Under an indigo stage light, singer-songwriter Selines formed loose prayer hands around the microphone. With eyes gently shut, she began to romance the audience with “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” a sweetly sung, whimsical tune about falling in love: first with someone’s smile, then with their moonlit eyes.
“I feel like there’s an artist after me but there isn’t,” said Selines with a hushed giggle. On a recent Tuesday evening, she was the headlining act at the Love Song Bar in downtown Los Angeles.
Born and raised to Mexican parents in the Bronx, the budding folk singer has opened for Carla Morrison, DannyLux and Julieta Venegas — and will open for Gaby Moreno on Monday in NYC. She played for a full house in L.A., where members of the audience stood shoulder to shoulder — some even perched on top of the venue’s cushion seating — to catch a glimpse of the cherubic vocalist.
Selines was just 15 years old when she wrote “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” her most popular track to date. It was the first single she ever released back in 2023, when beginning her artistic career under the indie label VPS Music. But on the eve of her 22nd birthday, Selines — who speaks in the same honeyed, dulcet tones she sings in — admits that she cringes at the sound of her own teen yearning.
“I need to put out new music,” she said dryly backstage to The Times.
In May, Selines fulfilled her own promise and released her second studio album, “(Nostalgia),” which is her first under Interscope Records. The LP is a 13-song project that delves into the complicated heartache of leaving home; what does it mean to break away from the nest where one was raised?
“ [I’m] not necessarily looking back, but finding my way in life… then knowing that I would look back at this very moment,” she said.
In the opening track “Lugares,” Selines meets her acoustic guitar strumming with a velvety croon, singing of leaping into the unknown — despite understanding the difficulties that will come from leaving home. In the pop melody “Volveré,” she questions where her heart will remain once she leaves town, as muffled trumpets chime in at the outro. But with the bilingual electric-guitar laced track “Distancia” (feat. Rosales), it’s clear that forming a healthy distance from the place one first considered home is a necessary act for personal growth.
“I realized that home wasn’t going back to the house that I knew,” said Selines. “I don’t know if this sounds taboo, but whenever I was home, I was looking into my next trip!”
It’s not easy to leave one’s abode as the eldest daughter in a Mexican household, she says. Selines has two younger siblings she’s helped raise; one of whom helped her compose the synth-fueled track “Universe.” As the only standalone English track of the album, its lyrics speak of a situationship so suspended in uncertainty that Selines craftily matched it with the sonic sensation of floating into outer space.
“ I would do anything for [my family] and I’m always there for them. But I think I grew up just taking care of other people. I think it’s time for myself and to take care of myself,” said Selines.
She also knows it will be tricky to leave behind a city that has so often been the beacon for big artistic dreams, but more specifically her community of Puebla-York — a moniker used to describe New York City’s Mexican community, a majority of which can trace their roots back to the state of Puebla. “Some people take their kids to the park, my mom took us to the subway stations to make sure we knew what train was where and how to get somewhere if we ever got lost,” said Selines.
The folk musician has ruled out a cross-country move to the música mexicana mecca of Los Angeles, even though it remains a hub for Mexican Americans making cumbia and corridos, which Selines’ mellow indie folk ballads stray far from. Instead, she’s tinkering with the idea that Chicago might be her second city, a place where her artistic talents can fully blossom in a smaller market.
“The city really moves fast and I think I’m ready for a slow-paced life, especially now when I need to invest that time in myself,” she added.
For the majority of her life, Selines planned to be a doctor: “I invested so many hours into studying and getting good grades, the typical pressures of being a first-gen.” But after auditioning for the choir at LaGuardia High School — a public arts high school famed for refining the talents of stars like Timothée Chalamet, Nicki Minaj and Liza Minnelli — Selines set off on a different journey.
“I was not prepared at all [for the audition]. You had to sing a classical song and I went in with an Elvis Presley,” said Selines, who sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “Knowing that I got the requirements wrong and I still got in, I realized that these people were listening for something else — and I might have that.”
Driven heavily by lyricism, especially that of the melancholic Mexican singer Ed Maverick, and his ability to forge a new path in the Mexican indie folk scene, Selines dreamt of becoming a professional singer at 15. Convincing her Mexican parents, however, was another feat.
“ This might be a joke,” she recalled them saying to her. But once she sat them down, sang original songs — written during a time when she said she was battling mental health issues — they eventually came around to the idea.
“My dad was extremely supportive. He didn’t second guess it,” she said. “My mom was a little on edge. She wanted me to graduate with a career. But I convinced her [after] I started doing tours for other artists that allowed me to open for them. And it’s not because I was singing with these famous people, but singing from my heart and that was causing my joy.”
Selines initially made a deal with her parents to attend the City College of New York while she continued to pursue music. But after two years and many interruptions to her studies — namely performing gigs — she left to pursue a music full-time, but still led with uncertainty. “I was so new to the industry, and people were trying to get used to this new artist from the Bronx who did a genre that wasn’t [as] popular as corridos tumbados. All I could do was open shows.”
To cope with her ambivalence, she penned a hazy, lovelorn track named “Abandoname.” Awash in the sounds of rain, she pleads with a lover to abandon her, as she does not feel strong enough to make that choice.
Selines said she wasn’t talking about a specific individual but rather, her relationship with music. “ I wanted this career to let go of me. I wanted this label to just tell me it’s done, so that I can let go of this dream,” she said.
Yet that same week, she would write the lyrics to her 2024 debut album, “Circo de Amor,” then send them to her then-label VSP Music, in hopes that they would come around to letting her record it — and they did. The LP revolved around a sad clown persona, a facade to cope with her harsh internal criticism. The album would include one of her most beloved tracks — the tender-sung piano ballad “Ay Amor!” — as well as “Esta Soledad,” which underscored an unnerving grief.
Now with “(Nostalgia),” Selines has washed away the clown paint, clouds of self-doubt and rumination. Under the spotlight, her sentimental vocals land softly with a crowd that’s happy to see her. It may be true that Selines is still searching for a true sense of home; but it seems she’s already found it on the main stage.
“These memories right now are going to be nostalgic one day,” said Selines.
