Local singer’s Nashville journey leads to bilingual song release that’s gaining traction
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IDAHO FALLS — You know a singer is serious about a music career when they’re willing to take a chance by packing up, leaving friends and family behind, and driving 25 hours to Nashville.
That’s exactly what Idaho Falls singer Andrea Alonso did last January. Now, it appears the gamble might be paying off.
Alonso, who is Mexican-American, is releasing a bilingual song she co-wrote and recorded called “Bésame (Spanish on Your Lips),” which will be available for streaming at midnight on Friday, June 26.
EastIdahoNews.com first interviewed Alonso in February 2025 when her first professional release, “Good Luck to Her,” began receiving airplay on local radio stations. A year later, she was in Nashville pursuing her dream of making music full time.
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In that first interview, Alonso shared the advice she lives by: “Just do it scared.” Those words became the guiding force behind her move.
“I just decided, now is the time. Just do it scared. And that’s what I did,” she said.
Since arriving in Music City, Alonso has been making ends meet by bartending at Tootsies Orchid Lounge, a popular tourist spot on Nashville’s famed Broadway strip right across from the legendary Ryman Auditorium.
“It’s been hard. It’s been scary. It’s a hustle and a grind,” Alonso said. “But I’m fully independent.”
The historic concert hall serves as a daily reminder of why she made the move.
“I look over at the Ryman and say, ‘One day I’m going to play in there.’ And that keeps me going,” she said.
Along the way, she’s been networking, writing songs and performing with fellow musicians while building connections throughout Nashville’s music scene.
She and her band have performed at Luke Combs Category 10 and Losers & Grill in Midtown. Plus, she recently met country singer Chancey Williams and his band while working at Tootsies.
“I pass out guitar picks with my name on them to everyone I meet and tell them about my music goals,” she said.
Alonso’s first video of the cover song “Choosing Texas” also gained significant attention online, earning more than 740,000 views.
While Alonso continues to perform cover songs, her focus remains on creating original music.
“I’m focusing on my original music and just trying to find the right fit,” she said.
That search may have led her to something special.
While writing and playing music with fellow songwriters David Madras and Tyler Downs, the trio began experimenting with lyrics that blended Spanish and English. The result was “Bésame,” which means “kiss me” in Spanish.
“They wanted me to teach them some Spanish. We started playing with lyrics mixing Spanish and English,” she said. “It was after about a six-hour songwriting session that we knew we had something special.”
She later posted a short clip of herself performing the song on Instagram, and the response was immediate.
“The song exploded! It went from 3,000 followers to 34,000 in a short period of time,” she said.
The strong response has only heightened her excitement ahead of Friday’s release. Produced by Simon Reid, whose credits include work with country artist Emily Ann Roberts, the song marks another milestone in Alonso’s growing music career.
Despite the challenges of starting over in a new city, Alonso says she has enjoyed her Nashville experience and the positive response she’s been getting.
“Everyone has been so cool and supportive. It’s great being around other people who understand and have the same goals,” she said.
Alonso has signed a rental lease through the end of the year and is still deciding what comes next.
“I’m considering Texas while still keeping a base in Nashville, since there is a big following for Spanish-American music there,” she said.
But no matter where her career takes her, Alonso hasn’t forgotten her East Idaho roots. She’ll return home to perform at Idaho’s oldest rodeo, the War Bonnet Round Up in Idaho Falls on July 29.
“I’m proud to represent Idaho and I’m always happy to come back home,” she said.
Fans can find Alonso’s music, social media accounts and a link to pre-save “Bésame (Spanish on Your Lips)” through her Linktree page.