Gabriella Stella has her sound down, her intoxicating voice and dynamic melodies make her one to watch. Her song "Bad Love" is absolutely addicting, exploring that kind of love you shouldn't want but you can't help it. We talked to her about "Bad Love," why we love Dallas and staying creative.
How did you get started in music?
Gabriella: I have always loved music and it was always around me growing up. My dad is a drummer in a British invasion called "The Blokes" so my house always had music blaring. There was always some type of music or musical noises filling up the house whether it was the "Hannah Montana" soundtrack, or my dad pounding the beat of a " The Who" song in the garage.
Tell me about your song “Bad Love” what’s the inspiration behind it?
Gabriella: The story behind "Bad Love" is about a bad relationship, but you continue this pattern because you become obsessed with the toxicity of the relationship. Everyone has someone in their life that gives more than they take. I have struggled with finding the balance of certain relationships but time heals all wounds. You have to decide when enough is enough. You have to know your worth and know when it's time to walk away.
I love Dallas and I think it has a way better music scene than people think, what’s one of your favorite things about being from Dallas?
Gabriella: My favorite thing about Dallas is the variety of music genres we have here. In recent years, we have had tons of musicians move here from California and Tennessee. I love meeting new musicians and learning new techniques from them. Everyone has a different love story with music and success.
What has been one of the biggest challenges in your music career?
Gabriella: My biggest challenge in my music career is not comparing myself to other artists. As women and having such a small percentage in the music industry, it's hard not to sit there and compare yourself to other successful females in the industry. You tend to ask yourself, What I am not doing that they are? What am I doing wrong? Is my music relatable enough? You have to stop comparing your journey to others. Everyone has a different mountain or trench sometimes they have to face. Sometimes you have to start at the bottom of the mountain to get to the top. Other times you start at the top and head back to the bottom again. Just remember good things come to those who wait.
How have you been staying motivated/creative this year?
Gabriella: This year has been such a life-changing year for everyone. We have had discussions that have needed to be had for years. We have had to deal with a state of national emergency due to Covid-19. I have been able to stay creative by looking for opportunities. I was able to take some master classes with Stevie Mackey who trains JLO, Selena Gomez, etc. I took a production class to work on how to produce my own music and I have been writing a ton. This time has truly given me more opportunity to truly focus on my music and give myself time to work on myself.
What else has been inspiring you?
Gabriella: I love looking for new artists and finding those artists that are on the brink of something great. I have Spotify so I am able to find the new artists through the playlists "Discover Weekly" and "New Finds". I love to see the trends that new artists are doing before the bigger artists get ahold of them.
What’s your best piece of advice for young women?
Gabriella: The best piece of advice I can give to young women is to stop saying the word sorry. We are trained to say sorry for things that aren't even our fault. As women, we apologize for speaking our mind, being too loud, having an opinion, being emotional, not being emotional enough, being too skinny, not being skinny enough, etc. We just need to stop saying sorry for just being who we are. Women are truly such beautiful souls that are constantly tortured by the world daily. You have to know your worth and just wear it proudly on your shoulder. The best way to rebel is loving yourself and saying this is me, so what.
Emily Treadgold