Under an indigo stage light, singer-songwriter Selines formed loose prayer hands around the microphone. With eyes gently shut, she began to romance the audience with “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” a sweetly sung, whimsical tune about falling in love: first with someone’s smile, then with their moonlit eyes.
“I feel like there’s an artist after me but there isn’t,” said Selines with a hushed giggle. On a recent Tuesday evening, she was the headlining act at the Love Song Bar in downtown Los Angeles.
Born and raised to Mexican parents in the Bronx, the budding folk singer has opened for Carla Morrison, DannyLux and Julieta Venegas — and will open for Gaby Moreno on Monday in NYC. She played for a full house in L.A., where members of the audience stood shoulder to shoulder — some even perched on top of the venue’s cushion seating — to catch a glimpse of the cherubic vocalist.
Selines was just 15 years old when she wrote “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” her most popular track to date. It was the first single she ever released back in 2023, when beginning her artistic career under the indie label VPS Music. But on the eve of her 22nd birthday, Selines — who speaks in the same honeyed, dulcet tones she sings in — admits that she cringes at the sound of her own teen yearning.
“I need to put out new music,” she said dryly backstage to The Times.
In May, Selines fulfilled her own promise and released her second studio album, “(Nostalgia),” which is her first under Interscope Records. The LP is a 13-song project that delves into the complicated heartache of leaving home; what does it mean to break away from the nest where one was raised?
“ [I’m] not necessarily looking back, but finding my way in life… then knowing that I would look back at this very moment,” she said.
In the opening track “Lugares,” Selines meets her acoustic guitar strumming with a velvety croon, singing of leaping into the unknown — despite understanding the difficulties that will come from leaving home. In the pop melody “Volveré,” she questions where her heart will remain once she leaves town, as muffled trumpets chime in at the outro. But with the bilingual electric-guitar laced track “Distancia” (feat. Rosales), it’s clear that forming a healthy distance from the place one first considered home is a necessary act for personal growth.
“I realized that home wasn’t going back to the house that I knew,” said Selines. “I don’t know if this sounds taboo, but whenever I was home, I was looking into my next trip!”
It’s not easy to leave one’s abode as the eldest daughter in a Mexican household, she says. Selines has two younger siblings she’s helped raise; one of whom helped her compose the synth-fueled track “Universe.” As the only standalone English track of the album, its lyrics speak of a situationship so suspended in uncertainty that Selines craftily matched it with the sonic sensation of floating into outer space.
“ I would do anything for [my family] and I’m always there for them. But I think I grew up just taking care of other people. I think it’s time for myself and to take care of myself,” said Selines.
She also knows it will be tricky to leave behind a city that has so often been the beacon for big artistic dreams, but more specifically her community of Puebla-York — a moniker used to describe New York City’s Mexican community, a majority of which can trace their roots back to the state of Puebla. “Some people take their kids to the park, my mom took us to the subway stations to make sure we knew what train was where and how to get somewhere if we ever got lost,” said Selines.
The folk musician has ruled out a cross-country move to the música mexicana mecca of Los Angeles, even though it remains a hub for Mexican Americans making cumbia and corridos, which Selines’ mellow indie folk ballads stray far from. Instead, she’s tinkering with the idea that Chicago might be her second city, a place where her artistic talents can fully blossom in a smaller market.
“The city really moves fast and I think I’m ready for a slow-paced life, especially now when I need to invest that time in myself,” she added.
For the majority of her life, Selines planned to be a doctor: “I invested so many hours into studying and getting good grades, the typical pressures of being a first-gen.” But after auditioning for the choir at LaGuardia High School — a public arts high school famed for refining the talents of stars like Timothée Chalamet, Nicki Minaj and Liza Minnelli — Selines set off on a different journey.
“I was not prepared at all [for the audition]. You had to sing a classical song and I went in with an Elvis Presley,” said Selines, who sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “Knowing that I got the requirements wrong and I still got in, I realized that these people were listening for something else — and I might have that.”
Driven heavily by lyricism, especially that of the melancholic Mexican singer Ed Maverick, and his ability to forge a new path in the Mexican indie folk scene, Selines dreamt of becoming a professional singer at 15. Convincing her Mexican parents, however, was another feat.
“ This might be a joke,” she recalled them saying to her. But once she sat them down, sang original songs — written during a time when she said she was battling mental health issues — they eventually came around to the idea.
“My dad was extremely supportive. He didn’t second guess it,” she said. “My mom was a little on edge. She wanted me to graduate with a career. But I convinced her [after] I started doing tours for other artists that allowed me to open for them. And it’s not because I was singing with these famous people, but singing from my heart and that was causing my joy.”
Selines initially made a deal with her parents to attend the City College of New York while she continued to pursue music. But after two years and many interruptions to her studies — namely performing gigs — she left to pursue a music full-time, but still led with uncertainty. “I was so new to the industry, and people were trying to get used to this new artist from the Bronx who did a genre that wasn’t [as] popular as corridos tumbados. All I could do was open shows.”
To cope with her ambivalence, she penned a hazy, lovelorn track named “Abandoname.” Awash in the sounds of rain, she pleads with a lover to abandon her, as she does not feel strong enough to make that choice.
Selines said she wasn’t talking about a specific individual but rather, her relationship with music. “ I wanted this career to let go of me. I wanted this label to just tell me it’s done, so that I can let go of this dream,” she said.
Yet that same week, she would write the lyrics to her 2024 debut album, “Circo de Amor,” then send them to her then-label VSP Music, in hopes that they would come around to letting her record it — and they did. The LP revolved around a sad clown persona, a facade to cope with her harsh internal criticism. The album would include one of her most beloved tracks — the tender-sung piano ballad “Ay Amor!” — as well as “Esta Soledad,” which underscored an unnerving grief.
Now with “(Nostalgia),” Selines has washed away the clown paint, clouds of self-doubt and rumination. Under the spotlight, her sentimental vocals land softly with a crowd that’s happy to see her. It may be true that Selines is still searching for a true sense of home; but it seems she’s already found it on the main stage.
“These memories right now are going to be nostalgic one day,” said Selines.
