Gibson celebrates the Bogotá artist redefining Latin indie with her cinematic, emotionally charged sound
Introducing Paula Pera, the latest addition to the Gibson Artist Spotlight program, dedicated to showcasing and supporting exceptional emerging talent around the world. Hailing from Bogotá, Paula Pera is a Colombian singer-songwriter fusing indie-rock, retro pop, and Latin American “música de plancha” (a genre often associated with dramatic ballads from the 1970s through to the 90s) into a melancholic yet powerful sound.
We caught up with Paula to find out more about her background, influences, favourite guitars, and upcoming projects. Read on for the full interview and visit her Gibson Artist Spotlight Profile to learn more.
How would you describe your music?
“I describe my music as nostalgia pop. Nostalgia is probably the feeling I turn to most when I write because I feel it’s one of the most wonderful emotional states we can experience. There’s something joyful and sad about it at the same time: it’s feeling happiness about something that happened, but also the melancholy of knowing that it has already passed. And I think there’s also such a thing as nostalgia for the future—for something that hasn’t happened yet, but that we imagine and hope might someday come to be. That’s why nostalgia is a fundamental element of my music, not only in the lyrics, but also in the way I build the sounds and atmospheres of my songs.”
What is your favorite Gibson guitar?
“My favorite guitar is my Gibson L-00. It sounds incredible both acoustically and when I plug it in and amplify it. It has that character of the guitars I used to hear in 90s music, from artists like The Cure or Fiona Apple, who are influences I absolutely love. What I love most about the L-00 is its versatility. It can sound very bluesy, but at the same time, it can have a very folk, intimate, and warm character. I feel like it adapts incredibly well to the way I write and play.
“The day I received my Gibson was one of the most important days of my life. I had never had the opportunity to own a guitar of that caliber. Ever since I was very young, I dreamed of owning a Gibson because so many of the artists I admired, like Slash from Guns N’ Roses, played Gibson guitars. For me, it felt like fulfilling a dream for that 15-year-old girl who wanted to be a musician and played a secondhand guitar. To now own such a special Gibson, with such a clean sound and so much personality, is still something that makes me incredibly emotional.”
What has been the most important moment of your music career so far?
“Just a week ago, I sold out my first theater show as a solo artist in Bogotá, with around 500 people. I’ve had the opportunity to perform on incredible stages, like Estéreo Picnic, and to open a show at Movistar Arena, but working for months on a new album and then seeing a theater full of people singing my songs was truly
unforgettable. I think that has been my biggest highlight so far. But I also feel that my truly big moment is still ahead of me. I’m working to keep growing, reach more people, and build a career that I can be proud of for many years to come.”
What artist or producer would you dream of collaborating with, and why?
“My dream collaboration would be with Julieta Venegas. I feel that our music has certain things in common, and her approach to pop has always been a major inspiration for me. I admire her immensely as a Latin American artist and, especially, for building such a solid and powerful career while maintaining such a distinct musical identity. It would be a true honor to share a song with one of my dream artists and find a meeting point between our two worlds.”
What does being part of the Gibson Artist Spotlight program mean to you?
“For me, being part of Gibson Artist Spotlight means receiving a beautiful sign that I’m doing things right and that my contribution to Spanish-language music has a place within the music ecosystem. I feel deeply honored and also a little surprised, because Gibson is a brand that has been part of the history of so many artists I admire. To feel its support and confidence in my project today means so much to me. My career is still just beginning, so receiving this recognition at this point feels like a dream come true and, at the same time, an enormous motivation to keep building my path.”
What’s coming up next for you?
“There’s a lot of new music coming. I’m working on collaborations with artists and friends I admire immensely, especially from Bogotá, as well as a collaborative album. More information coming soon. In a few weeks, I’ll be performing at Festival Cordillera in Colombia, which is another stage I’m incredibly excited about. I also want to continue expanding my music into other territories. At the beginning of this year, I was in Mexico writing and working with incredible artists, and I hope to continue developing those connections and taking my project further and further. I feel like I’m entering a period with a lot of momentum: new music, new collaborations, new stages, and a strong desire to keep growing without losing the essence of what I do.”
Learn more about Paula Pera via her Gibson Artist Spotlight Profile and follow her on Instagram.
