Italia is Kawaii: the RGV's “Superstar Idol” and Her Album Release Show
The highly anticipated album release show from the RGV’s own Idol. Italia’s international journey circles back to where it all began.
An Idol is a performer in Japanese pop culture (or Kaigai Idol if they’re outside Japan) known for their highly marketable traits. They vibrantly sing, dance, act, wear elaborate outfits, and more. It takes energy, dedication, and confidence, and right now, Brownsville’s Italia Salazar has it all and is ready for her big moment: an album release performance like the Rio Grande Valley has never seen before.
On Saturday February 8, Italia will take the stage at The Kraken Lounge in Brownsville to perform songs from her new “Superstar Idol” album. It’s a poetic venue choice as it is also the place where she played her first live performance back in 2017. Since then, she has grown her signature sound and expanded her reach and is now ready for her first album release party. “For a long time, I was too scared to organize a show just for no one to end up going. I feel like I’m more confident now as an artist than before”, she asserts.
The album will have 10 songs, with half of the beats being made by producer Xemesixs. We’ve gotten a taste of her Idol aesthetic through her most recent singles “IDOL! IDOL! IDOL!”, “Superstar Idol”, and “I Love Harajuku”. They are spirited, daydreamy, cutesy pop anthems that complement her visual motifs: waving light wands, pink hearts, exuberant choreography. While there are plenty of upbeat songs, her favorite is the sad “Tamagotchi Life”.
The show’s Idol theme doesn’t stop at the lively music and dazzling stage presence, in addition to Italia’s usual merch being sold, there will also be light sticks, a special melon drink, and cheki (polaroid photographs signed and decorated by Idols).
Melon soda to be served at the show
Italia’s cheki with Idol Bunny Kaisui
If all of that wasn’t enough for a memorable night, the opening performers are two of the RGV’s biggest noisemakers: Pillowsnake and B11ce. Each with their own unique brand of distorted, loud, experimental music. While they are sonically worlds apart from Italia, they all share a relentless DIY energy toward their craft and unforgettable live shows, and even have shared history. “I have played many shows with both Pillowsnake and B11ce. We have all been making music for years and that has allowed us to perfect our sound. We’re all solid artists, so I think we can put on a good show.”
She got her first taste of fame six years ago from her viral pop hit “Kawaii Life” from her first album “Fantasy World”. Her timid singing over an Undertale sample had an instant catchiness that found its way on 54,000 TikTok videos. It also established her project’s themes of gaming and kawaii subcultures. Since then, she has released countless singles and three more albums (soon to be four) mixing in dream pop, cloud rap, cumbia, and metal among other sounds. She leaned in further on the gaming themes in 2021’s “Here We Go!” making perhaps her best but sadly overlooked album. Her 2022 album “Dedicado a Brownsville, con amor” was a tribute to not only her hometown but home sound as well, most notable on the blaring cumbia hit “Puro 956”. The dreamiest of the bunch was 2023’s “Falling from the Sky”, which also prominently featured producer Xemesisx.
Italia has taken her music and dreams to a global stage: visiting Harajuku, reaching the spanish-speaking world by competing on “Tengo Talento Mucho Talento”, and performing at her favorite gig at Northwest IdolFest 2024 in Seattle. Despite her wide reach, she still wants more from the local scene. She would like to see more local female artists and to see continued support for all musicians and shows. “Japan and kaigai idol fans are hardcore, in the best way. RGV shows are more challenging, especially if it’s just one person performing on stage. Most people will prefer to see a band vs just a one man show. This is why I try to incorporate visuals and audience interaction”, she explains. This Saturday at The Kraken Lounge, the RGV audience should get all the spectacle that they need.
Italia is Kawaii at NWIF in Seattle, WA.
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