Under an indigo stage light, singer-songwriter Selines formed loose prayer hands around the microphone. With eyes gently shut, she began to romance the audience with “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” a sweetly sung, whimsical tune about falling in love: first with someone’s smile, then with their moonlit eyes.
“I feel like there’s an artist after me but there isn’t,” said Selines with a hushed giggle. On a recent Tuesday evening, she was the headlining act at the Love Song Bar in downtown Los Angeles.
Born and raised to Mexican parents in the Bronx, the budding folk singer has opened for Carla Morrison, DannyLux and Julieta Venegas — and will open for Gaby Moreno on Monday in NYC. She played for a full house in L.A., where members of the audience stood shoulder to shoulder — some even perched on top of the venue’s cushion seating — to catch a glimpse of the cherubic vocalist.
Selines was just 15 years old when she wrote “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” her most popular track to date. It was the first single she ever released back in 2023, when beginning her artistic career under the indie label VPS Music. But on the eve of her 22nd birthday, Selines — who speaks in the same honeyed, dulcet tones she sings in — admits that she cringes at the sound of her own teen yearning.
“I need to put out new music,” she said dryly backstage to The Times.
In May, Selines fulfilled her own promise and released her second studio album, “(Nostalgia),” which is her first under Interscope Records. The LP is a 13-song project that delves into the complicated heartache of leaving home; what does it mean to break away from the nest where one was raised?
“ [I’m] not necessarily looking back, but finding my way in life… then knowing that I would look back at this very moment,” she said.
In the opening track “Lugares,” Selines meets her acoustic guitar strumming with a velvety croon, singing of leaping into the unknown — despite understanding the difficulties that will come from leaving home. In the pop melody “Volveré,” she questions where her heart will remain once she leaves town, as muffled trumpets chime in at the outro. But with the bilingual electric-guitar laced track “Distancia” (feat. Rosales), it’s clear that forming a healthy distance from the place one first considered home is a necessary act for personal growth.
“I realized that home wasn’t going back to the house that I knew,” said Selines. “I don’t know if this sounds taboo, but whenever I was home, I was looking into my next trip!”
It’s not easy to leave one’s abode as the eldest daughter in a Mexican household, she says. Selines has two younger siblings she’s helped raise; one of whom helped her compose the synth-fueled track “Universe.” As the only standalone English track of the album, its lyrics speak of a situationship so suspended in uncertainty that Selines craftily matched it with the sonic sensation of floating into outer space.
“ I would do anything for [my family] and I’m always there for them. But I think I grew up just taking care of other people. I think it’s time for myself and to take care of myself,” said Selines.
She also knows it will be tricky to leave behind a city that has so often been the beacon for big artistic dreams, but more specifically her community of Puebla-York — a moniker used to describe New York City’s Mexican community, a majority of which can trace their roots back to the state of Puebla. “Some people take their kids to the park, my mom took us to the subway stations to make sure we knew what train was where and how to get somewhere if we ever got lost,” said Selines.
The folk musician has ruled out a cross-country move to the música mexicana mecca of Los Angeles, even though it remains a hub for Mexican Americans making cumbia and corridos, which Selines’ mellow indie folk ballads stray far from. Instead, she’s tinkering with the idea that Chicago might be her second city, a place where her artistic talents can fully blossom in a smaller market.
“The city really moves fast and I think I’m ready for a slow-paced life, especially now when I need to invest that time in myself,” she added.
For the majority of her life, Selines planned to be a doctor: “I invested so many hours into studying and getting good grades, the typical pressures of being a first-gen.” But after auditioning for the choir at LaGuardia High School — a public arts high school famed for refining the talents of stars like Timothée Chalamet, Nicki Minaj and Liza Minnelli — Selines set off on a different journey.
“I was not prepared at all [for the audition]. You had to sing a classical song and I went in with an Elvis Presley,” said Selines, who sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “Knowing that I got the requirements wrong and I still got in, I realized that these people were listening for something else — and I might have that.”
Driven heavily by lyricism, especially that of the melancholic Mexican singer Ed Maverick, and his ability to forge a new path in the Mexican indie folk scene, Selines dreamt of becoming a professional singer at 15. Convincing her Mexican parents, however, was another feat.
“ This might be a joke,” she recalled them saying to her. But once she sat them down, sang original songs — written during a time when she said she was battling mental health issues — they eventually came around to the idea.
“My dad was extremely supportive. He didn’t second guess it,” she said. “My mom was a little on edge. She wanted me to graduate with a career. But I convinced her [after] I started doing tours for other artists that allowed me to open for them. And it’s not because I was singing with these famous people, but singing from my heart and that was causing my joy.”
Selines initially made a deal with her parents to attend the City College of New York while she continued to pursue music. But after two years and many interruptions to her studies — namely performing gigs — she left to pursue a music full-time, but still led with uncertainty. “I was so new to the industry, and people were trying to get used to this new artist from the Bronx who did a genre that wasn’t [as] popular as corridos tumbados. All I could do was open shows.”
To cope with her ambivalence, she penned a hazy, lovelorn track named “Abandoname.” Awash in the sounds of rain, she pleads with a lover to abandon her, as she does not feel strong enough to make that choice.
Selines said she wasn’t talking about a specific individual but rather, her relationship with music. “ I wanted this career to let go of me. I wanted this label to just tell me it’s done, so that I can let go of this dream,” she said.
Yet that same week, she would write the lyrics to her 2024 debut album, “Circo de Amor,” then send them to her then-label VSP Music, in hopes that they would come around to letting her record it — and they did. The LP revolved around a sad clown persona, a facade to cope with her harsh internal criticism. The album would include one of her most beloved tracks — the tender-sung piano ballad “Ay Amor!” — as well as “Esta Soledad,” which underscored an unnerving grief.
Now with “(Nostalgia),” Selines has washed away the clown paint, clouds of self-doubt and rumination. Under the spotlight, her sentimental vocals land softly with a crowd that’s happy to see her. It may be true that Selines is still searching for a true sense of home; but it seems she’s already found it on the main stage.
“These memories right now are going to be nostalgic one day,” said Selines.
