First off, let’s get it out of the way: STELLA is the daughter of Carlos Santana. But don’t expect any wild guitar solos or vintage rock vibes. “Friends” is her first music video, and it’s an entrancing introduction to her dreamy, soulful sound.
“I come from generations of musicians which obviously includes my father,” she explains. “I feel like I have all of their musical powers combined with my own. It’s very important to me to be responsible with my gift, but I also recognize it as my own, passed down through others who made it their own.”
She doesn’t hide her family history, but she also doesn’t want it to define her. “As people, it’s natural to make pre-conceived judgments or create ideas about things before we know about them so I don’t really worry about it too much,” she says. “I don’t fault people for their reactions because my father has indeed had some tremendous accomplishments, but I also know how to create the necessary boundaries to make sure I protect myself.”
With gorgeous vocals and euphoric production, “Friends” should establish STELLA as a unique artist worth looking out for, and it should also spread a little much-needed positivity. “I was going through a break-up,” STELLA says, “and I was sick of writing about it. So I wrote about what it might be like to vibe with someone else. I decided that I was going to focus on what I wanted for the future and moving forward instead of dwelling on my disappointments.”
Check out the Teek-directed video for “Friends” above, catch STELLA live at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City on February 23, and keep up with her on SoundCloud and Facebook.
