Words / Rory Alvarez
Photos / Felipe Zavaz
LADYGUNN and Vowels celebrates the premiere of “SPIRAL,” the stunning new music video by Kitty Umiña, beautifully directed by Carolina Salazar. A perfect blend of artistry and style, it’s a visual and musical moment made for the bold and the beautiful. Don’t miss out on this enchanting new chapter.
What inspired your debut song?
What inspired my debut song was this quiet but deep love i’ve always felt for spirals (maybe not so quiet now). When I started exploring my spirituality, it was one of the first symbols that really spoke to me not just in a visual way, but in how it made me feel.. like I was being shown something ancient and true. I’ve always been drawn to what the spiral holds… this sense of gentle growth, of turning inward, of moving through cycles that never really end.. like transformation in motion. Something we’re always going through in our own way. I see spirals everywhere in nature, in the sky, in the way we heal. They remind me that life isn’t linear. It doesn’t unfold in a straight line but in loops and returns and quiet revelations and somehow, every time we come back around, we’re not the same. To me, spirals feel like portals soft, sacred openings and that’s the kind of energy that shaped this song.
Can you walk us through the story behind the lyrics?
Spiral begins with these simple but very big questions: Am I afraid to fall? Am I afraid to let go? That’s really where the spiral starts for me, in that moment of self-questioning. The song follows that inner journey, that push and pull between clinging to what feels safe and daring to step into the unknown.
As it unfolds, you hear me tracing loops, moving in circles, because so much of my own life has felt like shrinking myself down for others. Writing Spiral was my way of breaking out of that, of choosing myself again, of letting my voice and my spirit rise back up.
By the end, when I sing “I surrender, I ascend,” it’s all about that moment of release when you finally trust that the universe is holding you, and in letting go, you actually rise. Spiral is about showing that a spiral doesn’t only move downward, it can also spiral upward into your truest self.
What does this song mean to you personally?
Spiral means so many things to me at once. On one level, it holds the anxiety, the fear, even the heartbreak I have experienced in my life. What first pushed me to start writing it was a really painful ending that I didn’t see coming, one that truly pulled the rug from under my feet. In that moment, I was afraid to fall, afraid to let go and those emotions began the song
How would you describe your sound ?
Describing my sound always makes me a bit shy, because sometimes I am not quite sure and I love exploring so many different things. But if I had to put it into words, it would very much be New Earth you know lush, experimental, ambient textures with this shimmering warmth and grounded earth beats. I want it to feel like a spiritual experience of healing.
What inspired the concept for the music video?
The concept for the music video originates from the meaning behind my artist name Umiña. In Ecuadorian folklore, Umiña is a deity seen as the goddess of health, fertility, and rain worshipped by Manteña culture. She was believed to be a princess whose heart transformed into a beautiful emerald which became the object of healing and divine regard. Being half Ecuadorian, and not knowing that side of my family because my father was adopted, I’ve always longed for a way to connect more deeply with that part of myself and my ancestry. Discovering the story of Umiña felt like a doorway into that lineage, and bringing her essence into my work allows me to honor and reconnect with my roots. In the video Umiña awakens in a cave, disoriented and fragile mirroring the start of a psychedelic inner journey. As she explores her surroundings, she encounters visions of her higher self asking, “Am I afraid to fall? Am I afraid to let go?” The cave acts as this sacred womb space when Umiña faces her fears, begins to heal, and learns she has the power to rise. The video ends with her back in the cave safe centered and whole glowing with newfound strength and clarity. It’s a spiral, an immersive metaphoric loop of unmaking and becoming. A trip that is inward, guided by spirit, and most importantly tied to the journey of rediscovering my ancestry and truest self.
Have you always wanted to be a musician?
Honestly? No haha and that’s why this question makes me laugh because I never grew up thinking, “I’m going to be a musician.” But at the same time, I think some part of me must have known, because when I look back, I was always fascinated with story telling, and world building through art. Growing up, What I admired most in my favorite musicians was that it wasn’t just about the songs, it was about the concepts, the visuals, the stories. That always has stayed with me. And I’ve done a lot of creative work over the years- Modeling, makeup, creative direction so story telling has always been apart of my DNA. Funny Enough, I have dated a few musicians, and I used to joke with them that if I ever made music, my first song would be called Spiral. They would tell me “You can’t really plan your first song” and I’d just be like “Says who?” So it’s kind of wild that Spiral did really end up being my debut single but I knew I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d only ever sung in front of two people in my life before this. The second person was my producer + co-writer Xander Amahd who’s been such an incredible collaborator and support system. Working on Spiral with him, being in the studio recording vocals for the first time, I felt this rush I’d never felt before. It was like, “Oh.. this is what I’m meant to do.” It feels like I have found one space where all my passions come together. With music, I can be the muse, I can create the visuals, I can build worlds. It lets me bring together everything I love and that’s why it feels so right.
