From lullabies to R&B bops, Alaina Castillo is the bilingual pop star transporting us to a parallel universe
Alaina Castillo is the ASMRist-turned-R&B songwriter with over 150 million listeners worldwide, who after releasing her debut LP Parallel Universe Part 1, is using her latest track to translate painful experiences into dark and trippy melodies.
After taking time out from her busy schedule, 21-year old, bilingual pop star, ALAINA CASTILLO, appears on my Zoom screen wearing a lilac fleece that complements the rainbow streaks in her hair. I could already feel the sunshine and positivity radiating through my computer screen, transporting me from an overcast England to sunny LA. Castillo tells me how vital fashion is to her as a visual person: “Fashion is very important to me, it’s another way for me to express my creativity as well as through my music.” Although the pop star doesn’t have a particular muse, her effortless fashion sense perfectly matches the trippy and mesmerising quality of her music.
Last month, Castillo released her latest track, Wish You Were Here, a song of soft melodies and harmonies emotively portraying the pain of losing someone that you once relied on. It is impressive to see the development in the young artist’s career from singing covers on YouTube to releasing her debut EP, Antisocial Butterfly. “My music has developed so much,” Castillo admits. “Back then, I was trying to find my sound by just going to the studio and making music. But now, I think my music has developed alongside my personality. Now it’s a lot darker and I’m including a lot more elements in the production to tell a story.”
As our conversation continues, we chat about Pocket Locket, a song that combines her smooth sound and whimsical style, and is accompanied by some transportive otherworldly visuals in its music video. Castillo oozes confidence, the video’s transitions as seamless as the vocals and catchy melodies. The concept is escapism, and that the pressures and pain of life can be escaped through the medium of music. “When I was growing up and wanted to escape from reality for a second I would go up to my room and sing karaoke for hours,” she tells me. Castillo’s go-to cathartic karaoke track? ADELE’S tear-jerker cover of Make You Feel My Love. “When it came to making parallel universe pt. 1, it made sense to put into lyrics and music how escaping reality to a parallel universe can help you become your most confident self and I wanted to celebrate how I’ve been learning to speak up with my voice.”
The rising pop star always felt a pull towards the creative arts. Deviating from the academic path her family encouraged, in 11th grade she set up her own YouTube channel. “I’m someone who needs to experience low lows in order to realise what I want and wake up from that and that’s what happened to me in 11th grade,” Castillo explains. “I realised it was just music for me, I didn’t care what my family or friends thought, it was the career I wanted.” Castillo’s first success came in the medium of ASMR, helping those suffering from insomnia through tracks of her soft lullabies. However she admits that it was difficult being taken seriously as a pop star having initially come from internet fame. “It has been a bit difficult switching from making Youtube videos to doing your own music and everyone has to jump on to something that’s totally different,” she tells me. “But what’s been fun about it is I’ve just felt so close to the people who are listening to me. It has also been a bit of trial and error and discussions with my audience to find out what they like and want to listen to. I definitely feel a responsibility to make music for the people.”
Despite Castillo’s calm and confident performances and her infectiously happy presence on stage, she identifies as an introvert and has found her rise to fame and success challenging and overwhelming at times. Yet she powers through, endeavouring “to go out into those situations and put out the positivity that you want to get back.” A lesson we could all learn from. We discussed in depth the pressures that come with working in a competitive industry and how to navigate possibly uncomfortable situations, in more ways than one. “Stay consistent with everything you do,” she proclaims. “It’s your vision and your art and if people are going to tell you to do things differently, you started it and you’re going to finish it.”
Promoting inclusivity, Castillo is passionate about making music for her fans who speak languages other than English. “Singing really helped me learn Spanish and I was very proud that I learnt to speak it on my own,” she explains. “At first, people said Spanglish wasn’t really a thing but now I think it is more accepted. I love to sing in Spanish because my fans who also speak Spanish can find a new meaning in the song. I think a lot of people were told if you grow up speaking Spanish then you’re invalid and things like that. That’s what I went through. So I wanted to convey a message that you’re not invalid.”
As the afternoon rolls on, we discuss what is next for the young artist. Castillo tells me of her dream to one day collaborate with BILLIE EILISH, and of her upcoming live performances - something all of us are certainly looking forward to in the near future. “In September, I’m going to be at the Life is Beautiful festival in Las Vegas which will be really fun! I’m also going on tour in November and working on releasing a few songs to accompany the ones I’ve already got in parallel universe pt. 1. So, lots to be excited about!” And excited, we are.
Alaina Castillo’s parallel universe pt. 1 is out now on Spotify and Apple Music.
Photography by BRIAN ZIFF
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