Cupero

Clarissa Cupero rocked audiences in New York before she darted off to Spain for several months. Immersing herself in the culture, she is due back to the states with some new Spanish language and/or influenced songs. We took a moment to catch up with her and discovered that this young artist is ready for the world!

Tell us about your project. When did you start writing your music?
I always loved singing and I began piano lessons when I was 9. I took lessons for 7 years but I never practiced, every time the teacher would come to my house I would try and scramble to at least act like I knew what notes I was reading. I always wanted to do my own thing! Then later on after I quit drama club when I was sophomore in high school, I wanted to try something new. So I picked up a guitar at 16 and began writing. Writing in Spanish at least at the elementary level was something that I began doing almost immediately. It just kind of clicked! It’s a pretty normal story, though…no living out of a car or anything, just a girl next door living in a town famed for apples and onions. I was always very happy growing up always having fun with my parents.
How do your band members know one another?
It’s funny because until just recently, I really never had a steady band. I would use the studio band for gigs around the NYC area but now finally in my local town and surrounding areas I can say I have a great group of musicians playing with me. That’s what I love about Warwick, situated in Orange County (no, the East Coast Orange County ladies and gentlemen). There’s this one bar, The Copper Bottom that I always love to play at and it has a great network of musicians coming in and out. The venue is owned by Mark “Gus” Scott of Trixter and he always gave me opportunities to play. I met everyone there and now I have the pleasure of playing with John Collura (the Ataris), Phil Robinson (Autopilot Off) and Kevin McCabe (Sugarloaf Station).
Who are your musical influences?
Definitely Juanes, an amazing Colombian rocker with such a unique style. I idolize him because of his compassion for his people and country, his activism and his guitar playing. It so easy for anyone to start listening to Juanes and to become hooked even if they don’t know Spanish. He was my main influence to keep pushing at the crossover concept for a girl who is not a native Spanish speaker. I listen to a wide variety of music like KT Tunstall, AC/DC, Florence and the Machine, Hootie and Blowfish, etc.
You sing some of your songs in Spanish. How did that come about?
I started taking Spanish in school in the 7th grade but kept at it all throughout high school. It was my strongest subject and after I found out about Juanes in 10th grade I became that much more obsessed and listened to him non-stop learning more in the process, developing ideas. I finally put it to the test at the talent show and the response was awesome. The adrenaline I got from that night just kicked me in the head and said, “hello?!?! *light bulb* what a concept!” I have a passion for the language and I have an appreciation for all Spanish-speaking cultures. There always seem to be Latin singers crossing over (Juanes is an exception) but I never see (or have seen) a non-native Spanish speaker ever fully crossover to the Latin side. It’s challenging to get any label on my side with it because I guess they fear it being unsuccessful from acts that are more commercially promising. I like to keep everything as commercial as I can within reason. But more often than not, I feel that I have more emotional freedom when singing in Spanish. But I’ve been very grateful for it to have been embraced very well over the past few years. When “La Sombra” became a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest I became that much more motivated. I figured I was doing something right! Yes, it’s different and yes I’m a little timid but if no one ever does it how we will ever know? I feel that my songs are getting better, my Spanish is getting better- I’m ready to go.

Talk to us about the writing process for your songs. How are your ideas born?
I have no process! Honestly, more often than not I always write fragments of songs. Sometimes I piece them together after a while if they fit. Rarely do I finish a song in one sitting. Usually the guitar comes first just fooling around and sometimes a random tune pops into my head when I’m walking. It sounds dumb but it’s the truth. I use Garageband all the time to do rough recordings and demo drums to get a concept going.
What was your most memorable gig and why?
I’d say just recently in Sevilla, Spain. I’m currently here until May and I’ve been so lucky to be living with a dynamite host family. My host padre is actually a flamenco guitar player and he got me a gig at a local bar. I told all of my friends here and my parents came to visit and I “surprised” them with the gig (I can never fool my dad, he knew something was up). I had everyone there to support me - Valerie Gurka

Clarissa Cupero rocked audiences in New York before she darted off to Spain for several months. Immersing herself in the culture, she is due back to the states with some new Spanish language and/or influenced songs. We took a moment to catch up with her and discovered that this young artist is ready for the world!

