Every Monday, Add of the Week unveils all the new songs going into the 88Nine on-air playlist, with one hand-picked selection put in the spotlight by music director Erin Wolf.
Born to Mexican and El Salvadoran parents, Los Angelean Angélica Garcia grew up with deep roots and musical influences formed right at home. Three years before she was born, her mother — an artist who performed under the name Angelica — scored a top 40 hit with her 1991 cover of the Rosie and the Originals' song, "Angel Baby”
The younger Angélica’s newest collection of music, Gemelo, sees Garcia shaking those roots free of the soil that initially nourished her to find her true self, untethered and unhindered by her past. Lead single “Color De Dolor” is an arresting glimpse into that self-awareness, with a clear view of an artist abandoning constructs and heritage to confront grief and find liberation.
Garcia shared that “Color De Dolor” explores the acknowledgement of grief in kaleidoscopic pop clarity. It’s also a testament to her life philosophy. “Color De Dolor” translates to “the color of pain,” and she said the song is an “anthem for processing how pain and beauty, rage and peace, sadness and joy all form the colors with which we render and process existence.”
“Grief is nuanced, and sometimes pain can be intertwined with beauty” she continued. “Gemelo is a body of work that explores the process of grieving — acknowledging the light and shadow within it. ‘Color De Dolor’ was the first song that was written for Gemelo. It's also the first song on the record where I face grief for what it is. I wanted ‘Color De Dolor’ to feel very textured and lush, like you're walking through a jungle. To me, its kaleidoscopic quality shows sadness and beauty.”
Indeed, “Color De Dolor” is encompassing and enveloping, much like the emotion of pain. And even though the song is sung completely in Spanish, the trembling timbre of Garcia’s voice conveys worlds with its words, laying bare a universal understanding. You can listen to it here and on 88Nine by tuning your FM dial in Milwaukee or streaming worldwide on our website and mobile app.
This week’s other adds
- Brigitte Calls Me Baby, "Eddie My Love"
- Mt. Joy, "Highway Queen"
- Hozier, "Too Sweet"
- The Black Keys, "On the Game"
