Ali Stone, the Los Angeles based singer and songwriter just released a fresh new single “Oculto.” The gritty techno track features familiar elements of Stone’s Columbian background. The track is a single off her forthcoming EP, En Mis Manos, which is set to release later this year. It’s worth mentioning that the upcoming EP is mixed, mastered and produced all by Ali Stone herself.
Stone has an incredible track record working with some of the biggest names in music like Mary J. Blige, Alan Walker, and Alok to name a few. With previous experience opening up for Justin Bieber’s tour, Ali Stone is a name you don’t want to forget.
Take a look at our exclusive interview with Ali Stone below and be sure to watch the official music video to her brand new track “Oculto,” below. In the meantime, you can follow along on Instagram for all the latest information and updates surrounding Ali Stone!
Listen To Ali Stone – Oculto
Exclusive Interview With Ali Stone
(This interview was edited for clarity)
RMR: How does it feel to have released Oculto?
Ali S: It feels great! I wanted to release a single that had a darker, more techno vibe, and having this song with lyrics in Spanish felt like the right thing to move with for the first EP I have for this year.
RMR: What type of response are you getting from your listeners?
AS: I’ve been getting very positive reactions towards the song and the video! That makes me really happy because I put my all into the song, from the songwriting to the mastering. So it is great to know my fans and listeners appreciate this new approach to my electronic music making.
Ali Stone
RMR: Where did you find your inspiration for the track?
AS: My main inspiration for this song was actually my home country, Colombia. The song’s title means “hidden,” and what I wanted to convey with it was basically those hidden sounds and flavors that Colombia has, that maybe aren’t as obvious as other Latin genres out there. I think it’s important to show the diversity of the sounds and styles that hail from one country. I put in percussion from the Guajira, Colombia’s northern region, accordions from the Caribbean coast, and underground sounds of the capital city Bogota into “Oculto.”
RMR: What could we expect off your forthcoming EP, En Mis Manos? Anything similar to Oculto?
AS: I’d say it’s going to be similar in terms of the darker vibes of “Oculto.” The EP will maintain this electronic profile with songs ranging from
RMR: How did you get to the point where you can mix and master an entire album by yourself? Was it brought on by the idea of being in control of your work at all times or did the mix and mastering process come naturally?
AS: Both processes came naturally. When I began to experiment with music production while in university, I would notice my songs didn’t sound as balanced and loud as the songs I would listen to on the radio. I remember a musician friend of mine said I should send my songs to
RMR: I’m sure many want to know, but where did the idea of opening up for Justin Bieber’s tour even develop? What was it like opening up for him and working alongside such a big star?
AS: I got a call from the organizers of the tour asking if I was available within certain dates, but they didn’t say for what, where, etc. One week after that call, I got another call from the same people, saying Justin had chosen me to be the opening act for this.
It was an amazing experience, and the feeling of having people sing your songs and scream in a stadium is incredible. I’m really thankful for everything Justin and his team did for me—he let me use all of the screens and lights, he even had his videographers record my show. He was super generous for letting me have my moment to shine in his tour, and I will always be grateful for that.
RMR: What types of things did you learn throughout that process? It could be big or small.
AS: I think I learned a lot from him and his team. They were all so professional and precise with their work that it really drove me to work more on myself as a whole. Regarding something I learned specifically for that show, I implemented some break-dancing. The stage was very big and I had to fill the stage with huge amounts of presence for the whole performance. Since my shows have the live performance, where I sing, play guitar solos, drums, I decided to add some dance to make it an all-round show.
RMR: What can you tell us about growing up in Columbia and then pushing your craft around the world into different cultural markets? What is a highlight and/or a challenge you’ve seen?
AS: I feel that I had kind of a backwards process, because the first thing I did to put my name out there was a remix for Axwell & Ingrosso for the movie Monsters University. It was an international contest and being one of the winners had them talking about me and sharing my work. From there, I began to get opportunities to remix artists like Katy Perry, make movie soundtracks, and all of that was outside of Colombia. Then people began to acknowledge that I was Latina, then from Colombia, then from Bogota. It was kind of backwards.
Hailing from Colombia has been a highlight when it comes to adding different sound perspectives to my music and to songs I produce for other people. Even in songwriting, being able to write music in English and Spanish has been a plus that I got from my country. It can be a real challenge being a producer/DJ, regarding the sexism that’s still very present in Colombia’s industry.
RMR: Where do you see your career heading in the near future?
AS: Now that I’ve made the move to LA, I see my career growing much more as a whole artist, where I include my songwriting, production, engineering
RMR: Last question here, if you could work with any artist in the world at this particular moment, who would it be?
AS: I’ve always dreamed of working with Shakira, who’s also from Colombia and has been one of my biggest idols since I was little! I would also love to work with Billie Eilish and Alison Wonderland.
