March 29, 2021

Check Out Luna Caves’s Story

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luna Caves.

Hi Luna, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a San Diego based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. My music journey began at a very young age. As far as my memory allows me to go, I remember being three or four years old in my car seat in the back of my mom’s car, music blasting, singing along at the top of my lungs with the song that was playing. That music varied with anything between Chayanne and Mana to Tupac and Ja Rule. My mom must’ve known I was musically inclined or at the very least a music enthusiast. Growing up, we went to church every Sunday. My mom thought it was a good idea to volunteer me to join the church choir, although I wasn’t too thrilled about that idea at the time. I was a little shy when I was younger. I wasn’t very confident and had a fear of public humiliation but I stuck through it for a few years.

As I got older, my interest in music grew immensely. Music was a way for me to escape everyday life struggles. When I got into middle school, I was blessed to attend a school of performing arts where I got to pick not one but two elective classes. I chose band and mariachi. In the band elective, I learned music theory and to play all percussion instruments. By 8th grade, I became section leader and was awarded best musician for the school’s yearbook. In mariachi, I learned how to play the trumpet. In one of our mariachi rehearsals, my instructor heard me singing and suggested he help me further develop my singing by giving me vocal lessons. He then pushed my limits by having me sing a solo song “Sabor a mi” backed by the group in front of the entire school. All of my friends and acquaintances were present. I remember the overwhelming feeling that took over me when I set foot on that stage. I think I had every possible emotion a human can feel rush into me. I was scared out of my mind! I could feel my knees trembling under me. Then the musical intro to the song I performed started and somehow, I managed to open my mouth and began singing. All of my friends were extremely supportive and encouraging.

At that very moment, I fell in love with performing. Like the title of the song, I really did leave a taste of me on that stage. I continued my “band geek” music journey throughout high school, which was also a school of performing arts. I also learned how to DJ. I basically DJ’d a lot of the parties my friends threw, along with school events. My freshmen year, I picked up the guitar and taught myself how to play by watching YouTube videos and applying the music theory I acquired from my classes. I then began songwriting. Songwriting became my form of expression. I write out of pure raw emotion and based on life experiences. I’ve been a lead singer/songwriter for multiple bands since then. I’ve performed at numerous local venues and local events. In my mid 20’s I met Manny Frezko, owner of Blackwav Studios, and now my mentor. Now I’m an independent artist/songwriter known as Luna Caves. I’m an audio engineer intern at Blackwav Studios. I work with up and coming artists in San Diego, some whom I write songs for and help with their recording. I also work as an administrative assistant for a non-profit Special Education School and teach a music production/recording elective class to the students. I strive to teach our students to use music as a type of therapy because that’s what it has been for me.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t consider anyone’s life path to be easy. Everything comes with its heartaches and struggles. Being a Latin X artist most definitely comes with its challenges. Growing up as a Chicana in a Mexican culture, I found myself not being accepted by many, even by my own family at times. I was bullied as a kid for being a lesbian and sometimes it would get the best of me. I’ve struggled with severe anxiety and depression my entire life, something I’ve learned to manage by incorporating my music to give myself therapy, along with other forms of therapy like journaling, prayer and meditation. I’ve learned to love and accept myself entirely and not care about what others think about me. At the end of the day, I only get to live one life, and that’s my life. I’m going to live it to fulfill my happiness and passions, not others. October 2019 my faith was tested. I was involved in a car accident that left me with a concussion and a collapsed lung. When I was taken to the emergency room, they ran all the standard procedures they normally do when you’re involved in an accident of that magnitude. In the CAT scan the doctor found a nodule in my throat on the left side of my thyroid lobe. I was then diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I was told that I would have to undergo surgery to have it removed.

This was a crucial moment in my life, all I could think about was “how is this going to affect my voice? What if I could never sing again?” I had strayed away from music for a few years due to not having the right motivation in my life at the time. I was 29 years old and I hadn’t released any of the songs I had ever written. A fire was lit within me immediately after receiving that news. I had met Manny Frezko a few years before because one of the bands I was in recorded with him before Blackwav studios was what it is now. I reached out to him and told him the news I had just found out. I came to him in a very vulnerable and humble way and told him I didn’t have much money to be able to afford recording everything I wish I could, nor did I have all the time I wanted because my surgery date was coming, so I asked him to please help me record just one track “Amigos con derechos”. He welcomed me with open arms and didn’t even charge me! We recorded the song before my surgery date and everything that came after was just the icing on the cake. We built this incredible bond and he allowed me to become part of the Blackwav team. I underwent the surgery and I am very grateful to be able to say I’ve been in remission since. My voice took about six months to strengthen back to its full potential but it’s back and I can continue to fulfill my life’s purpose, which I wholeheartedly believe is being an artist and songwriter.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I believe my specialty is songwriting. I’m known for having a way of capturing my audience or the audience of the artist I’m working with through the lyrics I write and the way I incorporate them with the melodies and cadences I chose. I write out of emotion and life experiences. That could consist of my personal emotions and life experiences or me tapping into and connecting with someone’s emotions and experiences. I consider myself to be an empath. I have had many people tell me they truly relate to the things I write and they could feel the emotions I was going through when I wrote the song. The thing I am most proud of is finding the strength and courage I need to be able to overcome the crippling anxiety I always feel when I’m about to release something new. Anxiety has always been my worst enemy. I’m an overthinker and perfectionist when it comes down to it and that can ultimately sometimes get in the way of success because I have songs that I haven’t released because they’re a part of me that I don’t see as perfect. I realize that people aren’t looking for perfect, they’re looking for real. I believe what sets me apart is my versatility. I’m a musician that has studied music theory and I don’t have a preference on a music genre. I listen to and work with most genres. I’ve learned to identify the differences and similarities each genre has to offer which makes me be able to easily adapt to others when I’m working with them.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I believe consistency and persistence are the two most important factors in anyone’s success. You can put me in a room full of musicians and maybe I won’t be the most talented one in the room, but I can guarantee you I will be one of the most self-driven and determined ones in there. I will be the one that shows up every single time because to me music is a way of life. I have met many talented artists in my lifetime but what I find very common in a variety of them is the lack of motivation, consistency, and persistence. It takes me two buses and a trolley transfer to get to the studio, an hour and a half commute, not to mention the commute back. That’s the level of persistency I’m talking about. Most will give up because they don’t get quick results or they don’t reach the level of fame they desire. The music game is extremely saturated and if you’re doing it for the money or fame and not the passion, it is very easy to feel like quitting. You have to know that you are putting your entire soul into something because you love to do it and everything good and bad that comes with it is just the price we pay as artists. There have been many times I have felt like quitting, but when I start feeling like it’s the times that I push myself harder.

Contact Info: