The Warning, a power trio consisting of three Mexican-born sisters (Daniela on guitar, lead vocals, piano; Paulina on drums, vocals, and piano; and Alejandra on bass, piano, and backing vocals), are quickly proving to the world that they are one of the most exciting modern rock bands on the rise. They are from Monterrey, Mexico and have been rocking out as a band since 2012—back when they were just 12, 10, and 7 years old, respectively. In 2014, they had their first brush with internet viral fame after they uploaded a cover of Metallica’s Enter Sandman on YouTube primarily to just show their grandparents how much they have improved as a band. However, the girls were surprisingly caught off guard when the video attracted millions of views. But it made their musical destiny exceedingly clear, and they decided to devote as much of their time to pursuing music. They are a Gen Z product of the YouTube/Tik Tok era, and the world got to witness these sisters grow up and evolve from doing covers to writing their own music and forging their own identity. Their full-length album offerings, such as Queen of the Murder Scene and Error, have gained them a dedicated global fan following and have toured with many legendary bands such as Muse, Halestorm, Guns N Roses, and the Foo Fighters. Before the release of their new upcoming album, Keep Me Fed, which will be out on June 28, I recently had a chance to chat with Daniela and Paulina courtesy of °1824 about their music and playing together as a band.
Mexico is home to one of the most passionate and dedicated music cultures in the world, where the rock/metal genre remarkably thrives and flourishes. Rock and metal flows naturally through the band’s sonic DNA, and they channel their influences with admirable intensity. They are still very young, but they have already developed such a deep understanding of what makes rock so captivating and powerful—catchy riffs, acrobatic vocals, gigantic hooks and harmonies, a tight lean groove, and effortless band chemistry—and they balance these components so nimbly in both the studio and the stage. They understand the work and dedication needed to make this formula work and show a great deal of respect to the craft, winning over even the most jaded long-time rock fans both young and old.
Despite their passionate rock upbringing, they embrace all kinds of music. When I asked them if there are any musical influences that may surprise some of their fans, they revealed that they are huge fans of Kpop and love incorporating the music into their own style, especially in their approach to harmonies. Daniela also noted how listening to music in other languages they don’t understand “opens our ears to the details of melodies and instrumentation in a whole another level.” The band have written songs in both English and Spanish, and it’s clear that regardless of what language they sing, they always prioritize the kind of melody and groove that would feel right at home in a large hall or stadium. I personally do not speak or understand Spanish, but songs like “Que Mas Quieres” exudes such pure fun “gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss” energy that it doesn’t matter—and with that trademark power that they have, there’s no language barrier to enjoying the Warning experience.
Although the Warning are a tight-knit family, the writing process for their new album also involved different collaborators outside of their group. English is not their first language, and they have been very comfortable to just working between themselves in Spanish. Collaborating with writers who don’t speak Spanish can be a creative test for the band. “It forces you to be very clear with what you want to do for sure,” Paulina explains. “You have to be confident in your own ideas and open to what other people bring into the table, but at the end of the day, it is a Warning song.” Co-writing and producing with creative talents Anton Delost (Highly Suspect, Mayday Parade) and Dan Lancaster (Muse, Bring Me the Horizon) pushed the band to collaborate more efficiently and communicate very clearly from the beginning what stylistic direction they wanted to sound like. And ultimately, they felt it resulted in the best version of the band, “it was fantastic—you get to explore new things, new cultures, different influences. And it really just brought out the most authentic you there is.”
As a trio, the Warning’s power levels are off the charts. Pulling off a trio in an uncompromising rock context can be one of the most physically and technically demanding formats to execute live night after night—there is nowhere to hide, and each member has to excel. I asked them if they have any tips for any aspiring musicians out there in succeeding as a power trio. Dani exclaimed that “the bass player and drummer have to be soul mates.” Both she and Paulina imparted the importance of playing together, “but anyone can just play ‘together’ but playing ‘TOGETHER!’ is really different.” They credit themselves in the belief that this is always a team effort, and you must constantly rehearse together as a group—but to do it “in a very human way.” Their recent studio recordings and live performances really show off this intuitive chemistry and musical awareness that they have developed over the years. Their songs are always carefully composed and thoughtful to the proper sonic space needed to drive the music together while allowing each of their skills and personality to shine through. On stage, they are fearless and play with an entertaining sense of precision and groove, while possessing a natural commanding flow as a band. The way their songs take off live channel that exciting sense of power that reminds the us how special rock music can be when done properly. Thanks to the Warning, rock is back in a big way and the sky is the limit to what they can do together.
- Carlo De Dios
