As cliché as it seems, some artists are “more than meets the eye.” The Warning – the Mexican sister trio formed by vocalist and guitarist Daniela, bassist Alejandra, and drummer Paulina Villarreal – is a testament to that. During a chat with Remezcla, the Villarreal sisters appeared shy and polished, yet on stage during their special One Night Only performance at Los Angeles’ iconic Whisky a Go Go (June 26), they were complete raging powerhouses, dominating the stage from start to finish. Ahead of their new album Keep Me Fed release and tour, the young artists talked to us about working for the last decade, their advice for the next generation of rockeras, and why it’s important to share their Latine culture on stage.
After being discovered through a viral cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” in 2015, The Warning hit the ground running towards their success. The young Latinas, now 19 to 24 years old, started their music career when they were only 9 to 14 years old after their cover garnered attention, ultimately landing nationwide attention from television shows like The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Now, you can see The Warning jamming out on prominent awards shows like the 2023 MTV VMAs or hear their music on Southern California’s mainstream radio 95.5 FM KLOS’ rotation, demonstrating the fruits of their last 10 years of labor. The sisters describe their journey as a “really crazy” one, reflecting on their experience as young Latinas from Monterrey, Mexico, fighting for a place in a historically male-dominated rock industry.
“[Now] there are more bands that have women in them. And it’s not like they never existed. It’s just that they weren’t given the opportunities to play in festivals or [other notable] stages,” Paulina explains. The ensemble notes that they are starting to see more women in the scene since their start. “It’s very inspiring to see how, even though sometimes [women] are not pushed into the spotlight, how we constantly fight our way into it, and how we are constantly wanting to share our music and our voices collectively as women in this genre. We’re honored to be able to participate in that, honestly.”
Being a woman in the rock scene is one challenge they face, but being Latina adds another layer to it. After a decade of breaking into the mainstream rock culture, The Warning knows how hard it is for Latinas to make it. However, they still encourage the next generation of rockeras to go against the odds. A tip the girls share to make it in the industry is to stick to your own authentic identity despite what the industry tells you and use your success as an example. Paulina notes that though it’s unusual to see Latines in mainstream rock in the U.S., it’s not impossible. “If we did it – and we’re actually from Mexico [and] we’re bringing this – hopefully, we can open more doors for people to explore that passion because music is for everyone.”
[Now] there are more bands that have women in them. And it’s not like they never existed. It’s just that they weren’t given the opportunities to play in festivals or [other notable] stages.
Their pride as both rockers and Latinas is evident during their album release party at one of Hollywood’s most cherished rock venues. During the interview before their soundcheck, the young women appear to be quiet and reserved, but hearing Daniela’s piercing high-octave vocals and seeing her charismatic attitude while playing her electric guitar in unison with Paulina’s intense drumming and Alejandra’s rhythmic bass, it’s safe to say they’re a complete 180 on stage. They had the crowd throwing their sign of the horns up as the trio performed their high-energy rock songs like “Burnout,” “S!CK,” and fan-favorite track “ERROR” live.
Notably, between songs, they frequently thanked their ecstatic public in Spanish, almost like they’re reminding their mostly American audience where they’re from. Before their 45-minute set ended, the band sang their album’s Spanish-language song, “Qué Más Quieres.” After singing the demanding and pulsing rock anthem, Daniela had the audience echo the chant in Spanish back to them. She then shared on stage that they love to hear their Spanish songs sung back to them.
That’s because although The Warning’s music is mostly in English, the band makes a point to write at least one song in Spanish in their albums to represent their roots. “We just went to Japan, and we played some shows there. And it was very crazy to have people who clearly have never spoken a single word of Spanish singing these songs back to us,” Paulina shares. “And for us, to be able to represent our culture in that way and share it, it’s just an honor.”
As for what they want to see more of in the rock industry? “More Mexican women,” The Warning notes.
Keep Me Fed is out now.
