Costa Rican Pop Star
Debi Nova Talks About Her New Album Luna
Nueva
By Paula Edelstein
Costa Rican pop sensation Debi Nova has been
in the fast lane since arriving from Central
America seven years ago. But that was not
her original intention. The sultry
singer/songwriter and multi-talented
musician originally moved to Los Angeles, CA
to attend UCLA. However when renowned
producer/artist Sergio Mendes offered her
the chance to tour with him, Nova knew it
was time for her to change lanes and head in
a different direction.
Touring with Mendes proved to be the right
move. The following year, Debi Nova hit it
big as a singer in 2004 when the remix of
her single “One Rhythm” topped the Billboard
Dance Music/Club Play chart. The spotlight
got hotter in 2005, when Latin/pop superstar
Ricky Martin invited Debi to duet with him
on two tracks for his CD, Life. Her vocals
on "Que Más Dá" and "Drop It On Me," as well
as her appearances in the music videos and
as a featured vocalist on his world tour,
garnered her worldwide attention.
Today, the singer/songwriter/musician has
six Grammy nominations under her belt as a
result of her work with such respected
artists as Sergio Mendes (Timeless), the
Black Eyed Peas (Elephunk -“Latin Girl”),
Sean Paul (Dutty Rock - “International
Affair”), Vikter Duplaix (Bold And
Beautiful) and Norman Brown (Just Chillin’).
Costa Rican Pop Star Debi Nova Talks About
Her New Album Luna Nueva, on Decca/Universal
Records
By Paula Edelstein
Costa Rican pop sensation Debi Nova has been
in the fast lane since arriving from Central
America seven years ago. But that was not
her original intention. The sultry
singer/songwriter and multi-talented
musician originally moved to Los Angeles, CA
to attend UCLA. However when renowned
producer/artist Sergio Mendes offered her
the chance to tour with him, Nova knew it
was time for her to change lanes and head in
a different direction.
Touring with Mendes proved to be the right
move. The following year, Debi Nova hit it
big as a singer in 2004 when the remix of
her single “One Rhythm” topped the Billboard
Dance Music/Club Play chart. The spotlight
got hotter in 2005, when Latin/pop superstar
Ricky Martin invited Debi to duet with him
on two tracks for his CD, Life. Her vocals
on "Que Más Dá" and "Drop It On Me," as well
as her appearances in the music videos and
as a featured vocalist on his world tour,
garnered her worldwide attention.
Today, the singer/songwriter/musician has
six Grammy nominations under her belt as a
result of her work with such respected
artists as Sergio Mendes (Timeless), the
Black Eyed Peas (Elephunk -“Latin Girl”),
Sean Paul (Dutty Rock - “International
Affair”), Vikter Duplaix (Bold And
Beautiful) and Norman Brown (Just Chillin’).
Today, the singer/songwriter/musician has
six Grammy nominations under her belt as a
result of her work with such respected
artists as Sergio Mendes (Timeless), the
Black Eyed Peas (Elephunk -“Latin Girl”),
Sean Paul (Dutty Rock - “International
Affair”), Vikter Duplaix (Bold And
Beautiful) and Norman Brown (Just
Chillin’).The 24-year-old singer describes
her native Costa Rica as a lovely place, and
one of the only countries in the world that
doesn’t have an army. “It’s a very peaceful
place and my relationship with nature and
the environment definitely influences what
you breathe there,"she explains, "We really
absorbed every bit of music that came from
the whole continent, so I grew up listening
to various types of music from around the
region.”
At age 14, Nova fronted a band called Gandhi
and opened for such acts as Deep Purple and
other big bands from Costa Rica and
Colombia. “Every experience is a learning
experience. At that young age, I was put on
big stages in front of large crowds so
performing with Gandhi prepared me for what
was coming,” says Nova. Classic pop female
musician/singer/songwriters such as Fiona
Apple, Sheryl Crow, Tori Amos, and Sarah
McLachlan inspired her early singing and
songwriting and today, a more mature Nova
blends their influences into her energetic,
tropical soul/pop tunes.
Nova plays the piano, bass, guitar and
several other instruments as she continues
the tradition of her female predecessors.
“But I also felt there was a void in the
Latin music world because we didn’t really
have that world of female
musician/singer/songwriters. So I always
aspired to fill that void a little. But now
I listen to everyone and everything because
of the accessibility to different music that
I can hear over the internet,” she adds.
The beauty of her natural surroundings,
daily life and world events continue to
inform Nova’s music and she sings those
inspired messages of peace, happiness, and
her connection to the Earth on 10 new songs
recorded for her album Luna Nueva (on Surco/Decca/Universal
Records). Although she has established
herself as a purveyor of dance music, the
positive messages inherent in the bi-lingual
songs (Spanish/English) on the album are
completely relevant to her international
coterie of fans. “As I was writing the
songs, I found myself naturally blending
both languages because it’s something I do
every day,” says Nova. “My music reflects
being part of a generation of young Latinos
who use both naturally. The world is
becoming smaller and I’m proud to represent
that.”
The first single, “Drummer Boy,” co-written
by Nova and produced by Marius de Vries &
Dreamlab, is an uptempo dance number with a
World music vibe that is causing a lot of
heat on the dance floors around the world.
“It’s really about bringing people together
regardless of their cultural background and
to have fun and let go to the music, and
feel the rhythm. It represents the entirety
of the album which mixes English and
Spanish, so I wanted to open the door with a
little bit of that with Spanish words here
and there. It was important that the first
single was energetic, something positive and
something people could dance to,” states
Nova.
Luna Nueva was in the making for nearly 10
years. Nova explains, “Because I wrote and
was involved in every single step in the
making of the album, it took a little
longer. I really wanted it to be right, I
wanted it to be honest and I wanted it to be
a collection of songs that really, really
meant something to me.”
When you work with the pros, you know a
project will be carefully done. Their
personalities and strengths make themselves
known to an artist as they move a project
forward. It’s a great kind of collaboration.
Nova couldn’t be luckier than to have the
highly respected Gustavo Santaoalla and
Marius de Vries spearhead Luna Nueva.
Gustavo Santaoalla --an eleven-time GRAMMY
winner and double Oscar winner--and Marius
de Vries--a five-time Grammy Award nominee
and two-time BAFTA winner - shared
production credits on Luna Nueva.
Staying Focused
But as every singer knows, the key to the
longevity of any singer’s career is a
healthy voice and the right songs that
connect with their fans. “Because I carry my
instrument in my body… it’s not like a
guitar that someone carries in a case… I
think the main thing I have to do is take
care of my body,” Debi explains. “Eating
healthy, exercising, and drinking lots of
water keeps my instrument working properly.”
When asked what she’d tell an aspiring
singer Debi didn’t hesitate to say,
“Practice, practice, and more practice. Keep
it real, keep it honest.” |
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The CD cover of Debi Nova's new album Luna Nueva, on Decca/Universal Records. |
