Women & the Future of Music in Spain: DEVA
Deva, a rising trap-soul artist from Santander, has landed hit after hit on her own self-made journey, expanding the music scene in Spain along the way. Her releases so far, one EP following a string of singles, read of the major influences on her life, both musical and personal. She grew up listening to Rihanna and pop hits from the UK, followed trap and neo-soul in the US, and was drawn to dancehall and Afro-Caribbean rhythms.
Deva has worked with LOWLIGHT, a production duo who have made a name for themselves in urban music in Spain, as well as Kaydy Cain, a trap artist with whom she recorded “No me ames.” Most of her tracks, though, she’s written on her own, including “Nothing’s Forever” and “Checks,” both of which she composed in under ten minutes. Her youth and her creative edge come through in her playful lyrics and the energy in her music, that centers on themes of unabashed self-confidence, and the necessity of putting in work and celebrating life. There’s an element of braggadocio, too: on “Vibes,” she says, “After two songs, sigues sabiendo que no hay nadie tan real as me,” “After two songs, you’ll keep thinking there’s no one as real as me.”
Her songs are smooth and easy to slip into, because Deva’s voice seems so comfortable twisting wordplay and bending languages on every track. While urbano music has covered the grounds of rap and trap, there are fewer artists currently working from the softer side of trap-soul, fewer women, and even fewer coming from Spain. Deva for one, is comfortable exploring, and she’s just getting started.
The video D’Valentina posted to go along with the Spanish-language version of Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps” she composed was her first big Youtube hit.
Recommended Tracks: Vibes, No me ames
Recommended if you like: Khalid, Bryson Tiller, Girl Ultra
Originally published at https://www.theintersection.co on March 3, 2019.
