Queer Latina Tatiana Hazel Is the Indie Pop Artist Embracing 'Duality'

Indie-pop songstress Tatiana Hazel was nearing her 90th day of sheltering in place and preparing to release her debut album when she received the news that she was a recipient of the 2020 Latin Alternative Music Conference's Discovery Award in June.

"It's really great," says the Mexican-American musician, who admits the honor was somewhat bittersweet in light of what's been going on in the world. "I want to spread my music and everything, but...I don't really focus on like being recognized necessarily, so it was really cool. And it also came [during] the first couple of days of the [BLM] protesting. I got that news [and] it was just weird to process because I had been so low energy -- and just to be recognized for something, I was like, Oh yeah, music matters. I forgot for a second."

Hazel has indeed been making a buzz since she's come onto to scene. The Chicago-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter is also a self-taught musician (piano, ukulele, bass and drums), a music and video producer, an engineer, and a fashion designer (having designed for Kali Uchis and Girl Ultra). Her undeniable talent, physical beauty, and quirky creativity have quickly made Hazel a press darling -- she's been featured in Paper, Flaunt, Rolling Stone Colombia, Nylon en Espanol, Chicago Tribune, and Milk, to name a few. She also recently gave a mesmerizing performance at the 2020 Latino International Film Festival in L.A.

A few of the singles (like "Hasta Que" and "Don't Care") from her new EP, Duality, are already quickly racking up streams. Hazel says she's excited to finally share the project with the world.

"I was trying to find my sound for all my past releases so far," says Hazel. "And through this one, I've really taken on a lot of the production myself then, and it really feels close to...me. But yeah, I called it Duality because I just felt a lot of duality within myself when it came to writing and Spanish for so long, but this whole project is in English. And also, just my influences from growing up in Chicago, but also visiting Mexico, and just like all this duality within myself of culture and also sexuality."

Read our complete interview with Tatiana Hazel in the July/August issue of The Advocate magazine. And check out her newest in-quarantine song and video "In My Room" below.