Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrian Labra.
Hi Adrian, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
The Labras are a musical family. This becomes pretty evident at virtually every family gathering, where, almost inevitably, someone will be playing a guitar and singing. We had strong musical influences growing up, including our grandfather, who was a touring musician in Mexico with his brothers, playing Mexican folk music.
Our parents had strong musical backgrounds of their own and made sure to introduce a wide range of music to us. As the oldest, I was the first to pick up and learn to play guitar. My younger brothers followed suit with guitars and other instruments as they grew. After several years of playing and singing together casually, we discovered a shared passion for writing our own music and decided to begin more seriously pursuing writing and performing professionally. Around 2014, we were able to connect with a collection of great local musicians and have been writing, recording, and performing live throughout the region since then.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
First and foremost, there is nothing that brings us greater joy than a chance to share our original music with an audience. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had so many opportunities to do so during our years so far as a band. The rich musical community in which we live has provided more amazing opportunities to collaborate with fellow musicians, which has also been a complete blessing. While we have absolutely enjoyed ourselves, we have certainly run into our share of challenges as well. There is no pre-determined formula for success as an independent band. The biggest challenge along the way has been trial and error related to our live performance, recording in the studio, social media strategies, and merchandise sales. Throw COVID-19 into that mix, and I’m sure you can imagine the roller coaster ride we’ve been through the last few years.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We’re a family-operated Latin Funk & Soul band. We have been focused on cultivating culture & community through good vibes and eclectic music. Our live set emphasizes smooth sibling vocal harmonies, high-energy Latin percussion, and powerful bass-driven grooves. If we had a “specialty,” I’m sure it would be the blend of genres that we have created through our original music. Our band is mostly made up of brothers, which means that, even if you are a non-Labra member of the band, you basically become an honorary brother-by-association. Our goal is to create and share that sense of family and community with our bandmates and with every audience, we come across.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Don’t get hung up on unknowns. Try things. Take risks, and take them wholeheartedly. Share your original music confidently, whatever doubts or inhibitions you may have. If an audience can sense poise and confidence, they will follow you, even if your music isn’t necessarily in their wheelhouse. If you have the music bug, feed it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thelabrabrothers.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/labrabrosmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLabraBrothers/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LabraBrosMusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh3KVXAKId40Y5xsM08mksg
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-344013398
Image Credits
Little Blackbird Photo
