Los Angeles band Yungatita, includes Valentina Zapata (they/them), keyboardist/guitarist Gil Simo, bassist David Lopez, guitarist Ernie Gutierrez, and drummer Christian Gurrola –– release their debut album, Shoelace & A Knot, today, after a busy 2023 that included their first tour as a full band.

The genesis of the name Yungatita, as Valentina explains, can be traced back to 2015 when they spent two months studying silversmithing in Mexico. “I needed a whole new start. The name ‘yungatita’ came to mind, so I went on everything, my Tumblr, my Twitter, etc. I changed it all, and it ended up sticking.”

Growing up, home life could be tumultuous, and eventually they’d struggle with issues surrounding childhood trauma and addiction. Because of this, a lot of Valentina’s songs center around themes of escapism and recklessness, all stemming from pent-up angst that they’re, thankfully, now able to analyze from the other side.

Zapata’s story with music starts from their youth growing up in a musically-inclined household, but it wasn’t until they got their hands on a cracked version of Ableton, some YouTube tutorials, and Soundcloud that Yungatita began to truly take shape.

Everything from that point forward has seemed to fall right into place, right on time. In 2018, Yungatita released a song called “7 Weeks & 3 Days” –– inspired by a particularly-whack breakup, the song quickly caught attention and ignited Valentine’s ambition to take the project to a new level. It also forged a connection with another Latino artist from the area, Montebello’s Katzu Oso, who ended up bringing Zapata on the road as his keyboardist.

Touring with Katzu, Valentina found the core group of players who actually convinced them to turn Yungatita into a band––guitarist Gil Simo, bassist David Lopez, and drummer Christian Gurrola. With the addition of their childhood friend and musical counterpart Ernie Gutierrez. The band are inspired by the sounds of Katzu Oso, Modest Mouse, Dinosaur Jr., Alex G, Tanukichan.

Yungatita
Shoelace & A Knot
Tracklisting

1. Poppy
2. Reckless
3. Other
4. Armchair
5. Descenda
6. 2 Cigs
7. Pick At Your Face
8. Crack Of Your Jaw
9. Whiplash
10. Pack It Up

order “Whiplash” by Yungatita HERE