Gabriel Perales spent a year crafting every detail of his debut EP, entitled “Solo Pa Bailar (y Llorar)”—from the synthesized beats to the album artwork—determined to create something that would represent his hometown and heritage.
The 19-year-old Gilroy High School graduate just released a five-track project that blends Latin R&B with cumbia rhythms, showcasing the musical influences that have shaped his life. He celebrated the release at the District Theater May 31 with an evening of music, dance and a live performance of his new releases.
“Each song is a reflection of the creativity, identity and passion I’ve developed while growing up here in Gilroy,” Perales said. “As someone who was raised in Gilroy, I carry my roots into everything I do, and I know that it’s important for young local creatives to see that our voices and stories do matter.”
Perales wrote, produced and performed every track himself, working primarily on a keyboard with synthesizers. The Mexican-American artist describes his current musical style as a “Latin R&B with a cumbia kind of rhythm,” drawing inspiration from groups like Kumbia Kings and Los Garcia Bros.
His musical journey began early, rooted in family tradition. His father, Jimmy Perales, worked as a DJ and brought his young son along to community events and performances for the homeless.
“My dad, growing up, was a DJ, and I would go with him to a lot of his events,” Gabriel Perales said. “My dad was always playing music around the house and he was always DJing, so I was always around music. My grandma was a singer as well, so it’s in my blood. Eventually I started singing with my dad at his DJ gigs. That’s how I got started.”
By age 16, Perales had begun performing publicly, and now at 19, he’s promoting original compositions that reflect his artistic growth and cultural identity.
The EP features five tracks, including “Mi Chinita,” an R&B departure from his usual cumbia style; and “Como Tu,” which he describes as “a reggaeton cumbia flared beat” about a special person in his life, an upbeat track meant to dance to. Another track, “Tu Tono de Llamada,” explores the pain of missing someone, while “Stay a Little While” represents a completely reworked version of a previously released single.
“It was a lot of work,” Perales said of the year-long production process. “A lot of people would be like, ‘Oh, you just made five songs, it’s not that big of a deal.’ But I produced everything on the EP, and I wrote and mixed everything myself.”
The project also represents Perales’ first collaboration with another local artist. Santiago Moreno, a 21-year-old visual artist, created the EP’s cover artwork after the two met at a photography session.
“He does music, I do art, I love music,” Moreno said. “You just know when you have that connection, artist to artist. And I love his music.”
Moreno, who had recently displayed 150 paintings at the Gilroy Center for the Arts, worked closely with Perales to develop the EP’s visual concept, ultimately scrapping his initial design to incorporate both artists’ visions.
“This was my first time doing digital art and collaborating on a piece with someone else,” Moreno said. “Everyone has their own tastes and favorite colors, so I completely deleted everything I had and started from scratch.”
For Perales, the EP represents more than personal achievement. It is a statement about the creative potential within Gilroy’s Latino community and an invitation for other young artists to pursue their dreams locally.
“We can make something meaningful right here in our hometown,” he said.
“Solo Pa Bailar (y Llorar)” is available to stream or download on Spotify and Apple Music.
Calvin Nuttall is a Morgan Hill-based freelance reporter.
How does the Mexican-American artist describe his current musical style?
Wow very proud of him, i remember seeing him performing covers at the tamale festival back in 2023! Very talented young man.