Meet The Mesmerizing Electro-Pop Duo REYNA

If you’re in search for a new electro-pop band to listen to, look no further because REYNA is the group for you.

Hailing from Milwaukee, sisters Vic Banuelos and Gabby Banuelos first got their start in 2012 as indie-pop duo, Vic and Gab. But after a few years of honing their craft, their artistry began to evolve and REYNA was born.

Their new identity, which is a play on the Spanish word for Queen, represented their culture and their overall growth as women in music. Ushering in a more 80s-inspired electro-pop sound, the two have worked with some of music’s biggest pop producers and have garnered millions of streams in the process.

From being supported by the likes of Tegan and Sara to releasing relatable tracks about love, heartbreak and life lessons, REYNA is a band that is destined for superstardom.

We were able to chat with them about everything from their brand new single ‘7’11’, its accompanying video and so much more. Read our full interview below.

What’s going on REYNA, how are you two doing?

Hey! We are doing well, so excited about 7’11 finally being out and about the amazing response, we have received. We have gotten really good at staying at home and sweatpants are now a daily thing but out of all the ”new normal” things to get used to, can’t complain about sweatpants. 

How have the past 8 months been treating you guys?

This year has been CRAZY but it has also been a year full of learning. When the first lockdown happened in March it was such a huge adjustment especially for how we would release music during the quarantine. It forced us to be more creative. We have released five singles this year and have filmed and edited four music videos all by ourselves. I have always been such a huge fan of film and visuals so I am very grateful for the time quarantine gave me to learn how to film and edit! I am obsessed! 

Okay, let’s dive into the music! Did you two always know you wanted to make music together?

We grew up around music. Our grandmother was a mariachi singer and would always bring us along to her gigs and pull us up to sing a couple of songs with her. As we got older, our father got us into classic rock like RUSH and The Police. We also became obsessed with the movie School of Rock and wanted to be like the kids in the movie so our father bought us a bass and guitar and we started writing songs for fun about silly things like detention and an ice cream truck. I don’t think we knew we wanted to make music together, we just always did it. It’s always been a huge part of who we are. 

Can you take us through the transition from Vic and Gab to REYNA? When did you guys make the decision to change your dynamic and artistry?

We started writing and collaborating with different producers in LA and Brooklyn and the music we were writing felt more grown-up and more like the music we always dreamed of making. When we chose the name Vic and Gab we had booked a show and needed a band name so the venue could promote the show and we went with our names. We always regretted not taking more time to find the perfect name. The new music felt so different and new so we decided to change our name and went with REYNA which means queen in Spanish and it just felt perfect.

Absolutely in love with your music. It holds such a vintage and nostalgic vibe. How would you two individually describe your sound?

THANK YOU! This is always such a hard question to answer. I think what makes a REYNA song is a driving bass and bouncy guitar hooks. We are very nostalgic people at heart and we love to make music that sounds happy and fun but when you stop and listen to the lyrics they’re actually quite sad. Happy and sad at the same time that’s our sound.

Obsessed with your single 7’11! Is that a Marvin Gaye ‘Sexual Healing’ sample we hear in there?

There is no sexual healing sample, but there is definitely that vibe and we did use the same drum machine he used in that song (Roland 808). Coast Modern killed the production to 7 ’11 – we are huge fans of theirs and writing a song together was just the absolute best! Also, I am now dancing in my kitchen to ‘Sexual Healing’ sooo good.     

We gotta talk about the fantastic video for the single. What was the creative process like for the video? Is there a hidden idea or theme that you want fans to grasp?

I was heavily inspired by the movie “A Ghost Story”. It’s a film that stays with you for a long time after you watch it. I think it perfectly captures loss for both the person who goes and the person who is left. I feel like when a relationship ends you are left with the ghost of it for a long time. It’s hard to get used to that person being gone and it really feels like you carry them around with you for a long time. In the music video the ghost is supposed to represent a relationship that died but in this case, instead of moving on Vic chooses to stay and hold on to the ghost of the relationship. I don’t recommend ever doing that we all need to get better at letting go. It’s one of the hardest things to ever do. 

Will we be getting more singles before this year-end? Can you give us a little sneak peek at what we can expect? Will you be dropping a record or EP (crossing fingers you say yes!)?

We don’t have any new singles coming out before the year ends but we are finishing up our next release and plan to release in late January or early February. It’s a song about quarantine and loneliness. We can’t wait for it to be out! Definitely yes to an EP, so stay tuned!!

Looking ahead to 2021 what plans or goals do you two have?

We want to release an EP and if life goes back to normal plan on playing a TON of shows! We miss sweaty packed shows and looking at all of the pretty faces singing our songs. We miss it so so much!

Make sure to watch REYNA’s video for their latest single 7’11 and listen to their track here.