Kordelya – Mal Hecha

By starrymag | August 6, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound? 

A) I take sound bites of my daily life and sample a lot of little sounds into my tracks. One time the garbage truck outside the window bled into the mic and it felt right so I left it in the track. It’s a big mix of samples like these I’ve collected, dark synths and acoustic instruments I find interesting.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) At the moment it’s a lot of Little Dragon, Bad Bunny and Refs

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Pedazo De.”

A) It’s about a person that has a hold on you and is using you with their manipulative charm and tricks. The literal meaning is “A piece of…” which plays upon self-worth and the notion that you are not a piece (of meat) of anything or anyone. If they treat you like a quick snack and not the whole meal, get out of there.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to? 

A) The honesty in the lyrics is what I’ve heard people have latched on to. It’s one of those tracks that I’m a bit embarrassed by my parents listening to it because of the intimate details, but at the same time I’m glad to be connecting with people that have felt this way or are feeling this way.

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) It’s a story of revenge that you, in turn, have to save yourself from.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) I definitely record a lot of voice memos and write song seeds in my notes with toplines and beat ideas that I later develop music for. It usually comes together when I’m making a beat or playing keys and I remember a certain song idea that would go well with the feel of the track. It’s very much a “chicken or the egg” situation where I don’t ever really know whether the topline or the music came first.

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) My two hands. [smiles]

Q) What are some themes you explore on your new debut album Mal Hecha? 

A) It about learning to love yourself, even when that includes your imperfections. Each track talks about the different ways that we can be “mal hechos” (badly made), but also a realization that these qualities are what make us unique. That sometimes it’s important to know when to work toward overcoming these flaws and when to celebrate them.

Q) What songs of the album hold a special place in your heart and why?

A) “Mal Hecha,” to this day, is tough to sing out loud, to be honest. It’s just the feeling of not being good enough for someone you look up to. A toxic cycle with that someone that isn’t capable of showing you that they care in a healthy way, but you still yearn for their approval even if it hurts.

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to this album as a whole?

A) A feeling of self-empowerment in knowing that imperfections can be beautiful too.

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you? 

A) I grew up in Monterrey, Mexico and was born in Houston, Texas. So, those two cities mean a lot to me.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) It’d be cool to do a bilingual track with Little Dragon.

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) I’m currently listening to Bad Bunny’s new album LAS QUE NO IBAN A SALIR. I love the spontaneity with which he released it. I dig him because he is very laid back and honest.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) My favorite part is knowing their different interpretations of a song that they connect with. “s a l u d o s” is probably the one that I’ve heard the most completely different stories and reasons to why they like it.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Hang in there, better times ahead. Thank you for listening. [smiles]