Diandra Reviews It All

I am focusing on some of the best albums/ artists of the year; with talents that shined, not because of their natural gifts, but because of their enlightened messages. Entering this new decade, I feel like messages are going to be important, especially ones of hope and healing. Why? Because it looks like a lot of people are hurting or going to hurt, and the 2020’s will seemingly redefine a world avoiding that is has not defined itself so greatly. With Gaby Moreno, I took the opportunity to discuss, not only her work, which includes one of the best records this year, Spangled, but her purpose.

Diandra: What is you favorite childhood memory with music?

Gaby Moreno: I guess every time I got to be on stage, as a kid. I would do telethons in Guatemala, which were really fun for me. I would have my my mom pick outfits with me and practice dance moves with other kids. It was really fun.

Diandra: Looking at those moments, do you think it in someone’s nature to be a performer?

Gaby Moreno: It is about energy. You could go on that stage and say, “Nuh- uh! This is not for me” or you can feel like it everything for you. It was always there. I, honestly, always wanted to be an artist. If I quit tomorrow, I would be so lost. That is my calling. I was born to sing: nothing else.
Gaby Moreno & Van Dyke Parks – Across the Borderline (with Jackson Browne)

Diandra: In a world where “making it big” is so important, how do you keep you love pure for music?

Gaby Moreno: Because it is all about loving it. Loving to sing and make music. I moved to LA when I was 18, and there were plenty of moments that I thought I should just go home. I was a wedding singer for three years, and I loved it because I was doing what I want to do and getting paid, but others thought it was “low:” not “big” or “making it.” I don’t care about fame or fortune. Honestly, I don’t. I just want to do what I love. I just want to get up on stage and sing in front of people: whether it is 10 people at a bar or a thousand people in an arena. I just love it so much.

Diandra: How do you feel your role as an artist has changed you as a person?

Gaby Moreno: Music affects me, and I am constantly wanting to hear new sounds and voices. I love discovering new, old music. That has opened the doors for me to discover what I can offer the world, musically. The beauty of music is that its universal, which is why I love singing in Spanish and English.

As a person, I feel it has given me more confidence. On stage, I can just transform myself and be in the moment. That is so rare in this day and age. When an artist is on the stage, with the audience, it is a moment of communion. It is an energy you can’t explain. I don’t put on a show. On stage, it is me, but I get transformed within myself. I feel the music and I give myself to the audience. I feed off their energy and I give it back tenfold.

How would you describe the power and purpose of music?

Gaby Moreno: It transforms people. It changes people. It heals them. Music is a spiritual thing. Music has restored my faith in humanity every time I see a concert or anything related to art.
Gaby Moreno & Van Dyke Parks – The Immigrants

Diandra: Turning to the album, Spangled, what did it teach you about Latin American art and history?

Gaby Moreno: There were things I did not even know that Vandyke taught me. We discussing what songs to put in the album, and he introduced me to so many songs that I didn’t we had. He taught me to appreciate more my culture and our music’s impact on America.

Diandra: Did you have a favorite song?

Gaby Moreno: It would be Alma Llanera, which is like the second national anthem of Venezuela. It is a gorgeous song, and to be singing it with this gorgeous arrangement, it took it to another level.
Gaby Moreno – Millennium Stage (March 2, 2019)

Diandra: The album comes at a time when being Latinx feels dangerous in America. We are so judged and even attacked. Do you feel this album is an encourager to our people?

Gaby Moreno: Absolutely! I feel so blessed to be apart of my community, and to transmit messages of hope and heart through my art. As an immigrant, I feel there is a responsibility to speak up and sing to such topics. I want to be a voice for the voiceless, and let everyone know that we are human beings that deserve respect, dignity, and empathy.

Diandra: Do you feel Spangled protests against hate?

Gaby Moreno: In a way! There are only two songs that are in protest, so it is not that it is political. Yet, the album is a celebration of Latin America, and it has songs from Brazil and Venezuela and all over.

When I see the impact music has on people, it lifts. It brings people together. It measures the soul, which is what our community needs right now: with so many of us feeling battered. Artists are like doctors; creating beauty to make souls feel like they can be in a better place.
Los Peces en el Rio – Gaby Moreno

Diandra: Doctor Gaby Moreno! (Gaby laughs!) So what was your favorite memory of making this album?

Gaby Moreno: Vandyke Parks made me feel like my voice was another instrument. It was such a good challenge because I did not know my voice could sing in such ways. I was singing differently songs, and I grew in understanding of my voice. It is a project unlike any other I have done in my life. It got me out of my comfort zone.

Diandra: So how do you feel Spangled represents where you are, now, in life?

Gaby Moreno: I think it represents a more sensitive me. Someone that is more receptive to what is going around her. These songs are really emotional for me, especially when I think of how immigrant are being treated in the United States. I feel these songs so deeply.

For More Information On Gaby Moreno And To Buy Spangled Click Here