Two students from The University of New Mexico College of Fine Arts recently released a music video featuring a song they co-wrote and perform. What started as a joke between them about becoming a band became a reality and both hope the new song and video is the beginning of a lifelong career in music.
Liz Alarid-West and Aileen Gonzalez became friends in the Albuquerque charter school Tierra Adentro (TANM), where they met their mentor Caro Acuña, a professional and percussionist who co-produced the video. The song, Honey, is a gentle love song, with Alarid-West on bass and Gonzalez on guitar. The bossa nova groove is driven by the beat of cajón and congas played by Acuña.
The band’s name NICTEHA comes from Gonzalez’s middle name, which means “water flower” in Mayan.
“To me, it seemed catchy and beautiful to use as a stage name and a band name,” she explained.
The two started playing together in 2017, performing songs together in music classes.
“We would even joke around about starting a band because we saw how well we played together,” Gonzalez said.
“Our relationship with Caro is very natural and organic because we are a musical family and she is our tía (auntie),” Alarid-West noted.
