“Just a boy was written because sometimes you get hurt in past relationships and that ruins your ability to trust or depend on somebody or rely on their word so the main theme of the song was that you have this person who’s telling you that you can trust them and you are unsure because of your past.” tells us Alaina Castillo while we are listening to the awesome track out of her upcoming EP the voicenotes. We also talked to her about her about her aim to make people feel better when listening to her music and why she decided to also sing the EP both in English and Spanish.
I am just listening to your song „just a boy“ – it´s awesome. You said that the track came out of a part of your mind that doubted and thought too much. Tell us more about it…
First, thank you so much! So glad you like it. ♥︎ Second, just a boy was written because sometimes you get hurt in past relationships and that ruins your ability to trust or depend on somebody or rely on their word so the main theme of the song was that you have this person who’s telling you that you can trust them and you are unsure because of your past. It’s like that moment whenever you decide to trust somebody or to let the damage from before control your future relationships.
Do you also play the guitar on this track?
Romans, my producer, played the guitar for the whole EP. He would sit and just play different chords until we found one that we really vibed with.
The song is out of your upcoming EP „the voicenotes“ ( release 24.04) What´s the meaning of the title?
The meaning behind the voicenotes EP is that it’s those moments whenever you get an idea for a song or whenever you’re overcome with a feeling that you want to put into music and you take out your phone and you record a voice note just so you have it. I wanted to do something that was vulnerable and deep and would help people when they listen to it. The EP talks about things I struggle with and problems I am facing essentially to help me move on from those things or get them out into the open so that I can begin to heal from whatever I’m overthinking. I hope that whenever people listen to it they can just vibe with it or just escape and use it to help them as well.
“I hope that whenever people listen to it they can just vibe with it or just escape and use it to help them as well.”
What was your main inspiration in your song writing process for the EP? You said that you captured a sort of sadness on it?
For the voicenotes EP, it’s a lot different than the music that I already have out because it’s way more vulnerable and it goes through the things that have hurt me from my past and still effect me now. I wanted the songs to feel real and relatable because everyone goes through their own shitty situations so being able to make something that could connect with them and make them feel better was important to me because I know how much music helps me when I feel that way.
Do you get the best ideas for songs when you are in a melancholical mood?
I love being sad because the way I get over it or just accept it, is by singing. Even if I’m just vibing, there’s always a hint of me that’s a lil melancholic and that’s when we make the best songs. I don’t think being sad or melancholic is a bad thing if you have something to channel it into. Music is that channel for me and it lets me know that out of something that you thought was sad, comes something beautiful. There’s always another way to look at how you’re feeling and turn it into something nice.
The EP will appear in English and Spanish. Did you write the songs initially in English or Spanish? And how different does it feel for you to sing it in Spanish or English?
We initially wrote the EP in English but knew that we also wanted to sing it in Spanish because, for me, it’s important to include that side of who I am because then it can help more people escape and relate to the music. It does feel different switching between English and Spanish but they both have their own beautiful aspect that they add to the music.
“I don’t think being sad or melancholic is a bad thing if you have something to channel it into…There’s always another way to look at how you’re feeling and turn it into something nice.”
You have a very strong voice – have you had professional singing lessons or are you a self-taught singer?
I have been taking singing lessons for the past year and a half and love it because there are so many tips and tricks to learn for your vocals and I just want to keep improving.
Last book you read?
I can’t remember the last book I read but I think it was when I was watching game of thrones and wanted to see what the books were like so I read one of them randomly. It went into detail about everything so I decided if I wasn’t going to read all of them then I should just stick to watching the show so I didn’t have super high expectations for the details in the episodes.
Favourite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory was probably when we were spending the week at our family lake house and my parents took us out on the boat for the whole day and let us choose where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do. I remember it being really relaxing and fun and look back on it whenever I just want to relax.
What does love mean to you?
Love, to me, means unconditional support and comfort. There might be hard times or stressful situations but the thing that stays constant throughout that is the love. Fun, overpowering, perfect love.
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