Under an indigo stage light, singer-songwriter Selines formed loose prayer hands around the microphone. With eyes gently shut, she began to romance the audience with “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” a sweetly sung, whimsical tune about falling in love: first with someone’s smile, then with their moonlit eyes.
“I feel like there’s an artist after me but there isn’t,” said Selines with a hushed giggle. On a recent Tuesday evening, she was the headlining act at the Love Song Bar in downtown Los Angeles.
Born and raised to Mexican parents in the Bronx, the budding folk singer has opened for Carla Morrison, DannyLux and Julieta Venegas — and will open for Gaby Moreno on Monday in NYC. She played for a full house in L.A., where members of the audience stood shoulder to shoulder — some even perched on top of the venue’s cushion seating — to catch a glimpse of the cherubic vocalist.
Selines was just 15 years old when she wrote “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” her most popular track to date. It was the first single she ever released back in 2023, when beginning her artistic career under the indie label VPS Music. But on the eve of her 22nd birthday, Selines — who speaks in the same honeyed, dulcet tones she sings in — admits that she cringes at the sound of her own teen yearning.
“I need to put out new music,” she said dryly backstage to The Times.
In May, Selines fulfilled her own promise and released her second studio album, “(Nostalgia),” which is her first under Interscope Records. The LP is a 13-song project that delves into the complicated heartache of leaving home; what does it mean to break away from the nest where one was raised?
“ [I’m] not necessarily looking back, but finding my way in life… then knowing that I would look back at this very moment,” she said.
In the opening track “Lugares,” Selines meets her acoustic guitar strumming with a velvety croon, singing of leaping into the unknown — despite understanding the difficulties that will come from leaving home. In the pop melody “Volveré,” she questions where her heart will remain once she leaves town, as muffled trumpets chime in at the outro. But with the bilingual electric-guitar laced track “Distancia” (feat. Rosales), it’s clear that forming a healthy distance from the place one first considered home is a necessary act for personal growth.
“I realized that home wasn’t going back to the house that I knew,” said Selines. “I don’t know if this sounds taboo, but whenever I was home, I was looking into my next trip!”
It’s not easy to leave one’s abode as the eldest daughter in a Mexican household, she says. Selines has two younger siblings she’s helped raise; one of whom helped her compose the synth-fueled track “Universe.” As the only standalone English track of the album, its lyrics speak of a situationship so suspended in uncertainty that Selines craftily matched it with the sonic sensation of floating into outer space.
“ I would do anything for [my family] and I’m always there for them. But I think I grew up just taking care of other people. I think it’s time for myself and to take care of myself,” said Selines.
She also knows it will be tricky to leave behind a city that has so often been the beacon for big artistic dreams, but more specifically her community of Puebla-York — a moniker used to describe New York City’s Mexican community, a majority of which can trace their roots back to the state of Puebla. “Some people take their kids to the park, my mom took us to the subway stations to make sure we knew what train was where and how to get somewhere if we ever got lost,” said Selines.
The folk musician has ruled out a cross-country move to the música mexicana mecca of Los Angeles, even though it remains a hub for Mexican Americans making cumbia and corridos, which Selines’ mellow indie folk ballads stray far from. Instead, she’s tinkering with the idea that Chicago might be her second city, a place where her artistic talents can fully blossom in a smaller market.
“The city really moves fast and I think I’m ready for a slow-paced life, especially now when I need to invest that time in myself,” she added.
For the majority of her life, Selines planned to be a doctor: “I invested so many hours into studying and getting good grades, the typical pressures of being a first-gen.” But after auditioning for the choir at LaGuardia High School — a public arts high school famed for refining the talents of stars like Timothée Chalamet, Nicki Minaj and Liza Minnelli — Selines set off on a different journey.
“I was not prepared at all [for the audition]. You had to sing a classical song and I went in with an Elvis Presley,” said Selines, who sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “Knowing that I got the requirements wrong and I still got in, I realized that these people were listening for something else — and I might have that.”
Driven heavily by lyricism, especially that of the melancholic Mexican singer Ed Maverick, and his ability to forge a new path in the Mexican indie folk scene, Selines dreamt of becoming a professional singer at 15. Convincing her Mexican parents, however, was another feat.
“ This might be a joke,” she recalled them saying to her. But once she sat them down, sang original songs — written during a time when she said she was battling mental health issues — they eventually came around to the idea.
“My dad was extremely supportive. He didn’t second guess it,” she said. “My mom was a little on edge. She wanted me to graduate with a career. But I convinced her [after] I started doing tours for other artists that allowed me to open for them. And it’s not because I was singing with these famous people, but singing from my heart and that was causing my joy.”
Selines initially made a deal with her parents to attend the City College of New York while she continued to pursue music. But after two years and many interruptions to her studies — namely performing gigs — she left to pursue a music full-time, but still led with uncertainty. “I was so new to the industry, and people were trying to get used to this new artist from the Bronx who did a genre that wasn’t [as] popular as corridos tumbados. All I could do was open shows.”
To cope with her ambivalence, she penned a hazy, lovelorn track named “Abandoname.” Awash in the sounds of rain, she pleads with a lover to abandon her, as she does not feel strong enough to make that choice.
Selines said she wasn’t talking about a specific individual but rather, her relationship with music. “ I wanted this career to let go of me. I wanted this label to just tell me it’s done, so that I can let go of this dream,” she said.
Yet that same week, she would write the lyrics to her 2024 debut album, “Circo de Amor,” then send them to her then-label VSP Music, in hopes that they would come around to letting her record it — and they did. The LP revolved around a sad clown persona, a facade to cope with her harsh internal criticism. The album would include one of her most beloved tracks — the tender-sung piano ballad “Ay Amor!” — as well as “Esta Soledad,” which underscored an unnerving grief.
Now with “(Nostalgia),” Selines has washed away the clown paint, clouds of self-doubt and rumination. Under the spotlight, her sentimental vocals land softly with a crowd that’s happy to see her. It may be true that Selines is still searching for a true sense of home; but it seems she’s already found it on the main stage.
“These memories right now are going to be nostalgic one day,” said Selines.
