Our figurative compasses turn to Uruguay as we chat with Sofia and Valeria from the band Regina! This young and talented Alternative Metal band is on the verge of releasing their debut album. But they haven’t kept us waiting too long — they’ve already dropped a few singles that show just how exciting and talented they are. We asked Sofia and Valeria about their music, the upcoming album, and their thoughts on different topics. Enjoy the interview!
Reuel
Hello Sofia! Hello Valeria! I am happy to chat with both of you. How are you and the rest of your band doing?
Sofia
Thank you! Great! We’re currently in between a few hometown gigs and the release of some new material. So… exciting times!
Valeria
Thanks for asking! We are doing great, actually. Eagerly waiting for our new album!
Reuel
Oh great! You’re on the verge of releasing your debut album! This is a HUGE milestone for any musician! How are you feeling about this?
Sofia
We can’t wait! Honestly the album is our biggest and most ambitious project yet, so we are incredibly proud of this work and can’t wait to release it into the world.
Valeria
As Sofi said, this is a really ambitious project, especially for a small-town band with little resources and support, and being able to put all this love and effort into something people may hear, it’s an incredible experience on its own.
Reuel
Congratulations!
How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard you before?
Sofia
Someone once described it as “ethereal and heavy” and I thought it was very fitting, and I have been using that description since.
Valeria
I feel like we don’t try to fit on a particular box and that’s what makes us be us, and we love being able to experiment with different textures, rhythms and basically whatever makes us happy! As Sofi said, ethereal and heavy portrays our songs pretty well but I’d also add “deep and fun” as well
Reuel
You’ve previously released singles and an EP. How was working on a full album different from the EP, in your experience?
Sofia
The EP was our first body of work as a band. We learned a lot during the making of it, but it was more about finding our sound and identity as a band. The album also has some of that because our sound has shifted and evolved, but it also is a conceptual work. Every song is related and it tells a story as a whole.
Valeria
I joined the band after they released the EP, and started working on the album right away!
Reuel
You have released two singles from the album already. Your most recent one was “Age of Aquarius,” and before there was “Rot”. How do you feel about the way your fans and people in general reacted to these two singles?
Sofia
While “Rot” is more of a transition song between our EP “Apology” and the album, “Age of Aquarius” is a bit darker and more driven towards the “newer” sound of the band. Both songs had a great reception by our listeners, but I think “Age of Aquarius” captivated a few new listeners for us, which is awesome.
Valeria
I feel that the reception for both our singles was great! Many people liked them and gave us amazing feedback about the compositions, quality, and more, so that makes us really proud of our work and we can finally start seeing the results of all the effort. And btw, I think we might have some more singles on Spotify right now!
Reuel
Oh amazing! Checking… The cover art for both of your singles is strikingly beautiful and immediately caught my attention. How does the artwork reflect the themes or concepts within your music, and what message or emotions are you hoping to convey through it?
Sofia
Thank you so much! We really wanted the visuals to be something dark but also contrasting with bright colors, as we think our music kind of does the same thing. We also think each song has its own color identity, and we wanted to reflect that.
Valeria
Kudos to Sofi who made these stunning images! As DIY artists we also get to do a lot with little, and we loved the covers for the singles as well! I think it shows what Sofi describes pretty well, the contrast and the vibe our songs go for, we also are using elements that fit the lyrics and the concepts of the songs and that searching for images that represent what we mean is a pretty fun part of the process.
Reuel
Great job, Sofia! Can you tell us a little about your musical background? What musicians had the most influence on you growing up and inspired you to become an artist yourself?
Sofia
I’ve always been very musically inclined, but I got into rock when I was a kid playing Guitar Hero, haha. However, the first band I actually fell in love with was Evanescence, when I was 11 years old. It was the first time I heard a female voice in heavy rock music, and I was very inspired by them. Other bands that have shaped me as an artist are Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Black Sabbath, Björk, Deftones, Korn, Nine Inch Nails, and more recently Spiritbox and Jinjer.
Valeria
I’ve been studying music for as long as I can remember. I started keyboard lessons at the age of 3 and never stopped learning! Over the years, I studied singing, acoustic guitar, piano and became a music theory teacher. At 18, I grew tired of classical music and started exploring new styles, so I picked up electric guitar and never looked back. As a teenager, I got influenced by bands like Megadeth, Children of Bodom, Avenged Sevenfold, System of a Down, Nirvana, The Offspring, Limp Bizkit etc, I found a new passion and a whole new world to express myself. What began as just a hobby has now become something much bigger through projects like Regina.
Reuel
Wow! Beautiful journeys through the world of music. How do you feel about the representation of women in heavy music today, and what do you think can be done to promote more inclusivity and support for female musicians?
Sofia
Luckily, I think there are a lot more women doing metal nowadays, not only singers but also playing all kinds of instruments, which I think is great. I think it is so important for young girls to see women playing in bands and breaking down barriers, so they can feel inspired and feel like they can do it too. The world needs more badass women. However, even though it is far more common to see women in metal nowadays, it doesn’t mean that the industry is inclusive. We still receive misogynistic comments and are still not taken seriously by a lot of metal dudes. Women are still a minority in the heavy music world, and bands with a frontwoman are all grouped under the same “female-fronted” label, with all kinds of bands from different subgenres, as if metal made by women was a subcategory of metal.
Reuel
Absolutely! Well said!
Valeria
I feel like representation is improving, but there’s still a long way to go. Growing up, I didn’t see many women in heavy music, which made it harder to imagine myself in it. Today, there are more role models, but we still face stereotypes and underrepresentation, especially in roles like guitarists or producers. To promote inclusivity, we need to actively support and amplify diverse voices, create safer spaces, and build strong communities. Real change happens when we work together.
Reuel
Well said! Thank you for your time and for this interview! Is there anything else you’d like to conclude this interview with?
Sofia
Thank you! Just that we have a few more singles coming soon, so stay tuned to our Social Media and Streaming Platforms 🙂
Valeria
Thanks for the space!
