INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY CITLALLI ESQUIVEL ☆
IMAGINE YOURSELF AS THE LEADING LADY OF A TELENOVELA—The glamour, the drama, the emotions. It’s a world of romance and heartbreak, one that Quelle Rox effortlessly brings to life through her music. Originally from Florida and now based in New York City, Rox is an independent artist creating Spanglish bops for the girls who yearn to be loved, feel deeply and express their emotions through the beauty of two languages. Blending dreamy pop sounds with the nostalgic melodies of old-school boleros and jazz, her music carries a melancholic undertone, bringing stories of love and pain into something undeniably romantic.
On a chilly NYC day, Quelle sat down with Luna for a conversation about the Latina Starlet Noir. From defining her artistic identity and sharing the inspiration behind her sound to giving us the scoop on where to find our next pair of hoops, Rox opened up about her newest EP release and plans for the future.
LUNA: Thank you for sitting down with Luna today. Our readers would love to get to know who you are as an artist. For those who may be discovering your music for the first time, what inspires your artistry, and how would you describe the sounds and influences that shape your music?
QUELLE: For people just discovering me, I would say, first of all, I'm a Puerto Rican, Cuban, Latina artist. I'm from South Florida, based in Brooklyn now, and I make what I call Spanglish bops to cry to. My artistic identity is what I'm calling it now: Latina Starlet Noir, which is a mix of vintage Latin glamour from the past, like Maria Félix and Dolores del Río, and also a little bit of Italian cinema, Monica Bellucci, mixed with my Chonga identity.
Some of my inspirations for my music: I was listening to a lot of orchestral music and music from certain films like Houseboat, an old Hollywood film, and different sorts of orchestral sounds and Boleros. I have always felt like I have been living in my own telenovela. I love the idea of pairing beautiful instrumentation and pairing it with melancholy and sad lyrics—I feel like that’s a representation of what my music is.
LUNA: Your new EP, Princesa of Blues, arriving next month, feels like a blend of dream-pop and yearning. How would you say this project differs from your previous work, whether musically or in terms of the themes and emotions you explore?
QUELLE: You know, in my past projects, I’ve drawn a little more from my love of space and all things cosmic. That’s something I really love. With this project, I’ve started incorporating other things that really speak to me, like my love for vintage glamour, as well as my idols. I love Billie Holiday and how her music is so glamorous, but also tragic at the same time. There’s a sense of yearning in it that really speaks to me; each project allows me to get more and more in tune with my sound and my authenticity, and with this project, I would say it’s my best work yet.
I think it’s also just more luxurious and glamorous. There’s a dichotomy between the heartbroken lyrics I always write and the idea of finding your power at the same time. I end with “Págame Por Mis Lágrimas,” which is about a woman who’s heartbroken and has been done dirty, but ultimately comes to reclaim her power. She’s heartbroken, but she’s also coming to collect what’s owed to her.
So, it’s definitely a mixture of all those things, and I think that’s what growth is all about.
LUNA: Of all the tracks on your upcoming EP, which one felt the most personal to write, and what made that particular song so meaningful to you?
QUELLE: The most personal song to write was “Así Soy Yo.” It felt like a confession of all those messy, complicated or risky moments. You know, really embracing being complicated, giving in to your feelings, sending that text or diving into things that aren’t necessarily good for you. But also embracing the fact that this is who you are. But I’m also attached to “Págame Por Mis Lágrimas” because it was the last one I finished. I actually completed it pretty recently. I had been sitting on that track for a long time. I had the chorus, but I just couldn’t get the verses right. I couldn’t quite lock in what I really wanted to say.
The song actually started a long time ago, maybe about a year ago, when I wrote it from a sad place. The verses were really, really, really sad. Then I was in Paris, listening to a lot of orchestral music and French jazz, and I realized I wasn’t feeling as connected to the sadness surrounding this person or situation anymore. Instead of it being this sad song, it started to become more of a statement. It was like, “No, give me my money. Pay me for the time, the tears, and everything you put me through.”
Through listening to that orchestral music and really coming into my own, I was able to refine the lyrics into something more powerful, something that really speaks to where I am now.
LUNA: You spent the past summer in the beautiful city of Paris. Was there a particular experience or moment during your time there that inspired the creative direction or storytelling behind your new project?
QUELLE: Yeah, I mean, a lot of the project was already done at that point, and I was going through the release process. But, like I said, “Págame Por Mis Lágrimas” was still in the works. The visuals hadn’t been done yet, first of all, Paris was something that I had saved a lot of money to make happen. It was just one of those things where I felt like my spirit was calling me there. I had studied French throughout college, and I was always in love with French culture and the romance of it all. It’s like you’re living in your own novella. I desperately needed to have that experience.
So I went, and I originally intended to stay for just a month, but I ended up staying there all summer. It was a really transformative experience. First of all, I was traveling alone, so that was a beautiful experience in itself and a real opportunity for growth. It was just me and my doggy—shoutout to Cosmos!
While I was there, I listened to a lot of French jazz, which I’ve always loved, but I also listened to artists like Michel Legrand and Piero Piccioni. I was listening to that kind of beautiful, melancholic music, and it really allowed me to romanticize my life. I think a lot of my music is about romanticizing life. A lot of it is sad and melancholic. I’ve always written music that way because, ever since I was a kid, I never really wrote happy songs. They just didn’t creatively inspire me. I was always drawn to writing from a place of inner heartbreak, yearning, depression and anxiety. All of those things have helped me write music, and they still do.