Tell us about your project. When did you start writing your music?
I always loved singing and I began piano lessons when I was 9. I took lessons for 7 years but I never practiced, every time the teacher would come to my house I would try and scramble to at least act like I knew what notes I was reading. I always wanted to do my own thing! Then later on after I quit drama club when I was sophomore in high school, I wanted to try something new. So I picked up a guitar at 16 and began writing. Writing in Spanish at least at the elementary level was something that I began doing almost immediately. It just kind of clicked! It’s a pretty normal story, though…no living out of a car or anything, just a girl next door living in a town famed for apples and onions. I was always very happy growing up always having fun with my parents.
How do your band members know one another?
It’s funny because until just recently, I really never had a steady band. I would use the studio band for gigs around the NYC area but now finally in my local town and surrounding areas I can say I have a great group of musicians playing with me. That’s what I love about Warwick, situated in Orange County (no, the East Coast Orange County ladies and gentlemen). There’s this one bar, The Copper Bottom that I always love to play at and it has a great network of musicians coming in and out. The venue is owned by Mark “Gus” Scott of Trixter and he always gave me opportunities to play. I met everyone there and now I have the pleasure of playing with John Collura (the Ataris), Phil Robinson (Autopilot Off) and Kevin McCabe (Sugarloaf Station).
Who are your musical influences?
Definitely Juanes, an amazing Colombian rocker with such a unique style. I idolize him because of his compassion for his people and country, his activism and his guitar playing. It so easy for anyone to start listening to Juanes and to become hooked even if they don’t know Spanish. He was my main influence to keep pushing at the crossover concept for a girl who is not a native Spanish speaker. I listen to a wide variety of music like KT Tunstall, AC/DC, Florence and the Machine, Hootie and Blowfish, etc.
You sing some of your songs in Spanish. How did that come about?
I started taking Spanish in school in the 7th grade but kept at it all throughout high school. It was my strongest subject and after I found out about Juanes in 10th grade I became that much more obsessed and listened to him non-stop learning more in the process, developing ideas. I finally put it to the test at the talent show and the response was awesome. The adrenaline I got from that night just kicked me in the head and said, “hello?!?! *light bulb* what a concept!” I have a passion for the language and I have an appreciation for all Spanish-speaking cultures. There always seem to be Latin singers crossing over (Juanes is an exception) but I never see (or have seen) a non-native Spanish speaker ever fully crossover to the Latin side. It’s challenging to get any label on my side with it because I guess they fear it being unsuccessful from acts that are more commercially promising. I like to keep everything as commercial as I can within reason. But more often than not, I feel that I have more emotional freedom when singing in Spanish. But I’ve been very grateful for it to have been embraced very well over the past few years. When “La Sombra” became a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest I became that much more motivated. I figured I was doing something right! Yes, it’s different and yes I’m a little timid but if no one ever does it how we will ever know? I feel that my songs are getting better, my Spanish is getting better- I’m ready to go.

Talk to us about the writing process for your songs. How are your ideas born?
I have no process! Honestly, more often than not I always write fragments of songs. Sometimes I piece them together after a while if they fit. Rarely do I finish a song in one sitting. Usually the guitar comes first just fooling around and sometimes a random tune pops into my head when I’m walking. It sounds dumb but it’s the truth. I use Garageband all the time to do rough recordings and demo drums to get a concept going.
What was your most memorable gig and why?
I’d say just recently in Sevilla, Spain. I’m currently here until May and I’ve been so lucky to be living with a dynamite host family. My host padre is actually a flamenco guitar player and he got me a gig at a local bar. I told all of my friends here and my parents came to visit and I “surprised” them with the gig (I can never fool my dad, he knew something was up). I had everyone there to support me - Valerie Gurka

Cupéro - Cupéro
2009, Cupéro

Wow.

