By Kelly Bellucci

Currently on tour in support of his debut EP titled “Where The Moon Hides”, GARZA has successfully pushed past the boundaries of his previous work, and showcases his newfound freedom through the vibration of five new tracks. Envisioned by Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation, the project features a collection of accomplished artists and visionaries, fusing their individual styles together to create a multidimensional musical experience. “Where The Moon Hides” was released under Rob Garza’s personal Magnetic Moon Label, and has received nothing but high praise from a variety of sources including KCWR’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. The track spotlights the incredible vocals of EMELINE, and is paired with a dreamy music video which can be viewed HERE.

Eager to learn more about GARZA and his 2020 North American tour, BELLA connected with Rob Garza himself…

Where did the idea for the musical experience, GARZA come from?

So I initially started writing songs for other artists, but while I was doing that I kind of fell in love with the music I was writing. Instead of giving it to someone else I decided I wanted to create this type of project. I started working with a lot of young artists like EMELINE and Seann Bowe, and it just became a very collaborative experience. It was so much fun to create with different songwriters, producers, and singers. 

How would you describe the overall feel of your music?

I would say it has this sort of indie/electronic feel that is also very youthful, optimistic, and slightly whimsical. It’s different from my other band Thievery Corporation because with Thievery, we can be very socially and politically conscious. GARZA has a little tinge of pop within the tracks as well.

What can fans expect to see from your 2020 North American tour?

Well we have four members in the band and we’re doing songs from my first two EP’s while also throwing in some Thievery classics as well. The songs are more reimagined from that of Thievery Corporation so you'll be seeing something fresh.

Who inspires you as an artist?

I’m inspired by a lot of punk rock, jazz, and latin— so musicians such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, The Clash, and Public Enemy have definitely inspired me. Also artists like Burt Bacharach from the sixties. It really runs a full spectrum of people, I’m just very open when it comes to listening to music and taking in influences.

What would be a dream project for you?

I feel like this is kind of a dream project for me right now. I’m having a lot of fun! It’s nice to step outside of the ways that I typically create music and do something different. I like to compare it to being in a hot tub: being in a hot tub is nice, but you want to jump into the cold plunge every now and then. It’s nice to experiment with a lot of different genres and a lot of different artists.

For a complete list of tour dates and/or to purchase tickets to see GARZA live, visit www.garzasound.com.