How do you hope people feel when they hear your song?
I hope people feel hopeful, powerful, optimistic when they hear Spiral. I want it to invite openness and vulnerability, to remind listeners that even if they feel lost, scared, or hopeless, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. I really love the idea that when life feels unclear or unpredictable, thats often how we know we’re on the right path. As Humans, we crave routine and comfort, but it’s in unexpected moments the twists and turns we never saw coming that shape us the most. So I hope when people listen to this song, they can reflect on their own personal journey and what it means to spiral for them. Everyone experiences it differently and I hope the song sparks that connection of their own growth, surrender, and self- discovery.
How involved were you in the creative direction or storyline of the video?
I was 100% involved in the creative direction and storyline of the video. Storytelling is such a core part of who I am, and it was really important to me that the story felt completely authentic and true to my vision.
That said, I absolutely could not have done it without my Director Carolina Isabel Salazar. We bounced ideas off eachother constantly, and it was such a special experience because this was her first time directing, and my first song and music video. So we were navigating so many firsts together, and it made the collaboration really magical. Our goal was to fully immerse people in the world of Umiña and show the very beginning of her story. We wanted the visuals to communicate the narrative on their own, without having to say a word. it was truly a team effort and every frame is infused with both our hearts and visions.
If you could collaborate with any artist right now, who would it be and why?
Oh wow, I’d love to collaborate with Arca honestly. I’ve been a huge fan for years. I love how experimental her music is , how fearless she is, and how she blends so many different sounds and emotions into something completely her own. I also really admire her vocals in Spanish and the way she brings her culture into her work. Another artist I’d love to work with as well is Raveena Aurora. Her music is just so connected to the earth and the spiritual, thats exactly the kind of energy I love creating. She also is such a sweet soul. The last time I saw her was at her listening party for “Where Butterflies Go In The Rain” and I was asking her for any advice or tips on how to start making music. A very tender moment for me.
What was the vibe or message you wanted the video to capture?
The vibe I wanted the video to capture is that no matter what happens, even if you feel lost or unsure of where you’re going, you always spiral back into yourself. Embrace your journey and realize that every twist and turn brings you closer to your truest self.
Who did you collaborate with on the video?
I collaborated with so many incredible people on this video. my director was Carolina Isabel Salazar and my cinematographers were Juan Pablo Terra, and Ko. I had a phenomenal movement director Asha Benjelloun, an amazing set designer Estefania Martinez who created a beautiful mossy dreamlike space you see in the video.
My Stylist was the incredible Gabby Weis, with assistance from Oriana Aponte, and the designs came from my talented friends Angel Ladino, and Mel Diosa. Cheeky Ma did the stunning hair I still think about to this day haha. Nikia Antoniou worked on makeup to make it look like I rolled into the dirt, My photographer and dear friend Brian Vu shot the cover, Alex Kuma was on nails. Every single person truly made my vision come to life. I really wanted everything from hair, makeup, styling, set design, location, editing to feel like it came from the earth, like I’d been living in nature and was emerging as this earthy magical being. I loved the way Ko edited our video as it feels like a lost file you discover in nature. Everyone truly hit the mark, and I feel like I came across as the earth angel energy I wanted to capture.
How did you feel seeing the final cut for the first time?
Honestly I was in a state of shock. It wasn’t that I expected anything less, but seeing it for the first time really made me sit back and think, “Wow this is an actual music video.. my music video. This is the story telling I was hoping for.” It honestly exceeded everything I could’ve imagined. I even teared up because I was seeing myself in a way that I don’t always see due to imposter syndrome moments. The final cut didn’t just meet my expectations, it surpassed them, and that felt amazing. What was really special is that the process of the making of the video mirrored the song itself . We had lots of twists and challenges along the way, moments where we were like “ Oh my god, what’s happening?” But ultimately, the journey of creating it spiraled perfectly into what it was meant to be . It matched the essence of Spiral. Embracing the uncertainty, trusting the process, and finding beauty in the journey .