Under an indigo stage light, singer-songwriter Selines formed loose prayer hands around the microphone. With eyes gently shut, she began to romance the audience with “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” a sweetly sung, whimsical tune about falling in love: first with someone’s smile, then with their moonlit eyes.
“I feel like there’s an artist after me but there isn’t,” said Selines with a hushed giggle. On a recent Tuesday evening, she was the headlining act at the Love Song Bar in downtown Los Angeles.
Born and raised to Mexican parents in the Bronx, the budding folk singer has opened for Carla Morrison, DannyLux and Julieta Venegas — and will open for Gaby Moreno on Monday in NYC. She played for a full house in L.A., where members of the audience stood shoulder to shoulder — some even perched on top of the venue’s cushion seating — to catch a glimpse of the cherubic vocalist.
Selines was just 15 years old when she wrote “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” her most popular track to date. It was the first single she ever released back in 2023, when beginning her artistic career under the indie label VPS Music. But on the eve of her 22nd birthday, Selines — who speaks in the same honeyed, dulcet tones she sings in — admits that she cringes at the sound of her own teen yearning.
“I need to put out new music,” she said dryly backstage to The Times.
In May, Selines fulfilled her own promise and released her second studio album, “(Nostalgia),” which is her first under Interscope Records. The LP is a 13-song project that delves into the complicated heartache of leaving home; what does it mean to break away from the nest where one was raised?
“ [I’m] not necessarily looking back, but finding my way in life… then knowing that I would look back at this very moment,” she said.
In the opening track “Lugares,” Selines meets her acoustic guitar strumming with a velvety croon, singing of leaping into the unknown — despite understanding the difficulties that will come from leaving home. In the pop melody “Volveré,” she questions where her heart will remain once she leaves town, as muffled trumpets chime in at the outro. But with the bilingual electric-guitar laced track “Distancia” (feat. Rosales), it’s clear that forming a healthy distance from the place one first considered home is a necessary act for personal growth.
“I realized that home wasn’t going back to the house that I knew,” said Selines. “I don’t know if this sounds taboo, but whenever I was home, I was looking into my next trip!”
It’s not easy to leave one’s abode as the eldest daughter in a Mexican household, she says. Selines has two younger siblings she’s helped raise; one of whom helped her compose the synth-fueled track “Universe.” As the only standalone English track of the album, its lyrics speak of a situationship so suspended in uncertainty that Selines craftily matched it with the sonic sensation of floating into outer space.
“ I would do anything for [my family] and I’m always there for them. But I think I grew up just taking care of other people. I think it’s time for myself and to take care of myself,” said Selines.
She also knows it will be tricky to leave behind a city that has so often been the beacon for big artistic dreams, but more specifically her community of Puebla-York — a moniker used to describe New York City’s Mexican community, a majority of which can trace their roots back to the state of Puebla. “Some people take their kids to the park, my mom took us to the subway stations to make sure we knew what train was where and how to get somewhere if we ever got lost,” said Selines.
The folk musician has ruled out a cross-country move to the música mexicana mecca of Los Angeles, even though it remains a hub for Mexican Americans making cumbia and corridos, which Selines’ mellow indie folk ballads stray far from. Instead, she’s tinkering with the idea that Chicago might be her second city, a place where her artistic talents can fully blossom in a smaller market.
“The city really moves fast and I think I’m ready for a slow-paced life, especially now when I need to invest that time in myself,” she added.
For the majority of her life, Selines planned to be a doctor: “I invested so many hours into studying and getting good grades, the typical pressures of being a first-gen.” But after auditioning for the choir at LaGuardia High School — a public arts high school famed for refining the talents of stars like Timothée Chalamet, Nicki Minaj and Liza Minnelli — Selines set off on a different journey.
“I was not prepared at all [for the audition]. You had to sing a classical song and I went in with an Elvis Presley,” said Selines, who sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “Knowing that I got the requirements wrong and I still got in, I realized that these people were listening for something else — and I might have that.”
Driven heavily by lyricism, especially that of the melancholic Mexican singer Ed Maverick, and his ability to forge a new path in the Mexican indie folk scene, Selines dreamt of becoming a professional singer at 15. Convincing her Mexican parents, however, was another feat.
“ This might be a joke,” she recalled them saying to her. But once she sat them down, sang original songs — written during a time when she said she was battling mental health issues — they eventually came around to the idea.
“My dad was extremely supportive. He didn’t second guess it,” she said. “My mom was a little on edge. She wanted me to graduate with a career. But I convinced her [after] I started doing tours for other artists that allowed me to open for them. And it’s not because I was singing with these famous people, but singing from my heart and that was causing my joy.”
Selines initially made a deal with her parents to attend the City College of New York while she continued to pursue music. But after two years and many interruptions to her studies — namely performing gigs — she left to pursue a music full-time, but still led with uncertainty. “I was so new to the industry, and people were trying to get used to this new artist from the Bronx who did a genre that wasn’t [as] popular as corridos tumbados. All I could do was open shows.”
To cope with her ambivalence, she penned a hazy, lovelorn track named “Abandoname.” Awash in the sounds of rain, she pleads with a lover to abandon her, as she does not feel strong enough to make that choice.
Selines said she wasn’t talking about a specific individual but rather, her relationship with music. “ I wanted this career to let go of me. I wanted this label to just tell me it’s done, so that I can let go of this dream,” she said.
Yet that same week, she would write the lyrics to her 2024 debut album, “Circo de Amor,” then send them to her then-label VSP Music, in hopes that they would come around to letting her record it — and they did. The LP revolved around a sad clown persona, a facade to cope with her harsh internal criticism. The album would include one of her most beloved tracks — the tender-sung piano ballad “Ay Amor!” — as well as “Esta Soledad,” which underscored an unnerving grief.
Now with “(Nostalgia),” Selines has washed away the clown paint, clouds of self-doubt and rumination. Under the spotlight, her sentimental vocals land softly with a crowd that’s happy to see her. It may be true that Selines is still searching for a true sense of home; but it seems she’s already found it on the main stage.
“These memories right now are going to be nostalgic one day,” said Selines.
