Actor/singer/songwriter Jorge Blanco has served us all our new favorite summer anthem. "Summer Soul" is the soulful, funky pop song you must add to your summer playlist, and it's the song that is representative of Jorge's upcoming solo music, as he tells us.
Jorge, from Guadalajara, Mexico, starred in High School Musical: El Desafio Mexico, as well as Disney TV series Violetta (alongside Martina "Tini" Stoessel), and is now working on his own solo music. He's currently working on his debut solo album after landing a recording contract with Hollywood Records.
iHeartRadio caught up with Jorge during an exclusive interview, and learned what it's like going from the TV/movie set to the studio, the meaning behind his single "Summer Soul," his musical influences, and more. Read on below:
Having been a part of movies and TV shows, what's the transition like now to releasing solo music?
"Well, for me, it's always been my dream to do my own music. So, I feel grateful after all these 10 years doing acting, which I love to do. Getting the opportunity to do my own thing, it just happened. It kind of connected one thing after the other. Thanks to all the Disney stuff I did, I got the connection with Hollywood records, and opportunity came, and I'm happy."
Tell us about your single "Summer Soul." What does it mean to you and what inspired it?
"'Summer Soul' definitely has the right vibe for the style of my own music. It has that mix of soul, funk, and pop on it, and it's great timing for summer. And, for me 'Summer Soul' means freedom. In summer, you can do whatever you want with whoever you want. So I want people to picture that whenever they listen to the song, and just feel free and have fun."
Who are some artists who have inspired/influenced you, or that you look up to?
"I grew up listening a lot to Queen. My dad's a big fan of Queen, so Queen was definitely a big inspiration. Elvis Presley, James Brown, and more closer to modern music, definitely Justin Timberlake [and] Bruno Mars."
Did you always want to be an actor or singer?
"I was really shy when I was a kid, so I kind of knew it, but I never expressed it, or because I just did it for myself at home as a hobby, because I liked it. My parents always encouraged me to go and try it, and just go for it, until one day, I tried it at school. Some kind of fair that was going on, and I fell in love with it even more."
What's next for you? What can your fans look out for?
"We got a lot of material ready to go, music wise. We [have] 40 something songs ready, and pretty much promoting ['Summer Soul'] and just wait and see what happens; waiting to see what the people want. So, we got more stuff for them. And, we got the live band, so we're ready to go whenever we can on tour. I can't wait to be on stage singing with people."
Photos: Rachel Kaplan