Latin Grammy Nominees: Silvana Estrada, Carín León, Greeicy

What inspired “Dime?”

“Dime” was born out of a very important moment in my life. I realized that I didn’t know how to be angry, and therefore I didn’t know how to set boundaries. This song came from allowing myself to experience my anger and realizing that, through it, I was also capable of celebrating life and moving forward. At the time, I was listening to Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois a lot, and I was also dreaming of recording with an orchestra someday.

What inspired MUDA?

I just wanted to make music from a freer and more truthful place. MUDA is about shedding your skin without losing who you are.

I was also inspired by all the music I grew up with and the sounds that have always moved me: Mexican music, soul, blues, rock, country, ska—all the stuff that’s part of who I am. MUDA came from letting go of genres and labels and simply making the kind of songs I wanted to hear.

What did you learn about yourself when you were making candela?

That, as human beings, we have this ability to prove to ourselves that we are always more capable than we think. Adversity definitely gives us opportunities to learn, to grow, to move forward, to find that inner strength and to ignite the candela that we all have inside of us.

The album has so many different rhythms, genres and sides of my personality that I thought, “Wow, every song represents me and yet they’re all so different.” That made me realize that I’m definitely multifaceted.