Under an indigo stage light, singer-songwriter Selines formed loose prayer hands around the microphone. With eyes gently shut, she began to romance the audience with “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” a sweetly sung, whimsical tune about falling in love: first with someone’s smile, then with their moonlit eyes.
“I feel like there’s an artist after me but there isn’t,” said Selines with a hushed giggle. On a recent Tuesday evening, she was the headlining act at the Love Song Bar in downtown Los Angeles.
Born and raised to Mexican parents in the Bronx, the budding folk singer has opened for Carla Morrison, DannyLux and Julieta Venegas — and will open for Gaby Moreno on Monday in NYC. She played for a full house in L.A., where members of the audience stood shoulder to shoulder — some even perched on top of the venue’s cushion seating — to catch a glimpse of the cherubic vocalist.
Selines was just 15 years old when she wrote “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” her most popular track to date. It was the first single she ever released back in 2023, when beginning her artistic career under the indie label VPS Music. But on the eve of her 22nd birthday, Selines — who speaks in the same honeyed, dulcet tones she sings in — admits that she cringes at the sound of her own teen yearning.
“I need to put out new music,” she said dryly backstage to The Times.
In May, Selines fulfilled her own promise and released her second studio album, “(Nostalgia),” which is her first under Interscope Records. The LP is a 13-song project that delves into the complicated heartache of leaving home; what does it mean to break away from the nest where one was raised?
“ [I’m] not necessarily looking back, but finding my way in life… then knowing that I would look back at this very moment,” she said.
In the opening track “Lugares,” Selines meets her acoustic guitar strumming with a velvety croon, singing of leaping into the unknown — despite understanding the difficulties that will come from leaving home. In the pop melody “Volveré,” she questions where her heart will remain once she leaves town, as muffled trumpets chime in at the outro. But with the bilingual electric-guitar laced track “Distancia” (feat. Rosales), it’s clear that forming a healthy distance from the place one first considered home is a necessary act for personal growth.
“I realized that home wasn’t going back to the house that I knew,” said Selines. “I don’t know if this sounds taboo, but whenever I was home, I was looking into my next trip!”
It’s not easy to leave one’s abode as the eldest daughter in a Mexican household, she says. Selines has two younger siblings she’s helped raise; one of whom helped her compose the synth-fueled track “Universe.” As the only standalone English track of the album, its lyrics speak of a situationship so suspended in uncertainty that Selines craftily matched it with the sonic sensation of floating into outer space.
“ I would do anything for [my family] and I’m always there for them. But I think I grew up just taking care of other people. I think it’s time for myself and to take care of myself,” said Selines.
She also knows it will be tricky to leave behind a city that has so often been the beacon for big artistic dreams, but more specifically her community of Puebla-York — a moniker used to describe New York City’s Mexican community, a majority of which can trace their roots back to the state of Puebla. “Some people take their kids to the park, my mom took us to the subway stations to make sure we knew what train was where and how to get somewhere if we ever got lost,” said Selines.
The folk musician has ruled out a cross-country move to the música mexicana mecca of Los Angeles, even though it remains a hub for Mexican Americans making cumbia and corridos, which Selines’ mellow indie folk ballads stray far from. Instead, she’s tinkering with the idea that Chicago might be her second city, a place where her artistic talents can fully blossom in a smaller market.
“The city really moves fast and I think I’m ready for a slow-paced life, especially now when I need to invest that time in myself,” she added.
For the majority of her life, Selines planned to be a doctor: “I invested so many hours into studying and getting good grades, the typical pressures of being a first-gen.” But after auditioning for the choir at LaGuardia High School — a public arts high school famed for refining the talents of stars like Timothée Chalamet, Nicki Minaj and Liza Minnelli — Selines set off on a different journey.
“I was not prepared at all [for the audition]. You had to sing a classical song and I went in with an Elvis Presley,” said Selines, who sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “Knowing that I got the requirements wrong and I still got in, I realized that these people were listening for something else — and I might have that.”
Driven heavily by lyricism, especially that of the melancholic Mexican singer Ed Maverick, and his ability to forge a new path in the Mexican indie folk scene, Selines dreamt of becoming a professional singer at 15. Convincing her Mexican parents, however, was another feat.
“ This might be a joke,” she recalled them saying to her. But once she sat them down, sang original songs — written during a time when she said she was battling mental health issues — they eventually came around to the idea.
“My dad was extremely supportive. He didn’t second guess it,” she said. “My mom was a little on edge. She wanted me to graduate with a career. But I convinced her [after] I started doing tours for other artists that allowed me to open for them. And it’s not because I was singing with these famous people, but singing from my heart and that was causing my joy.”
Selines initially made a deal with her parents to attend the City College of New York while she continued to pursue music. But after two years and many interruptions to her studies — namely performing gigs — she left to pursue a music full-time, but still led with uncertainty. “I was so new to the industry, and people were trying to get used to this new artist from the Bronx who did a genre that wasn’t [as] popular as corridos tumbados. All I could do was open shows.”
To cope with her ambivalence, she penned a hazy, lovelorn track named “Abandoname.” Awash in the sounds of rain, she pleads with a lover to abandon her, as she does not feel strong enough to make that choice.
Selines said she wasn’t talking about a specific individual but rather, her relationship with music. “ I wanted this career to let go of me. I wanted this label to just tell me it’s done, so that I can let go of this dream,” she said.
Yet that same week, she would write the lyrics to her 2024 debut album, “Circo de Amor,” then send them to her then-label VSP Music, in hopes that they would come around to letting her record it — and they did. The LP revolved around a sad clown persona, a facade to cope with her harsh internal criticism. The album would include one of her most beloved tracks — the tender-sung piano ballad “Ay Amor!” — as well as “Esta Soledad,” which underscored an unnerving grief.
Now with “(Nostalgia),” Selines has washed away the clown paint, clouds of self-doubt and rumination. Under the spotlight, her sentimental vocals land softly with a crowd that’s happy to see her. It may be true that Selines is still searching for a true sense of home; but it seems she’s already found it on the main stage.
“These memories right now are going to be nostalgic one day,” said Selines.
