W: Mandy Morgan. I: Daniel Cavazos
Emerging from the vibrant Austin music scene, the four-piece art-pop group Alma Muñeca is making a striking introduction with their debut EP, Deseo Un Brillo (out now). Led by the ethereal voice and vision of Panamanian immigrant Cocó Allegra and expertly produced by Ernesto Grey (known for his work with Font, Farmer’s Wife, and others), the band is blending honest narratives with experimental, synth-filled soundscapes.
Formed in 2024, Alma Muñeca’s journey began when Allegra, who settled in Austin four years ago, found a collaborator in Grey. It was this partnership that fully committed her to writing and performing live, quickly leading to a sold-out debut performance in February. The band is now embarking on its first Texas tour to promote the new EP.
Written entirely in Spanish, Deseo Un Brillo is an intimate chronicle of desire, love, and heartbreak. Over five tracks, Allegra dives into the intricate difficulties of navigating nuanced relationships—be they romantic or familial.
"How can I feel so passionate and loving about someone yet I also feel so much confusion, anger and sadness about them too?" Allegra explains. "I wrote this trying to find answers to questions, trying to heal and at the same time manifest self confidence."
The group’s sound draws inspiration from '90s icons like Bjork and contemporary artists such as FKA Twigs and Rosalía. Allegra also channels the comforting nostalgia of classic music, citing Oscar D'León's salsa as a touchstone alongside the emotional depth of Fiona Apple's "I Want You to Love Me."
A standout track is the raw, synth-filled single "Melancolía." Born during the height of what's been dubbed "Brat summer," the song is a dreamy, nostalgic ode to coping with change and the grief of losing one's blind trust in childhood heroes.
The track showcases Grey's distinct production style. "'Melancolía' is two simple chords and a dance beat lead the verses but what makes the song really special to me was its chorus," Grey shares. "Similarly to 'Sympathy is a Knife' by Charli XCX, the song takes a left turn by constantly skipping the first beat and getting smacked in the face with a wall of arpeggiated synths."
This upbeat, high-energy production provides a stark contrast to the downcast lyricism, as Allegra explores the emotional toll of realizing her loved ones, particularly family, are human and flawed. "It's about the melancholy and nostalgia you feel as you grow up and realize your parents and family are human too and make lots of mistakes," she says. "Grieving that blind trust you have when you're a child."
The previously released single "Anhelo" has already garnered critical attention, with The Line of Best Fit adding it to their New Music Discovery playlist and Atwood Magazine calling it "explosive, self-assured and just the right amount of experimental."
For producer Ernesto Grey, who moved to Austin in his teens after an early life in Mexico immersed in 2000s Latin pop, Alma Muñeca is the culmination of a life-long artistic search. "It feels like I've been trying to produce music like this my whole life," Grey says, noting his gravitation toward electronic producers like Trent Reznor and Thom Yorke. "With Alma Muñeca, I am able to explore an introspective and ethereal language that feels so familiar to me, but it also pushes me to try things that are more out of my comfort zone. At the end of the day, I just want to make pop music that you can chew on."
As they take their show on the road, Allegra is driven by a mission that goes beyond the music. Through their live performances, the band aims to highlight and lift up the queer and Latino community.
Alma Muñeca celebrated the release of Deseo un Brillo on October 25 at Elysium in Austin, sharing the stage with Almost Heaven and I Wear Your Chain. With their compelling mix of honest storytelling and cutting-edge sound, Alma Muñeca is quickly cementing its place as an essential new voice in art-pop.