by mariah estran
photo courtesy of ariel bellvalaire
Mix polished guitar playing with aerial gymnastics, and what do you get? A high-energy performance, of course, but you also get singer/songwriter Ariel Bellvalaire.
That unique stage-presence has landed her on ABC’s “The Gong Show," and her shredding skills have taken her on tour with the Michael Jackson “I Am King Experience.” However, in 2021, Bellvalaire is ready to pursue her rockstar dreams as a solo artist.
In November, she released her single “Elastic," an electrifying tune that exhibits her take on the pop-rock genre by integrating power-house riffs inspired by Van Halen and Stevie Ray Vaughn. And naturally, the release would not be complete without a kick-ass video with scenes of the singer shredding on the back of a moving motorcycle.
We recently spoke with the singer about “Elastic.” She told us more about the single, creating the music video, mixing gymnastics with guitar playing, and what she’s working on next as a solo artist.
You have wicked guitar skills that have landed you in a cover band, and even the Michael Jackson, “I Am King Experience.” But what made you want to create music of your own?
Ariel: “As much as I love performing iconic songs on guitar with other artists, I was actually a solo artist from day 1! When I first started singing and playing guitar, I would always write my own songs and wanted to be a ‘rockstar.’ The better I got, the more opportunities I got to start playing and touring with other performers which was such a great experience! On tour, I would continue to write my own songs and build my social media as an artist. It's so nice to finally be able to share my own music with everyone!”
You’ve recently released your single “Elastic”. What’s the story behind this track?
A: “This song is the story of a back-and-forth relationship. Sometimes it was great and other times I would feel him pull away, would pull away myself and be pulled back in like a rubber band! When the relationship was good, we had so much fun so I wanted to bring an element of the fun times into the song with upbeat music.”
The video for “Elastic” shows off your aerial skills and you shredding the guitar on the back of a motorcycle. What was it like making this visual?
A: “Creating these visuals was such an amazing experience! I had done aerial guitar stunts before so I wasn't nervous about that, but I was terrified to try the motorcycle scene! I had ridden on the back of one before sitting down without a guitar and didn't mind it, but the idea of standing up with a guitar is another story. I'm all about being a performer though and when I heard the idea, I knew it was worth a try! We drove to the desert, I sat on the back of the bike and they would let me stand up when I felt comfortable. The second I went into performer mode though, I was all in and just did it! It quickly became my favorite part of the video too.”
Knowing how to do aerial gymnastics and mixing that with guitar playing is such a cool talent to have! How did you find the idea to combine the two?
A: “Growing up, I was a competitive gymnast and loved anything that had to do with gymnastics, flexibility, and flips. When I moved to Los Angeles, I tried an aerial circus workout class and instantly fell in love with the aerial hoop. It was just like gymnastics again! Whenever I find anything visually intriguing that I’m able to do, my next thoughts are always, ‘how can I incorporate this with my guitar playing and live shows?!’ I had a guitar strap called the ‘Slinger’ strap that went around my waist and it held my guitar in place while I went upside down and my aerial guitar obsession had begun.”
You’re currently working on an album. What has the experience been like putting together this collection of songs?
A: “Putting all these songs together has been such an incredible experience for me as an artist. We recorded the album in Nashville with a live band and let me tell you, Nashville musicians are on a different level! They are amazing to work with and I was so blown away the first time I heard my own songs being played that I almost didn't come in on time in the vocal booth!”
How do you feel this album will tell your audience about who you are as an artist?
A: “I feel like this album will tell my audience that I refuse to ever give up. Most of my songs are about relationships with others but also are stories of my relationship with the music industry. I may get knocked down, but I refuse to stay down. I will always snap back and keep creating. I am also very passionate about my songs being guitar driven and am excited to share my love of rock music, pop melodies, and real instruments with everyone.”
Lastly, will you be releasing more singles and/or video(s) before the release of your album?
A: “I will absolutely be releasing more singles and videos! The next one is in the planning stages now! I'm most excited about finding new over the top stunts to perform while playing guitar.”