"It's Been a Dream Come True": Priscilla Bousek Talks Working With Her Father on Her Debut Album

Priscilla Bousek is a woman of the world, and her travels are the driving force behind her new music.

Born in Venezuela, the singer relocated with her mother and father to their native Chile when she was 13 years old. It was there that she began to cultivate her love for music and explore the beauty of her parents’ culture. Leaving her dreams to study music aside, she eventually obtained a degree in Environmental Engineering before immigrating to the United States.

But it was the vibrant city of Miami that helped her fall in love with Cuban son, reigniting her desire to pursue a career as a singer. She finally released her debut album last month, and it does not disappoint.

One of the most touching, smile-inducing aspects of the project is that Bousek created it with the incredible support of her father, composer Guillermo “Willie” López, who wrote all of the songs featured on the album. “This has been a dream since I was a little girl,” she told Musical Notes Global about working with him on her debut. “My dad was always singing his songs at home or at any party we went to. Anytime he was singing, I was singing as well. I knew his songs. For me it was a dream to sing his songs and to do what I’m doing now. It’s been a dream come true.”

The collaboration has fostered a new bond between them, allowing Bousek to truly bring her father’s words to life. “Working with him was a really nice experience, and we have a really good relationship, so I’m very happy that we can explore a different part of our life together in this project,” she said. “I think the love that I feel for music comes from him. Watching how he’s been working on and loving the music all these years, and all the songs that he’s writing. And it’s really different rhythms but always with a romantic touch. I really like that…It’s a good opportunity for me to show his talent through my voice and show it to others. I’m really proud of him.”

In addition to exhibiting the soothing cadence of Bousek’s dreamy vocals, what makes the album a true gem is its diversity. Comprising five tracks, the self-titled collection was recorded in Chile under the production of Carlos Olguín Salazar, and in it listeners will discover rhythmic influences from the countries and cities she has traveled to and lived in over the years—including Puerto Rico, Miami, and Suriname. “Living in different places gave me the opportunity to meet people of the culture, different music, and I love it because I feel like I’m part of different places. I can’t say that I’m from a particular country. Even from the past, my grandfather went to Chile from Czech Republic, so I feel like I have a little piece of different countries in myself.”

Easy to listen to and wonderfully romantic, the album features bachata, flamenco, rumba, and Cuban son, not only making it a sonic snapshot of the rich culture and musical landscape of Latin America but providing an intimate glimpse into the singer’s life and journey of musical self-discovery as well. “I feel like I’m showing myself in all the songs coming from different countries and different cultures,” she acknowledged.

Still, one song in particular stands out among the rest for Bousek. “I love them all because they’re so different,” she said about the tracks, “but I have a special feeling for the second single ‘Amar Queriéndose Amar,’ the Cuban son. That music is really similar to salsa and I love dancing salsa…and the lyrics, it’s a song that talks about loving each other, when you find that special person that is for you and you want to stay together forever—so I think I’m kind of a romantic.”

“Amar Queriéndose Amar” was released with a music video that was recorded in The Tree House of Life in San Germán, Puerto Rico, setting a magical visual scene for the sensual love song. “It was a really special moment,” she said about filming. “And as we were recording the song my dad told me to feel the lyrics. I think it was the first or second song I recorded so I feel a special connection to that one.”

The album also includes Bousek’s most recent single “Embrujo,” an enchanting rumba that recounts a passionate night of love. The track comes accompanied by a stunning music video, which was filmed in various locations around Puerto Rico, including Old San Juan, the Girasoles Estate in Guanica, and the Guancha in Ponce. “Recording the video, you’re going to different places and you don’t know how the final product is going to be,” she said. “You kind of imagine, but at the end, when you see all that put together with the story. I was really, really happy.”

Turning the project into a true family affair, the video features appearances by her own children, who she says love singing along with her music. “My kids really enjoy this project,” she noted. “Sometimes we’re in the car and we’re listening to my music and they sing it and it’s so cool, especially the little one. It’s so cute! He’s eight years old and he likes the songs and he starts singing in the car or at home sometimes…That’s something I really enjoy.”

Bousek’s debut effort effortlessly draws anyone who presses play into a world that begs to be explored, a world where dreams and love are plentiful, and music and dancing fuel the soul.

“I wanted to give them a touch of energy and happiness, so I’m hoping that they feel it and they enjoy the music,” she said when asked how she hopes listeners react to the EP. “That’s my goal…The most important thing is that people really enjoy it and see that we worked a lot on this project. It took me more than two years to record the music, not only this album, but the others that we’re working on…There are a lot of people working on and involved in this project, so we’re pretty excited to see how the public and people are going to respond to this. My hope is that they can feel that, that we enjoyed doing this and that they can enjoy it as well.”

Listen to Priscilla Bousek now on Spotify.