Growing up in Atlanta, Arias’ Colombian mother and father hung round different expats.
“I did not communicate English till I used to be 4,” he says. “It was like a pseudo-Colombian tradition my household saved me round. I wasn’t actually round Americans till I went to highschool. My older brother began in ESOL. When he began studying English, he taught me.”
The brothers proved proficient in English and confirmed sufficient performing chops that the household moved to Los Angeles to permit them to pursue performing. (¿Téo?’s brother is actor Moises Arias.) In between auditions and showing in reveals like Hannah Montana and Kickin’ It, ¿Téo? grew to become intrigued by the piano within the foyer of the residence advanced the place his household lived.
“I used to be like 8 or 9, and on daily basis I messed round with that piano,” he says. “I did not know how one can learn music, however I performed on daily basis till the receptionist kicked me out for enjoying the identical three notes.”
Undeterred, his mother purchased him a keyboard. He continued to play and finally began taking guitar classes. Although it might appear performing would put together him for a profession in music, ¿Téo? considers them to be very completely different.
“There is a few correlation. The two worlds complement one another, however I’d been in entrance of a digital camera for years, so performing was by no means scary,” he explains. “It’s a distinct set of nervousness being myself on stage. But there is a saying — I is perhaps murdering it — that every part you need in life is on the opposite facet of concern.”
Luna, ¿Téo? has discovered his agency footing with this third album.
“My final one, Sol, dropped in 2021. I had a bunch of different songs that did not actually match Sol. They had been extra blue, so I saved them for this document — so I’ve Luna and Sol,” he explains. “Both are 12 songs — 24 whole like there are 24 hours within the day.”
Previously, his customary songwriting tended to incorporate a Spanish verse and an English bridge. With Luna, he determined every music would have lyrics in just one language.
“I’m not doing Spanglish anymore,” he says. “Once I begin engaged on a music, I do know what language it’ll be in. Sometimes it is my environment and surroundings. Like once I was in Medellín, I used to be writing songs solely in Spanish.”
Thanks to his Colombian-American upbringing, ¿Téo? has a variety of influences. “Frank Ocean is my hero musician-wise. Kid Cudi. I like Brazilian music. João Gilberto, and all these bossa nova legends. Rosalía I love. It’s tough to talk on Kanye now, however his 2010 stuff was large for me. Omar Apollo is a homie whose music I like. You can put Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli on there, too.”
Currently embarking on his Sol & Luna Tour, ¿Téo? is ready to make his headlining look in Miami and wrap up the tour with an look at Coachella, which he admits makes him considerably nervous.
“It’s completely different and the identical taking part in a giant present,” he says. “I used to be blessed to go on tour with Justin Bieber — that was like my faculty for performing. We did 42 reveals, largely in arenas and 4 stadiums in Mexico. They gave me a lot love, and it was nice preparation taking part in for 50,000 folks. I received to come back out in Coachella as soon as earlier than for 2 minutes throughout Jaden Smith’s set. I’m excited to see what it looks like with simply me.”
¿Téo? With Maesu and Arum Flowers. 8 p.m. Thursday, March 2, at Gramps, 176 NW twenty fourth St., Miami; gramps.com. Tickets value $30 by way of seetickets.us.