Diandra Interviews Pecas: How Comfort Confines Creativity

Talking to Pecas was like speaking to an old friend. She brims with a precocious wisdom; measuring her words but sparking them with excitement. It is as if she paces her inspiration so as to capture it, and put it into a presence and performance that, literally, stretches her body and soul. Thus, it was not surprise that our interview ended up in a deeper discussion on what is the “tortured” artist. 

Diandra: Your new EP is titled “After Dark.” What do you feel, about the dark, invites people to  “free” themselves more?

Pecas: Well, it had two meanings for me. After Dark was in a dark period in my life. I was in a 5 year relationship, and we had just broken up. I was working a lot, at the time, to distract myself, and the only time I had was at night. I would get home, and have time to myself. It was the first time, in my time in the city, when I had time for me, and I was like, “Wow, this kind of cool! I’m finally figuring out who I am.” The nighttime became a time for me to figure out my cool and “my swag.”

Diandra: Do you feel your heartbreak fueled your creativity? 

Pecas: Heartbreak is always a fuel for creativity, unfortunately. You don’t want to have to depend on it for creativity, but its like….. (she pauses as if to ponder the importance of pain as creative fuel.). It’s like you are comfortable in something like a relationship or a job or whatever. Then, it ends, and, suddenly, you become aware of so many things around and within you. It’s like thinking the world is “this way,” and, when it gets flipped, you think, “What the f**k?” I know nothing!” It is like being reborn.

Diandra: I never saw it that way. Pain as a “rebirth.”

Pecas: Yeah, I am constantly being reborn, and it is scary, in a way, because a lot of people do not want an artist to change. They want us to be consistent, but you have to go on to the next thing.

Diandra: So what, of your new music, do you already see is different? 

Pecas: It might not be THAT different. I am experimenting more with the 80’s. I want it to be more of a dance record: an Arthur Russell kind of thing. I want to do dance music that is mellow, but everything is in works. I have a few demos, and I see it all in my head, but it is in the works.

I want to experiment with vocal effects and talk-singing, and, for me, it is all experimenting with my identity. I already have a theme. I want to the album to be me talking to myself, and the person I am talking to has a lower voice.That person is going to be creeping in and out of songs, and will be “me.”

Diandra: So going off the ideas of “identity” and “experimentation,” do you feel how you measure your personal growth is essential to your creativity?

Pecas: Absolutely!  Anytime when I have been in a comfortable situation, I never created, which is weird because I am someone that loves comfort. Yet, if I stay in a situation, for too long, it deprives me of this other thing.  Everyone wants comfort! Everyone wants a home and things, but there is so much out there to see and people to be. You can, literally, be anyone so why limit yourself to an identity? You need to grow.

Diandra: Interesting! You kind of then go back to the first question, which is whether pain and/or awareness fuels creativity?

Pecas: Well, it is always about letting go, and finding the “new thing.” Letting go is a huge part of life, and that is the thing that hurts. It is about learning to let go of things, seeing them from the outside, and riding that emotional wave. That is where creativity comes.

Diandra: So let me go with a basic question. What is the inspiration behind your name? 

Pecas: Well, it came because I am the only ginger in my Spanish family. I have all these freckles, and I had more when I was younger. I always reacted more to my Spanish side, and it was always something that I carried with me strongly: my family in Spain and my identity. I was six years old in Madrid, when, “Boom! We live in Upstate New York!” It was the first time I learned the idea of “loss” and “identity,” and I wanted to keep that part of me. So I called myself: Pecas. 

Diandra: You do know that “pecas” means sin in plural? Did you ever consider that meaning as your name? 

Pecas: You know I looked it up, and I was like cool if people see it that way because “pecas,” freckles, is so innocent. Yet, “sins” is badass, and I think it fit more with the vibe. You know “Everyody sins! Sexy!” (She laughs)

Diandra: So how has your Spaniard roots influenced your music?

Pecas: I am trying to get back to writing in Spanish. I am always so critical of myself when writing lyrics in English. I always feel I can do better, but, in Spanish, I do not care as much. I forgive myself, and do not think as much. It is like having a new instrument; you just pick it up and feel less critical with yourself because you know you are learning. I think it is also sexy. All the artists performing, tonight, are also Latinx or Spanish speaking. (Interview was at her Elsewhere show.)

Diandra: It is crazy to be living in a time with an administration that is Anti-Latino, but also have such a surge of Latin cultural influences in American music and media? 

Pecas: It is a push-back. For every action, there is a reaction.

Diandra: Well, going back to the music. Your sound has often been described as “bedroom,” which is often used like, “bedroom pop” or “bedroom R&B.” How do you draw such a notion into your sound?

Pecas: Well, I never really thought of myself as “bedroom” beyond the fact that I create music in my bedroom. That is something I am trying to break out of; “I am in the bedroom, and TRYING TO GET OUT!” (She laughs) I want people to dance more and engage with my music. I want to dance and be present with people, and I am trying to do that more with my performance. When we started playing these songs, I was really quiet and didn’t move a lot. I kept on looking down at my feet. Yet, it is hard to go from your bedroom to the stage, and make people move, but I am working on it. 

Diandra: Well, I think you are defined as “bedroom” because your music can be so quiet rather than being “in their face” like BAM!

Pecas: Well, I want to be like, “BAM! Got you bitch!” (she laughs)