There's no more exciting moment in the Tennessee Vibes London office than a debut single. When a singer is this brilliant and this original, our tiny little neck hairs get the shivers. Could this be someone as amazing as Tracy Chapman? That was certainly my first question after I received this song.
Paulina's own childhood story is inspirational and unlikely in equal combination.
Boston-based Paulina Chow knows a thing or two about displacement, the central theme of her piercing lyrics. Born in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Chow’s family emigrated to Houston when she was just five-years-old. With a Chinese-Mexican father and Mexican mother, Chow describes her upbringing as overwhelmingly alienating. It was around this time that Chow had her first encounters with music, as she began studying the violin at age six. The violin was soon replaced by an instrument that suited her more: the ukulele, which inspired her to begin writing songs of her own at age 13.
Surprisingly, Paulina does not list Tracy Chapman in her list of inspirations. Instead she was inspired to learn to write songs by artists like Joni Mitchell, Lizzy Mcalpine, and Phoebe Bridgers.
She moved around as a child between the USA and Mexico and back again. With some Chinese heritage in the mix too, it is easy to understand why Paulina Chow felt she didn't quite fit neatly into any particular place. One way or another, it seems that she has found her place and her people in Boston, one of my favourite cities and perhaps a more welcoming and metropolitan place for a young musician to learn their craft and spread their wings.
Paulina is still at college. She's a third-year student at Boston's Berklee College of Music. Her connection with Nashville-based producer Tyler Skye connected her up with the Tennessee music scene. However she has already broken out onto the Boston music scene, performing live around the city at house shows and venues, has opened for the Lockhearts in New York City, and has collaborated with brands like Brandy Melville.
She has a gigantic future that is just around the corner.
I believed
You were the one for me
Didn’t seem to hurt
I was numbed by the
Love you more
And god I missed you
Should’ve seen
Behind that script
You best believe
I don’t care for you at all
If truth be told
Paulina Chow's single, Blue, is out today, and her debut EP will follow around Easter. You can follow her on Instagram. Her main website is here and you can join her mailing list here.
Paulina is also appearing at a free show in Nashville on 9/10, details below, along with such incredible artists, most of which you can read about here on this site!