Under an indigo stage light, singer-songwriter Selines formed loose prayer hands around the microphone. With eyes gently shut, she began to romance the audience with “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” a sweetly sung, whimsical tune about falling in love: first with someone’s smile, then with their moonlit eyes.
“I feel like there’s an artist after me but there isn’t,” said Selines with a hushed giggle. On a recent Tuesday evening, she was the headlining act at the Love Song Bar in downtown Los Angeles.
Born and raised to Mexican parents in the Bronx, the budding folk singer has opened for Carla Morrison, DannyLux and Julieta Venegas — and will open for Gaby Moreno on Monday in NYC. She played for a full house in L.A., where members of the audience stood shoulder to shoulder — some even perched on top of the venue’s cushion seating — to catch a glimpse of the cherubic vocalist.
Selines was just 15 years old when she wrote “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” her most popular track to date. It was the first single she ever released back in 2023, when beginning her artistic career under the indie label VPS Music. But on the eve of her 22nd birthday, Selines — who speaks in the same honeyed, dulcet tones she sings in — admits that she cringes at the sound of her own teen yearning.
“I need to put out new music,” she said dryly backstage to The Times.
In May, Selines fulfilled her own promise and released her second studio album, “(Nostalgia),” which is her first under Interscope Records. The LP is a 13-song project that delves into the complicated heartache of leaving home; what does it mean to break away from the nest where one was raised?
“ [I’m] not necessarily looking back, but finding my way in life… then knowing that I would look back at this very moment,” she said.
In the opening track “Lugares,” Selines meets her acoustic guitar strumming with a velvety croon, singing of leaping into the unknown — despite understanding the difficulties that will come from leaving home. In the pop melody “Volveré,” she questions where her heart will remain once she leaves town, as muffled trumpets chime in at the outro. But with the bilingual electric-guitar laced track “Distancia” (feat. Rosales), it’s clear that forming a healthy distance from the place one first considered home is a necessary act for personal growth.
“I realized that home wasn’t going back to the house that I knew,” said Selines. “I don’t know if this sounds taboo, but whenever I was home, I was looking into my next trip!”
It’s not easy to leave one’s abode as the eldest daughter in a Mexican household, she says. Selines has two younger siblings she’s helped raise; one of whom helped her compose the synth-fueled track “Universe.” As the only standalone English track of the album, its lyrics speak of a situationship so suspended in uncertainty that Selines craftily matched it with the sonic sensation of floating into outer space.
“ I would do anything for [my family] and I’m always there for them. But I think I grew up just taking care of other people. I think it’s time for myself and to take care of myself,” said Selines.
She also knows it will be tricky to leave behind a city that has so often been the beacon for big artistic dreams, but more specifically her community of Puebla-York — a moniker used to describe New York City’s Mexican community, a majority of which can trace their roots back to the state of Puebla. “Some people take their kids to the park, my mom took us to the subway stations to make sure we knew what train was where and how to get somewhere if we ever got lost,” said Selines.
The folk musician has ruled out a cross-country move to the música mexicana mecca of Los Angeles, even though it remains a hub for Mexican Americans making cumbia and corridos, which Selines’ mellow indie folk ballads stray far from. Instead, she’s tinkering with the idea that Chicago might be her second city, a place where her artistic talents can fully blossom in a smaller market.
“The city really moves fast and I think I’m ready for a slow-paced life, especially now when I need to invest that time in myself,” she added.
For the majority of her life, Selines planned to be a doctor: “I invested so many hours into studying and getting good grades, the typical pressures of being a first-gen.” But after auditioning for the choir at LaGuardia High School — a public arts high school famed for refining the talents of stars like Timothée Chalamet, Nicki Minaj and Liza Minnelli — Selines set off on a different journey.
“I was not prepared at all [for the audition]. You had to sing a classical song and I went in with an Elvis Presley,” said Selines, who sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “Knowing that I got the requirements wrong and I still got in, I realized that these people were listening for something else — and I might have that.”
Driven heavily by lyricism, especially that of the melancholic Mexican singer Ed Maverick, and his ability to forge a new path in the Mexican indie folk scene, Selines dreamt of becoming a professional singer at 15. Convincing her Mexican parents, however, was another feat.
“ This might be a joke,” she recalled them saying to her. But once she sat them down, sang original songs — written during a time when she said she was battling mental health issues — they eventually came around to the idea.
“My dad was extremely supportive. He didn’t second guess it,” she said. “My mom was a little on edge. She wanted me to graduate with a career. But I convinced her [after] I started doing tours for other artists that allowed me to open for them. And it’s not because I was singing with these famous people, but singing from my heart and that was causing my joy.”
Selines initially made a deal with her parents to attend the City College of New York while she continued to pursue music. But after two years and many interruptions to her studies — namely performing gigs — she left to pursue a music full-time, but still led with uncertainty. “I was so new to the industry, and people were trying to get used to this new artist from the Bronx who did a genre that wasn’t [as] popular as corridos tumbados. All I could do was open shows.”
To cope with her ambivalence, she penned a hazy, lovelorn track named “Abandoname.” Awash in the sounds of rain, she pleads with a lover to abandon her, as she does not feel strong enough to make that choice.
Selines said she wasn’t talking about a specific individual but rather, her relationship with music. “ I wanted this career to let go of me. I wanted this label to just tell me it’s done, so that I can let go of this dream,” she said.
Yet that same week, she would write the lyrics to her 2024 debut album, “Circo de Amor,” then send them to her then-label VSP Music, in hopes that they would come around to letting her record it — and they did. The LP revolved around a sad clown persona, a facade to cope with her harsh internal criticism. The album would include one of her most beloved tracks — the tender-sung piano ballad “Ay Amor!” — as well as “Esta Soledad,” which underscored an unnerving grief.
Now with “(Nostalgia),” Selines has washed away the clown paint, clouds of self-doubt and rumination. Under the spotlight, her sentimental vocals land softly with a crowd that’s happy to see her. It may be true that Selines is still searching for a true sense of home; but it seems she’s already found it on the main stage.
“These memories right now are going to be nostalgic one day,” said Selines.
