Salomé Perez is our special interview for Harbinger Magazine. Salome is a creative, unique person as you will see in this interview. Let’s go straight to the Questions. Thank you, Salome, for doing this interview with us.
Thank you guys!
Tell us where you were born and where do you live today?
I was born in Colombia, but was raised moving between Colombia, Venezuela, Los Angeles, and for the largest part of my childhood, Miami, Florida. I moved to NYC as soon as I finished high school. I kind of came here on a whim and without a plan, running away from a lot of stuff back home. I didn’t ever expect I’d be able to stay for long and make a life here but it’s been two and a half years since and I’m still here now.
When and how did you discover the Ode To Quetzalcoatl LP?
I don’t quite remember to be honest, I remember seeing Morning Sun on a sort of psychedelic folk playlist and immediately fell in love with it, I was around fifteen at the time. I went to the album on spotify and listened all the way through and fell in love with the hero’s journey of it all. It came during a time in my life where I was experimenting with psychedelics for the first time, alone in my room, writing and meditating. It was a sort of moment of metamorphosis as I was coming to terms with my spiritual beliefs and artistic impulses. My family is very connected to the ritualized use of plant medicine in Colombia and the amazons, so I was accustomed to hearing psychedelic journey music known as “icaros”. For me, Ode to Quetzacoatl became like a personal Icaro, of my journey as a confused teenager in America, tripping and making art, loving folk and rock and roll.
Why did you choose to go into the studio and record a nice arrangement of Morning Sun featuring your voice?
I’ve always wanted to do it! Morning Sun has stayed my favorite throughout the years, it’s a song that brings me to the happiest moments of my life; from long sunset drives, to early mornings by the beach, falling in love, to that very feeling of living in awe and confusion of the world around me. It is a reminder that no matter where you are or what’s going on, there is beauty in each moment if you can find it. “We are so young at heart, and living is an art to be good at” is forever a part of how I live. In terms of the arrangement, I’ve always sung and wrote in my room for pleasure but actually making music and producing is a new endeavor that I’ve been so lucky to be able to take part in it with some really talented people.
We understand you were an intern in a music studio. What was the name of the studio? Would you talk about that studio and the friends who helped you with this production?
I was an intern at Electric Lady where I met all the people I work creatively with now. We all just happened to have very similar music tastes and a huge desire to create. Everything I’ve been working on is produced and engineered by Conner Deck, and mixed by Dani Perez. Carlos Ruiz is another producer and engineer who works with us on the majority of the projects as well, sometimes also playing piano, or even rapping. It’s been a lot of fun and super experimental, it will usually be Conner, Carlos, and I in the studio shooting ideas. We all listen to a lot of different genres with mixed influences and just kind of want to try everything. Recently, we’ve been recording at Thump Studios in Brooklyn, and I could not recommend that studio and the people running it enough. I’m truly just so grateful to be surrounded by really talented people, with big hearts and great vibes.
You recently produced an online Magazine. Could you Please share what your magazine is about, starting with the name title of your publication?
So the magazine is actually only available as a physical copy. It is titled “This Body of Words Is a Girl”, and it explores themes of identity and girlhood, essentially as a collection of journals from my adolescence, capturing what it’s like to come of age as a Latin-American woman and writer. The zine is sprinkled with easter eggs and references to my favorite albums, films, and even esoteric Tarot symbols. Through these elements, I address topics like love, identity, beauty, sexuality, the politics of growing up queer and undocumented in America, and the role of women in family and society. All from a very personal angle. The whole zine has a repeating theme of trying to “reach for something holy”—an attempt to find meaning and liberation while growing up in a politically and socially charged context. For me, it reflects my adolescent persistence to carve out a life path that felt truly free. It’s a journey I’m still on, and the more I write, the more I discover and unravel.
What is your vision of the future for you? Any plans?
Well, right now like I said, music is a new medium so I’m just excited to keep experimenting there. We’ve put out some electronic stuff under “SALOMÉ” as well as other types of spanish pop music. Morning Sun should be coming out soon. I really don’t feel tied to any genre or direction right now I feel really happy just exploring my taste and expressing the entirety of the human experience whether that’s love, connection to the divine, or simply partying and having a good time. In the long-run all I really want to do is to devote myself fully to artistry, whether it be writing songs, articles or journals. The pen is always at the center of my work.
Give us a link to your magazine and music.
Spotify, my website, and This Body of Words Is A Girl
Is there anything you want to say that we haven’t explored?
So many things!! I could truly talk for ages!! but I think we’ve covered a lot, so I really just want to say thank you <<3
– Dave Bixby
Dave Bixby 