SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio’s music scene flourishes on camaraderie, passion, and diversity, and few bands embody this spirit like Chavela. Fronted by lead vocalist Isabel Paillao, the band brings together a hybrid mix of talents and influences to create a sound that’s uniquely their own.
“I started Chavela in 2018,” says Isa. “Back then, I was playing wherever I could–bookstores, little venues–just trying to get my music out there.”
The local music scene plays a role in shaping Chavela’s journey. The artists agree that the scene brings forth a sense of belonging.
“It’s very tight-knit here,” drummer Jacob Felan says. “Everyone knows everyone, and there’s so much support.”
Isa echoes the sentiment. “San Antonio has this incredible mix of regional influences–Latin, country, soul–and that shines through in the music. But beyond that, the community itself is so welcoming. People here genuinely want to see each other succeed.”
“Nobody’s trying to step on anybody’s toes or trying to steal the limelight,” vocalist Brianna Smith said. “Everybody’s just really supportive.”
Support doesn’t come easy, though. The band also experiences the challenges of being local artists.
“It would be amazing to see more local talent open for big acts in San Antonio,” Isa shares. “We have so much talent here that deserves that platform.”
This seven-piece band is a blend of musical backgrounds. keyboardist Isaiah Masters provides jazz and gospel-like roots to the band, while guitarists Ramón Botello and Cooper Greenberg bring a rock and country flair.
“It’s the diversity of styles that make our sound so special,” says bassist Joseph Cantú. “It’s like every song has a little piece of all of us.”
“It’s a combination of talent and personality and willingness to work with other people and to create something really, really good,” says keyboardist Isaiah.
San Antonio is making a name for itself as a Texas city that stands out for its musical identity.
“It’s one of the last places that has a sound of its own,” says Cooper. “Isa’s music is a perfect example. It’s like a type of music that can only be really born out of San Antonio.”
Guitarist Ramón agrees. “Anybody who’s from San Antonio knows, in general, the scene has for a long time been pretty much classic rock, Tejano, but honestly, I’d say the past couple of decades, it’s really started to change. It’s not as hostile as people can paint it to be.”
Chavela’s debut album is in the final stages of production and is set to include eight tracks featuring songs that highlight their mix of influences.
Isa’s songwriting process is organic.
“Most of my songs start as a melody or lyrics that come to me in the car or late at night,” she says. “Sometimes it’s personal, other times it’s just an imaginative story.”
One of the standout tracks, “Impala Mama”, on their upcoming album was inspired by Isa’s dreams of restoring a 1970 Chevy Impala. “It’s about potential,” she says. “What the car could be someday–and maybe what we all hope to be.”
For this SA Vibes set, Chavela performs “Not Today,” “Impala Mama,” and “There You Go.”
You can catch Chavela at The Paper Tiger on Nov. 22, at Smash’d on Nov. 23, and at The Lonesome Rose on Dec. 6.
KSAT also asked the band for a few local music recommendations! After you check out their set, they recommend you give a listen to Favorite Son, Brandon Patier & Black Gold, Any Color You Like, Auji Collective, and Los Juanos.
You can find more information and music from Chavela on their Instagram or their Spotify. There are more links to music and performances on their Linktree.
You can learn more about this SA Vibes venue, The Lonesome Rose, on their Instagram. Special thanks to Brant Sankey at Studio E Recording for mixing the music for this performance.
About SA Vibes
San Antonio is well-known for its culture, but the local music scene has always seemed a bit hidden.
Unless someone takes you to a local show — at venues like The Lonesome Rose, Hi-Tones, The Mix, Paper Tiger and 502 Bar — chances are you’ll never even know our music scene exists. That’s what made me decide to launch this passion project that we’re calling “SA Vibes.”
My name is Valerie, and I’m a video editor at KSAT. I’ve been attending local shows for over a decade, and I want to put a spotlight on the great talent that San Antonio has to offer.
Each month, we’ll be releasing a new “SA Vibes” video across all KSAT digital platforms and our YouTube channel, showcasing a local musician performing live versions of their songs from music venues around the city and the KSAT garden.
If you’re a San Antonio musician and would like to be a part of this project, please send information about your next show to our SA Vibes email. (We can only feature original music because of licensing.)
More episodes of SA Vibes on KSAT: