From Tolosa to the World: Dren Zabala’s Rise Through Resilience and Sound
It’s rare to meet an artist whose journey feels like a handwritten letter to everyone who ever dared to dream in silence.
Musical Style
Your music has a distinctive style. How would you describe your musical sound, and are there specific genres or artists that have influenced your music?
I would describe my musical style as chillhop with a slice of lo-fi and sometimes even a bit of surf pop. Periscope is an audio narrative designed for the listener to be whisked away into their own fictional worlds. Some artists that have influenced me include Mac Miller, Shakey Graves, Looking Glass, and '90s West Coast hip-hop.
Inspirations
Who or what serves as your main sources of inspiration when creating music? Are there any particular artists or experiences that have deeply influenced your musical journey?
When I look for inspiration, I love to be able to put on an album that I can listen to front to back and sort of check out from reality for a while. I also find inspiration in the repurposing of old unused songs that I have written in the past.
Career Highlights
When looking back on your music career so far, what are some of the most memorable moments or achievements that stand out to you as a band?
A cool achievement in my opinion was breaking 1,000 monthly listeners on Spotify this year.
Visual Artistry
Visual elements can complement music. How do you incorporate visual aspects, such as music videos or stage design, to enhance your music's storytelling?
I use album covers as my visual artistry; each one I design specifically for the song that’s being released to give some insight into what the track is about. For example, "Night Rider" was designed with a photographer passing through time and photographing her journey along the way.
Collaborations
Collaborations can bring new dimensions to music. Have you had any significant collaborations in your career, and how have they influenced your music?
One of my favorite collaborations to date is with the song "A New Day." Zackary Shreves took the producer/mixing role on this one and took it in a wild surf rock meets pop direction.
Challenges
Artists often face challenges in their careers. Can you discuss some of the challenges Periscope has encountered in the music industry and how you've navigated them?
A challenge faced starting out was finding your niche in the instrumental genre. Over the last year, we have navigated in and out of lanes trying pop here, lo-fi there. All in all, I think, in a way, we've solved our problem by blazing our path.
Future Aspirations
What are your future goals and aspirations as a musical project? Are there any upcoming projects or releases that your fans can look forward to?
My future aspirations include growing Periscope from 1,000 to 5,000+ monthly listeners and to keep blazing a trail in the instrumental genre. You can keep up with me on Instagram as well as all streaming platforms.