Warwick, NY native Clarissa Cupéro just bowled me over. Cupéro's self-titled 6-song EP is the sort of introduction that knocks a listener off their feet. Whether it's the distinctly mature tone of 19-year-old Cupéro's songwriting, the no-holds-barred emotional strength of her songs or the absolutely amazing instrument that is her voice, Cupéro is a purely unexpected and welcome surprise on the musical scene. The Siena College student has influences all over the music map, from KT Tunstall to various classic rock artists to Columbian rocker Juanes (17 Latin Grammys). Juanes has inspired Cupéro to be a bilingual artist, writing and singing in both English and Spanish. The EP, Cupéro, was produced by Patrick Ermlich and E-Shy Gazit, who brought Cupéro's songs to life in ways even she didn't suspect when she contacted them as a high school senior. Now, Cupéro is a college student trying to build her fan base in the Albany, NY and New York City markets who has her eyes on bigger stages down the road.

Those bigger stages shouldn't be a problem at all. Not since Marian Call came along with Vanilla have I been so utterly stilled by a debut album. Cupéro makes you want to just drop everything and listen, and she handles active rock tunes and ballads with equal aplomb. With a voice that falls somewhere on a line between Sarah McLachlan and Bonnie Tyler, Cupéro makes fans every time she opens her mouth to sing. Cupéro opens with I've Got Your Number, a song she wrote for a high school talent show that has become her signature song. I've Got Your Number could have been a hit anytime in the last 25 years, and with the right breaks would vie for radio spins even in today's fractured market. La Sombra is a Spanish language song, and while I can't comment on the lyrics (no habla), the song has a powerful, sensuous feel that borders on overwhelming. Cupéro rips the roof on this vibrant rocker.

I Thought I Knew Love is a commanding love song that's chart ready as you read this. It's a bit off the beaten love song track but ideal mix-tape material and the sort of song that lights up request/dedication lines. Life Is A Moment is a song about striving for dreams and never giving up. It's a powerful message delivered in a powerful vocal performance. The arrangement opens with Cupéro and piano, adding in cello and other instrumentation as the song progresses. There's a Paula Cole "I Don't Want To Wait" feel to this song that's unmistakable. Don't be surprised if Life Is A Moment ends up licensed, movies or even gets covered by big name artists down the road (by then Cupéro may be one herself). Quiero Tu Amor is the other Spanish language song on the EP, a gorgeous ballad that would sell a million copies in an English version. I have to say though that the Spanish language brings out a certain sensuality in Cupéro's voice that's more reserved in English, increasing her marketability in an increasingly multi-ethnic culture a hundred fold. Cupéro closes out with You'll Never Be There, an urgent acoustic rocker with Americana leanings that just about proves that she can do, play or sing almost anything.

Clarissa Cupéro has everything but the breaks. Talent and composure well beyond her nineteen years and a killer voice make it very possible that down the road the name Cupéro will be as familiar as names like Prince, Madonna and Beyonce. Yes, it's a grand statement, and practically everything in Cupéro's life and career would have to go just right for that to happen. But based on what I've heard on Cupéro, it's not out of the realm of imagination. Yes, she's that good. Find out for yourself. Cupéro is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Don't wait, get it now.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5) - Wildy's World

I totally enjoyed this music. So far I've received some great feedback from the readers who have downloaded the sample MP3 that I'm offering -- it's just a testament to how awesome Miss Cupero sounds.

Keep up the great work.

- Inside the Circle- Marques Lyons

When I found out Clarissa Cupéro was only nineteen years old, I did a double take. Her gritty alto is substantial, forceful; it speaks of experience. Cupéro, a New York state native, is currently a student at Sienna College, and in addition to taking classes, she performs her songs for campus benefits (including concerts to aid student organizations such as Students Active for Ending Rape). She is still unsigned to a label, but self-released her self-titled EP last year through The Cutting Room in Greenwich Village.