Under an indigo stage light, singer-songwriter Selines formed loose prayer hands around the microphone. With eyes gently shut, she began to romance the audience with “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” a sweetly sung, whimsical tune about falling in love: first with someone’s smile, then with their moonlit eyes.
“I feel like there’s an artist after me but there isn’t,” said Selines with a hushed giggle. On a recent Tuesday evening, she was the headlining act at the Love Song Bar in downtown Los Angeles.
Born and raised to Mexican parents in the Bronx, the budding folk singer has opened for Carla Morrison, DannyLux and Julieta Venegas — and will open for Gaby Moreno on Monday in NYC. She played for a full house in L.A., where members of the audience stood shoulder to shoulder — some even perched on top of the venue’s cushion seating — to catch a glimpse of the cherubic vocalist.
Selines was just 15 years old when she wrote “Me Empiezo a Enamorar,” her most popular track to date. It was the first single she ever released back in 2023, when beginning her artistic career under the indie label VPS Music. But on the eve of her 22nd birthday, Selines — who speaks in the same honeyed, dulcet tones she sings in — admits that she cringes at the sound of her own teen yearning.
“I need to put out new music,” she said dryly backstage to The Times.
In May, Selines fulfilled her own promise and released her second studio album, “(Nostalgia),” which is her first under Interscope Records. The LP is a 13-song project that delves into the complicated heartache of leaving home; what does it mean to break away from the nest where one was raised?
“ [I’m] not necessarily looking back, but finding my way in life… then knowing that I would look back at this very moment,” she said.
In the opening track “Lugares,” Selines meets her acoustic guitar strumming with a velvety croon, singing of leaping into the unknown — despite understanding the difficulties that will come from leaving home. In the pop melody “Volveré,” she questions where her heart will remain once she leaves town, as muffled trumpets chime in at the outro. But with the bilingual electric-guitar laced track “Distancia” (feat. Rosales), it’s clear that forming a healthy distance from the place one first considered home is a necessary act for personal growth.
“I realized that home wasn’t going back to the house that I knew,” said Selines. “I don’t know if this sounds taboo, but whenever I was home, I was looking into my next trip!”
It’s not easy to leave one’s abode as the eldest daughter in a Mexican household, she says. Selines has two younger siblings she’s helped raise; one of whom helped her compose the synth-fueled track “Universe.” As the only standalone English track of the album, its lyrics speak of a situationship so suspended in uncertainty that Selines craftily matched it with the sonic sensation of floating into outer space.
“ I would do anything for [my family] and I’m always there for them. But I think I grew up just taking care of other people. I think it’s time for myself and to take care of myself,” said Selines.
She also knows it will be tricky to leave behind a city that has so often been the beacon for big artistic dreams, but more specifically her community of Puebla-York — a moniker used to describe New York City’s Mexican community, a majority of which can trace their roots back to the state of Puebla. “Some people take their kids to the park, my mom took us to the subway stations to make sure we knew what train was where and how to get somewhere if we ever got lost,” said Selines.
The folk musician has ruled out a cross-country move to the música mexicana mecca of Los Angeles, even though it remains a hub for Mexican Americans making cumbia and corridos, which Selines’ mellow indie folk ballads stray far from. Instead, she’s tinkering with the idea that Chicago might be her second city, a place where her artistic talents can fully blossom in a smaller market.
“The city really moves fast and I think I’m ready for a slow-paced life, especially now when I need to invest that time in myself,” she added.
For the majority of her life, Selines planned to be a doctor: “I invested so many hours into studying and getting good grades, the typical pressures of being a first-gen.” But after auditioning for the choir at LaGuardia High School — a public arts high school famed for refining the talents of stars like Timothée Chalamet, Nicki Minaj and Liza Minnelli — Selines set off on a different journey.
“I was not prepared at all [for the audition]. You had to sing a classical song and I went in with an Elvis Presley,” said Selines, who sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “Knowing that I got the requirements wrong and I still got in, I realized that these people were listening for something else — and I might have that.”
Driven heavily by lyricism, especially that of the melancholic Mexican singer Ed Maverick, and his ability to forge a new path in the Mexican indie folk scene, Selines dreamt of becoming a professional singer at 15. Convincing her Mexican parents, however, was another feat.
“ This might be a joke,” she recalled them saying to her. But once she sat them down, sang original songs — written during a time when she said she was battling mental health issues — they eventually came around to the idea.
“My dad was extremely supportive. He didn’t second guess it,” she said. “My mom was a little on edge. She wanted me to graduate with a career. But I convinced her [after] I started doing tours for other artists that allowed me to open for them. And it’s not because I was singing with these famous people, but singing from my heart and that was causing my joy.”
Selines initially made a deal with her parents to attend the City College of New York while she continued to pursue music. But after two years and many interruptions to her studies — namely performing gigs — she left to pursue a music full-time, but still led with uncertainty. “I was so new to the industry, and people were trying to get used to this new artist from the Bronx who did a genre that wasn’t [as] popular as corridos tumbados. All I could do was open shows.”
To cope with her ambivalence, she penned a hazy, lovelorn track named “Abandoname.” Awash in the sounds of rain, she pleads with a lover to abandon her, as she does not feel strong enough to make that choice.
Selines said she wasn’t talking about a specific individual but rather, her relationship with music. “ I wanted this career to let go of me. I wanted this label to just tell me it’s done, so that I can let go of this dream,” she said.
Yet that same week, she would write the lyrics to her 2024 debut album, “Circo de Amor,” then send them to her then-label VSP Music, in hopes that they would come around to letting her record it — and they did. The LP revolved around a sad clown persona, a facade to cope with her harsh internal criticism. The album would include one of her most beloved tracks — the tender-sung piano ballad “Ay Amor!” — as well as “Esta Soledad,” which underscored an unnerving grief.
Now with “(Nostalgia),” Selines has washed away the clown paint, clouds of self-doubt and rumination. Under the spotlight, her sentimental vocals land softly with a crowd that’s happy to see her. It may be true that Selines is still searching for a true sense of home; but it seems she’s already found it on the main stage.
“These memories right now are going to be nostalgic one day,” said Selines.