But I like to romanticize those feelings because it makes them more glamorous. It allows me to express them and turn them into something beautiful, so I can look at the experience and think, “Oh, that’s why I got my heart broken: so I could create this beautiful piece of work.” I was visiting museums, sitting in cafés and allowing myself to be alone with my thoughts. I got to listen to beautiful music, meet beautiful people and practice my French. I think all of that allowed me to find the words for “Págame Por Mis Lágrimas” and create the visual world for it as well.
LUNA: What is something you wish those who listen to your music take from Princesa of Blues?
QUELLE: I hope that people listen and find relatability and comfort in knowing that they’re not the only ones who have felt the feelings that I feel. It’s such a beautiful thing when people message me and tell me that my music has helped them through heartbreak or depression. That’s the one thing that makes me certain I’m doing the right thing by pursuing this career.
Because this career is very hard to pursue, and honestly, any career, anything in life, is hard. It’s fucking hard, especially when you don’t come from money, right? If I’m being real. So, it’s difficult, but that really makes it worth it. I know that sounds cliché, but it’s true. When I first started sharing my music, I didn’t know it was going to be heard by this many people. I didn’t know what to expect. I just wanted to do it because it was my calling.
And then, when people write to me and tell me that my music helps them, I’m like, “Oh, okay.” Sometimes they message me on a day when I’m feeling like I want to give up, you know? And it makes me want to keep going. I always tell them, “Thank you. I needed this. Thank you for this DM. You don’t know how much this means to me.” And I always think, “Ah, they probably don’t realize how much it really means to me.”
So, I hope that when people listen to my music, they feel less alone. I hope they feel comforted, and that they can also just feel peaceful. Have a glass of wine, vibe, take a warm bath, you know? Just enjoy it. This is music for all sorts of experiences, but it’s also meant to be enjoyed in your solitude. Because that’s usually how I enjoy music, too.
LUNA: As an up-and-coming Latina artist, navigating the music industry can come with its own set of challenges. What keeps you grounded and motivated to continue pursuing your artistic vision?
QUELLE: To be completely honest with you, what motivates me is my family. I love my family. And again, we come from very humble beginnings, and I always tell them, “Uncle, when I make it, I got you,” and I mean it. I really want to be able to give back to them. But when I say my family, I also mean my community. I want to be able to give back to my community and lift people.
And that includes humans and dogs! One of my biggest passions is being able to give back to the Puerto Rican organization Love of All Dogs, where I got my doggie, because they could really use the support and visibility. So, I wanted to mention their name here. I also want to give back to my community and help in any way I can, even if it’s just in small ways right now, when I don’t necessarily have the funds or the biggest platform.
I do sometimes get messages from other Latinas and Latinos telling me that I’ve inspired them to make music. I never thought that would even be possible. It’s such a beautiful thing, and I never imagined I could have that kind of impact. Back in the day, I didn’t even think things would get to this point, you know? To think that I could inspire people the way other Latin artists before me have inspired me makes me realize even more how important representation is in all spaces.
And in the Latin indie music scene, there are so many beautiful artists emerging, but there’s still so much room for more. In every facet of life, in every industry, there can always be more Latino representation and more representation for women. So, being a Latina woman means a lot to me. I can’t wait to give back to my family, my community and the dogs, including my own doggie. And I hope to show others who come from humble beginnings that they can do it, too. You can do anything you set your mind to.
LUNA: You've mentioned that telenovelas were one of the main inspirations behind your upcoming project. Was there a particular telenovela soundtrack that stood out to you?
QUELLE: Yeah, one that was really instrumental for me, and that I binge-watched, was (I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of it) called El Clon.
It was a Brazilian telenovela, I believe, and it was set in Morocco. That was one of my favorite telenovelas growing up; I remember staying home all summer during one school break just watching it on repeat, nonstop.
So, shoutout to telenovelas!
LUNA: Reflecting on the past year, how are you feeling right now? Have your new year resolutions come true?
QUELLE: I’m releasing this project, which has me so excited. I’m really just feeling relieved, motivated, and still carrying a little pent-up energy, like, “I’ve got to keep going,” because there’s still so much to do. When you release something, you’re still constantly pushing it, especially when you’re an independent artist. You’re doing everything yourself: creating the press release, sending it out, reaching out to curators and so much more.
So, I’m just working hard, feeling relieved, excited to keep going and excited for this project to finally be out in the world. I’m just happy that it’s finally coming out. That makes me happy.
LUNA: Is touring part of the future for 2027?
QUELLE: Yes, it's in the works, and 100%, because I want to meet everyone that listens to my music. After this is out, a girl is ready!
LUNA: What’s next? Anything you would like to share to your supporters?
QUELLE: So, Princesa of Blues is coming out, and I’ll be releasing it alongside a music video, which I’m really excited about. The video is a mixture of Caribbean glamour and my Puerto Rican-Cuban background. I wanted to bring in that sense of glamour while also incorporating elements of my heritage. I used a lot of Cuban props that my dad brought back from Cuba, like authentic Cuban cigars and artwork. It’s also mixed with casino culture, since my dad worked in casinos. So, it’s this blend of Caribbean glamour, casino culture and the idea of a woman navigating a man’s world.
It’s honestly one of my favorite videos, and I’m so excited for it to come out. It’s like Latin glamour meets The Godfather, in a way. I think it’s a great representation of where the music is heading and the visual world I’m creating around it. I have some other music that I’m working on, and I’m sure I’ll be putting that out at some point. I also want to focus on playing new shows, but first, I want to take a moment to really enjoy and relish in this release.
We’ll also have an EP release party at Baby’s All Right on Friday, Nov. 13, so come through! I’ll have merch available either there or sometime down the line. I think this is really a moment that marks the beginning of a lot of new things, and I hope that next year I’ll be able to connect with everyone more in person.