This bilingual album is pervaded by driving rhythms, aggressive yet playful guitar riffs, and of course, Cupéro’s meaty vocals. The influence of classic rock artists is evident in the guitar-centric instrumentals, but her self-assured lyrics make it her own. The first track, “I’ve Got Your Number,” prompted me to dance around my apartment the first time I popped the disc into the player. The lyrics speak of experience beyond her years with a confidence and independence that is believable:

I’ve got your number, baby,
I’m not digging the way you’re steering me,
You’re changing me...
I believe in what I stand for,
Dignity, oh can’t you see?

This track, which has elicited unexpected success, is this generation’s cure for the epidemic of dependence women often feel towards any lover that will give them attention. Cupéro is strong enough to recognize a toxic relationship, and joyfully maintains her independence, asserting her agency.

Her love for Colombian rock artist Juanes is evident in the track “La Sombra”, whose Latin flair shows her flexibility as a musician to combine various styles, and once again, make this self-proclaimed wallflower get the urge to dance. Cupéro lays down a contemplative piano track on “Life is a Moment,” which along with the addition of strings, adds a thoughtful depth to the EP. “You’ll Never Be There” treats the age-old ailment of unrequited love with a positive, almost flippant attitude; as the last track, this piece rounds out the album nicely, leaving the listener with Clarissa’s sense of self and empowerment.

All six tracks exhibit an aspect of Cupéro’s resilient, albeit human personality, and display her lovely voice in concert with riffs that are simultaneously catchy and classic. I definitely look forward to hearing more from this young woman in the future. Her drive and tenacity got her noticed by two producers in the small Greenwich Village recording studio, so I am certain that as she matures and finishes her studies, she will have more music to share, and won’t stop until she gets the big break she deserves.

Review by Cristin Colvin
- Feminist Review

When I found out Clarissa Cupéro was only nineteen years old, I did a double take. Her gritty alto is substantial, forceful; it speaks of experience. Cupéro, a New York state native, is currently a student at Sienna College, and in addition to taking classes, she performs her songs for campus benefits (including concerts to aid student organizations such as Students Active for Ending Rape). She is still unsigned to a label, but self-released her self-titled EP last year through The Cutting Room in Greenwich Village.

This bilingual album is pervaded by driving rhythms, aggressive yet playful guitar riffs, and of course, Cupéro’s meaty vocals. The influence of classic rock artists is evident in the guitar-centric instrumentals, but her self-assured lyrics make it her own. The first track, “I’ve Got Your Number,” prompted me to dance around my apartment the first time I popped the disc into the player. The lyrics speak of experience beyond her years with a confidence and independence that is believable:

I’ve got your number, baby,
I’m not digging the way you’re steering me,
You’re changing me...
I believe in what I stand for,
Dignity, oh can’t you see?

This track, which has elicited unexpected success, is this generation’s cure for the epidemic of dependence women often feel towards any lover that will give them attention. Cupéro is strong enough to recognize a toxic relationship, and joyfully maintains her independence, asserting her agency.

Her love for Colombian rock artist Juanes is evident in the track “La Sombra”, whose Latin flair shows her flexibility as a musician to combine various styles, and once again, make this self-proclaimed wallflower get the urge to dance. Cupéro lays down a contemplative piano track on “Life is a Moment,” which along with the addition of strings, adds a thoughtful depth to the EP. “You’ll Never Be There” treats the age-old ailment of unrequited love with a positive, almost flippant attitude; as the last track, this piece rounds out the album nicely, leaving the listener with Clarissa’s sense of self and empowerment.

All six tracks exhibit an aspect of Cupéro’s resilient, albeit human personality, and display her lovely voice in concert with riffs that are simultaneously catchy and classic. I definitely look forward to hearing more from this young woman in the future. Her drive and tenacity got her noticed by two producers in the small Greenwich Village recording studio, so I am certain that as she matures and finishes her studies, she will have more music to share, and won’t stop until she gets the big break she deserves.

Review by Cristin Colvin
- Feminist Review