Check Out Full Story and Interview With Gabriel Garzón-Montano:

Drake Sample and A Case of Mistaken Identity

“Drake better be here, bro” a girl says to her friend in a crowded concert hall in Dallas seconds after singer Gabriel Garzón-Montano begins reciting the opening lines of song, “6 8”. In a funny string of coincidences, this scene unfolds again in Houston at House of Blues where a guy is also under the impression that Drake will be making an appearance as Garzón-Montano sings his track from his 2014 release, “Bishouné: Alma Del Huila”. “Why are all these people saying Drake’s name whenever Gabriel Garzón-Montano sings?” you might ask. For those who are a little late, the Toronto rapper sampled parts of Garzón-Montano’s “6 8” for his song “Jungle” off of 2015’s “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late”. While the album proved to be pivotal, it then draws your mind’s attention to the sultry voice stuck in our heads for the last three years.

Gabriel Garzón-Montano. Photo Credit: Ian Young.

“People think he’s doing a cover” tour manager Phil Missana says with a straight face about each time Gabriel Garzón-Montano performs his song. Little do those unfamiliar with him in the crowd know that he is the original singer. Three years have passed since “6 8” was released; although no formal credits were given on Drake’s album, royalties were paid, blogs have raved, Garzón-Montano has moved passed this. He is much more interested in creating intrigue by filling stereos with sounds. While he admits the collaboration with Drake was great, humbling even, he is much more focused on creating his own lane, which he has proven to be very good at.

Live At House Of Blues Houston

His approach is much different than much of what you see in mainstream culture which Garzón-Montano himself describes as “trendy”. He emerged on stage at a packed House of Blues Friday while opening for fellow Colombian American singer, Kali Uchis. Aware that some may not be familiar with him he asks who in the crowd knows him and who is “having their first lunch”. For what seemed like 30 minutes, he captivated the crowd with what felt like a musical “meal”. His show is filled with funky sounds, wonky riffs, and “wet” sounds to stimulate the ear, all while his voice guides you through the music’s movements. His sound very much an eclectic mix of electronic and soul. He sports a stylish velvet coat and slacks, strumming his electric guitar, at times sitting behind his Wurlitzer keyboard while singing, attracting you towards the stage with every movement.

It’s not a stretch to say after watching Garzón-Montano live that Prince definitely has had an influence on his style. In fact, I ask him. We converse while standing outside of House of Blues. He tells me he dedicated his album, “Jardín”, to the late “Purple Rain” singer. We begin to talk more on musical influences. “I listen to Stevie Wonder so much that I don’t have time for much of anything else” he jokes outside of House of Blues. He explains to me that his routine before every show is to warm up with Stevie Wonder songs. “His melodies are challenging, plus I know his songs like the back of my hand.”

As we stand in-front of the House of Blues theatre, he takes a drag while I prepare to ask him some questions. There are a few people walking by, a cool breeze and the ambiance of downtown Houston at night. Two fans walk up to Gabriel and ask for autographs and start talking about Whataburger. “You’ve got to try it” one fan says with excitement in his eyes.

“Kali’s crowds are allowing me to open up and be more of a rockstar and to use my body on the dancefloor to share a higher frequency” Garzón-Montano explains. That would be Kali Uchis. He’s been hitting every city on tour alongside her this year part of her Isolation Tour. Gabriel doesn’t say much about Uchis other than she is very nice, and sweet. “She’s a very private person” he explains.

Kali Uchis Performing at Houston’s House of Blues during her Isolation Tour along with Garzón-Montano. Photo Credit: Ally Green.

Redefining The Already Confused Boundaries of Genre 

We both found it interesting and slightly amusing how a younger crowd of people resonate with his music regardless of its unconventionality. “I think that’s very exciting” he tells me. At first listen, one may find it hard to define Garzón-Montano’s music into a singular genre or even determine a target listener, a feat that he explained didn’t work when he first came out a couple years ago. “A couple years ago when I came out I had tracks that sounded like I was biting Radiohead and then tracks like I was biting D’Angelo side by side. People were like ‘It’s well done but where does it live? Where can we go with it?’ Now I feel like it’s like ‘oh, this kid can do anything.’ I can do Spanish, I can do different so-called genres and it can all live together.” We both agree that this comes as a result of the current social climate, where multiculturalism is no longer invalid and things like gender fluidity are discussed openly. It leaves the door open for artists to have more freedom to express themselves and connect with demographics that they couldn’t reach before.

Garzón-Montano finds that he feels no pressure to conform his sound to fit into any one particular genre that abides by a specific set of aesthetic principles. Instead he makes music that are expressions of multiple facets of himself. He credits Philadelphia artist, Tiara Whack, as an inspiration to be inventive in this sense. Tierra Whack’s album, “Whack World” is a conceptual album with 15 songs, each song one minute where she inhabits different spaces very quickly and powerfully.

Gabriel Garzón-Montano’s diverse sounds draw inspiration from many different sources. Those sources would include his upbringing where his ears were opened to a lot of music at an early age. Born to a French mother and Colombian father, he was flipped between homes after his parents split when he was 5 years old. His mother, a mezzo-soprano singer, sang in the Philip Glass Ensemble, taking Gabriel along with her as they toured Europe. His mother also worked with Meredith Monk and Theo Bleckmann. As a child Montano was exposed to the Avant Garde and classical scene in Downtown New York City. Between living at 15 different addresses in New York City, trips to visit his father in Colombia, as well as back-and-forth trips to France to visit family, his experience has covered an interesting range of languages and arts.

Two years have passed since he released his last album. He tells me he is currently writing and arranging his next project. Still in the drafting process, the project remains nameless. He plans to visit Colombia this year where he has a house to retreat and begin working on the album. As we wrap up our conversation, the night is young and now Garzón-Montano’s mind has begun to move onto the subject of food. “I need to eat” he says.

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