While I was sipping on a coffee in the waiting area, I noticed a magazine with promising artists on the rack. It really does something to see that a major record label also has an eye for up-and-coming talent. I was curious if Gabriel Rios would have the same effect on me. On stage, he's definitely a hunk with sex appeal, guts and brains. Where did the idea come from to release a new song every month? Gabriel Rios: "The idea came about very naturally. We didn't really think much about it. Originally, I moved to New York to write new songs. I wanted to be in a place where people spoke English, because I thought it would change my music. Just being there. In a big city. I started playing at Rockwood Music Hall, a kind of café where you can find a lot of singer-songwriters. Every two weeks, we'd practice there over the weekend and then we'd play new songs. From this, the idea came to try out a new song and release it every month. It's much more fun than feeling the pressure of an album and then releasing a single. Now everyone gets the chance to get to know the songs first, because it goes slower and each song gets a bit more attention. Instead of: 'Here's the album.' It also wasn't finished yet. We had recorded six songs. We could release them slowly, and six months later, we could record six more." "I would feel much more pressure if I had to have everything ready all at once."■ ■You didn't feel any pressure then? Gabriel Rios: "I didn't feel any pressure at all because we had already been playing the songs for two years. They were already ready, so I didn't have any pressure like: 'What if month seven comes and I don't have a song?' I knew all the songs were ready. We had played them a lot and they were second nature to us. I would feel much more pressure if I had to have everything ready all at once. It also gives people a completely different feeling. With an album, I'm not always sure what people are going to think of it. This was our way to stay excited, and hopefully, get the audience excited too." What are your expectations for this new album? Gabriel Rios: "I just expect people to hear what I hear. That's enough for me. And hopefully, I won't have to look for a regular job afterwards. (laughs)." So you don't see this as a job? Gabriel Rios: "Actually, no. It is hard work, but it's not a job. It's just my work and it's something I feel very comfortable with." "I don’t think any of my songs had ever been played on a commercial pop station before."■ ■A year ago, you released your first song 'Gold' to the public. What were your expectations back then? Gabriel Rios: "I loved the song and I was pretty excited because it had been three years since I had released anything. It was also different from what I had done before. But honestly, I had no idea it would go anywhere. The song was immediately played on various radio stations, even on commercial ones. Because it's not always easy to get a soft, acoustic song on a hit station, for example. And that was a surprise. I don’t think any of my songs had ever been played on a commercial pop station before. So it exceeded my expectations. I loved the song myself, but you never know what’s going to happen. So I didn’t let myself be led by expecting too much in advance. But I was happy with what happened. I also got a lot of attention for the idea and it made everyone curious about the other songs." What is the difference between this album and your previous work? Gabriel Rios: "This album is more driven by the songs themselves. It's much more singer-songwriter. It's more stripped down and raw because we recorded everything live in a room with the three of us, instead of recording everything separately and then piecing it together. It's more realistic. It's just cello, bass, guitar and vocals. I think it's more direct."  Credits Michael Sewandono. I indeed hear a lot of cello and also double bass on the album. Where did that idea come from? Gabriel Rios: "I met these musicians, Ruben Samama and Amber Docters van Leeuwen, in New York. This married couple was used to playing with Jef Neve and came from a completely different background: jazz and classical music. Somehow, I met them, and we started playing together. Immediately, I had the feeling that this could be something special. The cello makes people stop and listen closely to the songs. The cello adds incredible power. Of course, it has to be played by someone like Amber, she's an exceptional cellist. It was the perfect combination for this kind of music." "Usually, I don’t have lyrics and I just start singing, like a kid playing with their toys."