Meet MONOGEM: The Mexican-American Singer Whose Debut Album “Gardenia” Was Inspired by Motherhood
Making a debut album well in a global pandemic could be stressful enough – now, imagine creating life inside of you while doing so? That’s what occurred with Mexican-American MONOGEM, who released her album Gardenia days before her baby was due. With 12 tracks, including a haunting and ethereal cover of “Bésame Mucho”, MONOGEM takes time to tell us about how her reconnection to the Latin roots, her inspiration behind this album, and how motherhood helped her connect all the dots in this new project.
MONOGEM started to record the album in the beginning of the pandemic and continued throughout her whole pregnancy.
“I wasn’t even pregnant when I started the album process but it was definitely on the horizon — that’s roughly what ‘Magia’ is about…that magic inside of you that sparks when you least expect it. ‘Magia’ was the perfect song to pair with the announcement of my son, it feels so special to have it out in the world and that the response has been so positive.” As far as challenges that come with motherhood: “The biggest challenge was just being so tired towards the end. I didn’t realize how much the fatigue would affect me, and with a release date so close to my due date… it was an aggressive decision for sure. But I did it and I am super proud, it kept me busy and focused,” MONOGEM tells mitú.
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The cover of “Bésame Mucho” is an ode to her grandmother.
“Choosing to cover ‘Bésame Mucho’ was something I’ve wanted to do for a while as it was my grandmother’s favorite song ever – and also such a timeless song, I love that the vocals on the track are from one live take,” MONOGEM expresses to mitú. Furthermore, this debut album helped her reconnect to her culture. “My Mexican heritage has always felt distant and wasn’t necessarily celebrated growing up. I always appreciated my roots and my grandmother would constantly remind me to stay connected to my roots and keep speaking Spanish to keep it alive.”
MONOGEM started off her career studying in Berklee College of Music, has been a contestant in American Idol, and now is preparing for her next step as a mother and performer.
“[What’s next is] Adjusting to my new groove as a mama…. Working on tour dates for next year in Mexico, and of course, lots of new music on the way,” MONOGEM tells mitú.
