits Section 36 Music!

I really enjoy your recent single, “Round 2”. What can you tell me about it?

"Round 2" is a song about fun, girly, rekindled romance. It's unserious and playful and based on a personal rekindled romantic experience I had. During that experience, I was really into Magdalena Bay. I adored their production, so I wanted to channel that super girly, electric feel into my music and see where that would take me. I wanted the song to be a celebration of the feelings I felt and the simple pleasure of having young romance in life.

Do you have a favorite memory from the recording process?

I think my favorite memory would have to be when I decided I wanted to collaborate with my friend Melany Sanchez on the track. Early on I knew I wanted to have some kind of feature in the second half of the song because I couldn't personally think of something else I could add to make the track pop. I knew I wanted something fast and rhythmic, and my first thought was a rap. I looked into the idea of finding a female rapper to feature but didn't find much success in that. Flash forward to around 6 maybe 7 months later, I've taken a break from the song but relistened to it after showing it to my new close friend Melany, who makes Latin Fusion music. We were showing each other some of our upcoming projects and random recordings, and she showed me this one recording she did of a freestyle for fun, and I adored it. That sparked the idea for me that I should have her featured, and we proceeded to record her verse in Detroit in the upcoming months. It was the best impulsive decision I made for the song.

How would you say that release compares to your earlier offering, “Silence”?

This track is definitely very different from "Silence," and that was intentional. "Silence" is gritty, dark, and punchy while "Round 2" is girly, pink, and bubbly. I wanted "Round 2" to be as obnoxiously girly as possible, kind of like Doja Cat’s track “Agora Hills”. As an artist who grew up listening to many different types of music, that reflects in my creations. I strive to experiment with genre and play with every and any sound I could possibly imagine. You’ll see even more variation in my upcoming works :)

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

Well, to mention a few of my recent favorite and most inspiring famous artists would be Magdalena Bay, Glass Animals, Thundercat, Sammy Rae and The Friends, and many many more. But truly, I think the people who influence my music the most are my friends and collaborators. Especially at Berklee I’m surrounded by incredible talent, and because of that I find myself constantly finding new ways of creating, fresh sounds, and new perspectives.

What is the most challenging part of your music career?

Definitely balancing everything. Being a smaller independent artist means you are your own manager, booking agent, marketer, all while still creating the art. It can be quite overwhelming if you’re not careful with your planning and time management. I’ve definitely grown a lot this past year with balancing myself, but I’m still learning and growing every day.

What are your immediate musical goals?

My most recent immediate musical goal is to be gigging and performing more. In Valencia I had the opportunity to do a 30 minute original set at “Un Lago De Conciertos” which is an outdoor music series Berklee Valencia does next to the park near campus. It was such a rewarding experience, and I have plans to do many more performances in Boston this upcoming year.

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More music would definitely be a good thing!

As always, I want to thank Angelina for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview.

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again, Angelina, and good luck reaching your goals!

Angelina Cara Releases Debut Single “SILENCE” Music Video

Rising independent artist Angelina Cara makes new leaps in her career with her recently released debut music video for her debut single “SILENCE”. The music video, shot in Valencia Spain this past March, marks an exciting addition to her professional portfolio as a young artist. 

“SILENCE” is a gritty, alternative-pop track that captures the chaos of struggling with intrusive thoughts. Co-produced with L.A. based producer Daniel Galicia, the track is filled with punchy and unexpected production details, making it all the more immersive for the listener. It was featured as “Song of the Week” on WDET (Detroit radio) during Chris Campbell’s show “The Progressive Underground”. In the featured segment, Chris expressed his thoughts on the track: 

“’SILENCE,’ showcases her intricate electronic craftsmanship and artistic versatility. It’s a captivating piece highlighting why she’s becoming a standout voice in Detroit’s vibrant music scene.” 

Because of the success Angelina found with her debut release and the strong visual world she carefully crafted to market the piece, she recognized the great potential the track had for a visually stunning music video. After finding director Annette Milburn’s work through loose connections within Berklee, she reached out proposing the track for collaboration. It immediately captured Annette's attention and the project was born. 

After months of meticulous planning, multiple drafts, and careful budgeting, it was decided that Annette and cinematographer/editor Rapheal Edwards would be flown out to Valencia Spain - where Angelina was studying abroad for her 4th semester at Berklee - to location scout and film the piece within 6 days during the middle week of March. This timeframe landed perfectly during the peak of the city’s iconic festival “Las Fallas”, a traditional festival held every March in Valencia known for its spectacular displays of art, fire, and noise. The festival concludes with the burning of the “Falla” statues - intricate and vibrant sculptures built throughout the city for the celebration. 

The “SILENCE” music video features striking visuals from vast unique locations within Valencia and footage from the burnings of the Falla, both enhanced with fantastical visual effects. In just three days of shooting, Angelina was shot delivering an emotional, stunt-filled performance in six different stunning looks carefully planned by Annette and Angelina. Inspired by modern cinematic masterpieces such as the hit Apple TV series “Severance” and several of Billie Eilish’s music videos, the video offers eerie, unexpected, and experimental visuals to capture the track’s unique production. The storyline follows Angelina on a journey as she runs from various “versions” of herself - representing the intrusive thoughts that haunt her.

The music video has already found success on YouTube and will soon be released on streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. 

Angelina extends her thanks to her collaborators and looks forward to releasing more music and visuals in the future, continuing to expand what she calls her cinematic universe.