■ ■I’m always curious about how someone comes up with their songs. Where do you find the inspiration to create a song? Gabriel Rios: "Actually, I don’t really know. You don’t just stumble upon something by accident. It’s also something I do every day—a desire to create something. And what do I use? I use everything. Everything that’s inside me and everything I see around me. And it’s not really structured, it’s very chaotic. I wake up, grab my guitar, pretend and sing some nonsense. And sometimes something happens. But it doesn’t work if I plan it. And sometimes it totally doesn’t work and I end up with twenty songs that are no good. Maybe one out of ten is good. But I keep trying and it remains strange because I don’t know when it will happen. Usually, I don’t have lyrics and I just start singing, like a kid playing with their toys. You just make a story. That’s it. And that often leads to something else, which then takes me to something else. But it doesn’t happen all at once. Here and there, you gather little new pieces over months and bit by bit, this slowly becomes a new song. Then I lie to myself, saying it’s actually pretty good, I keep believing that lie and after a while, it becomes the truth." You studied art. Has this influenced your music? Gabriel Rios: "I think it’s all part of a whole. I’m addicted to making things. So whether it’s a painting or a song, it comes from a hunger to not sit still. I can’t sit still and always want to be doing something. But I don’t know if my studies have helped with this. Maybe they help me make my songs sound more than just pop music. I have high expectations for my songs. Even in the pop world, some songs can be works of art. So maybe I look at music in a different way." Which do you like most? Making a song or performing for an audience afterwards? Gabriel Rios: "Both. They’re very different. When it’s time to record a song, to curl up in a cocoon and finish an album, I love that. But once that’s done and I’ve had enough of it, I want to perform for people. It’s all very different. Luckily, we didn’t do that with this new album because we played live for an audience for two years in New York before we recorded anything. So we recorded the songs live. Last summer, I mostly played at festivals, and it feels great to perform songs that are finished." "For me, they’re just songs. And it can be anything."■ ■Is the stage at a festival different from that of a concert hall? Gabriel Rios: "Yes, you have to give much more at a festival. You also have to reach the people at the back, and that’s difficult because my music is very raw and calm. But somehow, I think people do want to hear this kind of music. Because if I want to hear it, there will surely be a percentage of people who want to hear it too." I also hear a lot of passion in your music. Where does this passion come from? Gabriel Rios: "You either have it, or you don’t. And where it comes from, I don’t know. But I do think everyone has some kind of passion. And if you don’t do anything with it, it will explode." Your music is often described as Latin-pop. But how do you describe your own music? Gabriel Rios: "How would you describe it? It’s different. It’s definitely not Latin-pop for me. This album is definitely not Latin. I don’t actually describe it at all. People can describe it, but I don’t want to think about it. For me, they’re just songs. And it can be anything. It could change tomorrow, so I don’t waste time putting it in a box. That’s not important." "We played as the opening act for Stromae in France this summer."■ ■You've been living in Belgium for a while now. Do you want to go back to New York later? Gabriel Rios: "I don’t know. Hopefully, to play. But right now, I want to focus on Europe. There are a few countries where we want to release the album, like France, Germany and some neighbouring countries. Also, the Netherlands. So, I actually have enough work here. So, at the moment, I’m not really thinking about going back, maybe sometime next year." Are you going to tour in Europe as well? Gabriel Rios: "Hopefully. This is the first time I’m releasing an album in several countries. So, I hope we can play in some foreign clubs and see what their reaction is. It’s pretty exciting because it’s the first time I’m doing this. I’m ready to play for different kinds of audiences and see what they say. It’s fun to play for people who don’t know you. We played as the opening act for Stromae in France this summer. And no one knew even one song, so you have to win them over from the very start. It’s not easy, but I enjoy it." And can you convince them? Gabriel Rios: "Sometimes it works. At first, you see their faces, and you can tell they’re thinking, 'What is this? Is this really going to last an hour?' (laughs) But after a while, I see some of the faces change – not always, of course – but the best moment is when you surprise someone and you hit them. You can see it when you’re playing. It doesn’t always happen, but those are the moments I love the most." "But I’m really slow, so it takes a lot of practice to create a song that moves people."■ ■What will the future bring? Gabriel Rios: "I hope a lot of fun, playing and making music. I mainly want to dive deeper into my songs. But I’m really slow, so it takes a lot of practice to create a song that moves people. But that's what I want to do. Apart from this, I also want to have a normal life, because otherwise I don’t think it works. So these are two very different things. A normal life and performing for people. Performing and making music gives a lot of energy and then it’s often hard to return to normal life. But I hope to have both. We’ll see what happens. (laughs) Because I also love staying busy. I really want to play. And sometimes it’s hard to have a normal life when you just want to play music all the time. It’s a tricky balance, I think, but I’m looking forward to trying to find the right balance." Video: Gabriel Rios - Gold. Credits YouTube GabrielRiosVEVO @GabrielRiosVEVO. 
Hanan I travel the world to find unexpected stories. 23 September 2014 updated 13 November 2024 You Might Like This
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