A Chat with Vale! ULB (19.08.26)
Bursting with vibrant Latin flavour, Cuban influences, a hip-hop soul, and New Orleans bounce, the foursome Vale! ULB is all about fun and living life to the fullest. We speak with the group about their new single, ‘Devorame’, musical styles, and much more.
OSR: You’re considered not to be the typical Latin band, but how did you all connect to form Vale! ULB?
Vale! ULB: It all started with Deezle, our producer and bassist, meeting Anier, our percussionist, at a music festival. They began playing together and immediately connected musically. Emi, our musical director and trumpeter, joined after and introduced us to Valeria. What started as a few musicians experimenting together naturally became Vale! ULB, which stands for Vale! (“let’s go” in Spanish and Valeria’s nickname) and United Latin Band.
OSR: Your music is all about capturing the feeling of dancing on a beach with Latin influences and Cuban rhythms. What is the story behind your sound?
Vale! ULB: We all come from different places and have experienced music in different parts of the world. Anier brings the Cuban rhythms, Deezle brings his hip-hop and R&B background, Emi comes with his Argentinian spirit, and Val, her incredible voice and Colombian-Peruvian salsa roots. When we’re in the studio, we experiment with different soundscapes, and that experiment eventually led us to the Cabana Bounce sound.
OSR: You recently released a new music video for your single ‘Devórame’. What made you decide to release the lyric video now?
Vale! ULB: We wanted to give our fans another way to experience ‘Devórame’. The lyrics have a lot of attitude and confidence, so creating something visual around that idea felt like a natural extension of the song.
OSR: ‘Devórame’ is an explosive single that celebrates freedom, but is there a backstory to the song?
Vale! ULB: Yes, the initial spark came from our love of Brazilian funk. We were in the studio listening to different beats, and on the way home, Val became inspired and wrote the chorus while stuck in Miami traffic. She sent it to our group chat, and we started building on the idea. From there, we sent it to Juan “Mr Sonic” Losada and eventually came together in New York to record it. It was one of those songs that kept getting better at every stage. Everyone added something unexpected, and by the end, it felt like the song had taken on a life of its own.
OSR: This single is a bit more genre-blurring, but do you have any artists you feel have particularly inspired your sound?
Vale! ULB: Definitely. No Doubt, especially their collaborations with The Neptunes, and The Black Eyed Peas are great inspirations for us. They were never afraid to mix genres, cultures and unexpected sounds while still making music that connected with a wide audience. That kind of freedom has always inspired us. It reminds us that you don’t have to choose one lane creatively.
OSR: With this release, you have raised the temperature of your music again, but how do you feel your music has been evolving over your releases?
Vale! ULB: With every release, we understand Cabana Bounce a little more. At the beginning, it was more of a feeling we were trying to describe. Now we’re learning how many different directions that feeling can take us. Each song lets us experiment with new rhythms, sounds and influences while still keeping that same energy at the center of what we do.
OSR: While your music bursts with vibrant energy, what is the one thing you would like people to feel as they listen to your tracks?
Vale! ULB: We want people to feel free. There are so many different ways to find joy and express yourself, and we want the music to remind people of that. Whether you’re dancing, driving, at a party or listening alone, we want you to forget everything else for a few minutes, live in the moment and just enjoy where the music takes you.
OSR: Your music has been on the charts across the world, but what is the one moment that has really stuck with you throughout your musical journey?
Vale! ULB: It’s hard to pick just one moment. Whether we were in the studio, at an Airbnb or traveling together in a sprinter, we never stopped laughing and appreciating the people around us. One moment that really stands out was hearing the final version of ‘Devórame’ in the studio. It was past 2 a.m., and even though we were all exhausted, we stood up and celebrated because we knew we had created something special.
OSR: Do you have any advice for artists that are interested in the style of music you create?
Vale! ULB: Continue to experiment with different soundscapes, instruments, and lyrics. Music is a playground that needs to be explored with an open mind. Your music will always speak your truth.
OSR: Do you have any plans for the future we should know about?
Vale! ULB: We plan to release more music, find new and creative ways for our fans to connect with us individually, and continue pushing the boundaries of what Vale! ULB can be.
Many thanks to Vale! ULB for speaking with us. Find out more about Vale! ULB on their Spotify, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
This artist was sent ot us by Liberty Music PR.
