Los Angeles-based Costa Rican urban/pop artist MishCatt is today premiering her latest single, “Goofy”. Arriving alongside sleek visuals, the song is frisky and playful and a great way to distract the listener from the rough times occasioned by corona-virus.
MishCatt explains, “A song I wrote about dating someone new and all the butterflies and feelings that make you all goofy. It’s a fun dancy mix of reggaeton and 90´s pop with a ton of energy! We started writing Goofy in a studio in Sweden but finished it in my closet in LA. It’s the soundtrack of happiness during these strange times int he world!“
Aipate reached out to MishCatt for an interview and below is our conversation that touched on her new single, upcoming EP, music heritage and beginnings and, of course, her performance during Avicii’s tribute show in Sweden.
Last December, you got to perform an acoustic version of Avicii’s “Fade Away” during his tribute concert at the Friends Arena in Stockholm. How did that come about and can you describe the whole experience?
I had been releasing covers on IG for a while and one of them (“Bang Bang”) got the attention of Carl Falk, whom I’d been in talks (with) for a bit, to create my new music. He asked If I wanted to make a demo for “Fades Away”, because they were looking for someone to sing it at the concert, and he thought it might be a good fit. I sent the demo that same day, and in a matter of a blink of an eye, I was already in the airplane, flying to Sweden. It was so surreal. I’ve always admired Avicii so much, and it was such a big honor to be part of this tribute, the Tim Bergling Foundation for Mental Health Awareness. It was an extraordinary experience. Avicii’s fans and everyone participating in that concert gave it all that night.
You’re, no doubt, a top music export from Costa Rica, which is quite interesting. When and how did you start making music?
I grew up surrounded by art. Both my mother and father are amazing artists/musicians, and they always encouraged me and my younger brother to express ourselves in and with it. I guess I noticed I could sing when I was around 9, I loved imitating voices and my friends were liking it, lol. Probably I wasn’t the best at it, but I was definitely having a lot of fun, so I just kept on doing it! That guided me to continue exploring my voice and music.
Your 2016 single “Another Dimension” was huge. Would you say its success kickstarted your breakthrough?
I think you are already successful if you are doing something you love, having fun and being persistent in it. Every time you connect with things that resonate with you and make you happy, you are already on a great path. I’m so happy that “Another Dimension” got that attention, because it talks about something very important. It’s about experiencing life and being connected here and now before dying, but submerged in fun pop sounds, hehe.
How has your current base of Los Angeles impacted your development into becoming a future global pop-star?
Coming to LA on my own was one of the best decisions. I’d never lived alone in a different country/city, and this definitely made an impact in me. I love this city. Also, I hate it haha. It’s something about LA and the people here that you create such a deep bond with. I’ve grown so much as an artist and a person here. Met so many interesting amazing people that have helped me throughout my process in music and life in general. You definitely develop thick skin here, but in the end, your heart melts in love for the city.
You are releasing a new single called “Goofy” and there’s so much hype around it, deservedly so! What was the creative process like?
Thank you! We’ve been so excited to share it. Albin Nedler (one of the amazing producers in this song) had an audio recorded with an idea, and it all started from there. We were in the middle of Covid, and we just wanted a song that would make us, and everyone feel really good. We wanted to do something kinda retro 90s (Ace of Base, UB40) mixed with some more tropical vibes.
The next day DYO showed up from London, she had the best attitude ever, and Carl Falk (also an amazing producer in the song) started doing some super groovy guitars. We did the melodies and lyrics there but then I had to fly asap to LA, because the borders were being closed. So I ended up recording the final vocals in my closet lol. It was also really fun for me, because I’d never released anything in Spanish, and this song has a little surprise in the bridge!
I understand that “Goofy” is the first single from an upcoming EP. Have you settled on a title and tentative release date yet?
In the process, surprise surprise!
What more can fans expect from MishCatt in the near future?
A lot of great energy and music! If we can’t have concerts yet, I promise we will work on a lot of creative ideas and we will have a lot of fun together.
We need to dance and express more. We are awakening so many parts of our bodies and minds with everything that has been going on, politically/environmentally etc… But so important and healthy! It’s a difficult and painful process, just like going through a hard detox, that’s why we need love, art, music and expression so much more than ever.
All the bad things that were making us sick are floating up to the surface. All of this is helping us evolve, and come closer with each other, speaking up, supporting communities, supporting equality of rights in all ethnicity groups, women and men, mental health awareness… There are so many topics to talk about and act upon. I am excited to help out with my music and art, but also to act and speak up on what needs to change.
Find MishCatt on Instagram.
Aipate 