Student Spotlight: Andrea Recalde The vocalist from Quito, Ecuador, talks about songwriting across language barriers, taking inspiration from family, and rediscovering dad-rock.
By
Editorial Staff
December 4, 2023
Andrea Recalde
Image by Raisa Akhtar
What's it like to study at Berklee? Our Student Spotlight series asks current students all about their Berklee experience-what they're learning in class, what kinds of projects they're involved in onstage or behind the scenes, how they recharge, and of course, what they're listening to. This week, meet vocalist Andrea Recalde, a fifth-semester songwriting and music business/management double-major from Quito, Ecuador, who performs under the artist name DREA.
Tell us about your path to Berklee. What made you decide to come here?I didnt plan on attending Berklee initially. In high school, I hesitated to pursue music due to self-doubt and my brothers success in the industry. One day, I saw a Berklee ad on Instagram, and my phone mysteriously led me to the application. Wearing a Berklee shirt at that moment, I took it as a sign and applied. I believe everything happens for a reason, and Im glad I found my passion for music.
Whats been your favorite class so far, and what has it taught you?My favorite class is conducting with Professor Kristo Kondak i. Conducting connects on an intimate level, and Professor Kondak is teaching style resonates with me. He uses visuals and real-life applications, making learning enjoyable. Conducting is about emotion, body placement, and connecting with peoples energy to shape music. Its been my favorite class this semester.
Whats a project youve worked on since coming to Berklee that youve been especially excited about?One of my favorite Berklee projects was performing an original song in Spanish that I cowrote with a friend/roommate. We performed it at an open mic, and the collaboration, despite the language barrier, was a memorable experience.
Andrea Recalde performs her original song, mientras tu te vas:
How do you typically recharge or find new ideas outside of class?To recharge and find new ideas, I take walks, long showers, or naps. Sleep is essential for a clear mind. I also meditate, go on walks, read books, and journal to clear my thoughts and spark new ideas. Finding what works best for you is crucial for well-being.
When you think towards your own future, who inspires you most?My biggest inspiration is my brother, who has succeeded in the music industry. Hes taught me about the industry, the value of self-worth, and the power of connections. Collaborating with him has been a privilege, and I aspire to share my music and work with diverse artists like he does.
Whats one piece of advice youd give to your high school self?Advice to my high school self: High school is just a small part of life. Be true to yourself, never change for others, and trust that everything happens for a reason. Relax and let the universe guide your path.
Andrea's Top Five Songs Right NowWe asked Andrea to list her five favorite songs of the moment. Heres what she said:
1. Strawberry Bubblegum, Justin TimberlakeThis track is from one of my favorite albums of all time, and I love the way it switches in the middle, and it seems like its a completely different song, but its not. It's honestly just such a vibe all throughout, and it always makes me want to dance.
2. Cough Syrup, Young the GiantThis song just makes me feel good when listening to it, and it's really fun to listen to on bike rides, which I take every day so its definitely in my top favorites right now.
3. Carolina, Sebastian LlosaI met this artist at a showcase for Warner Music Latino, and I fell in love ever since. His songwriting is amazing, and I love the way his melodies mesh with his lyrics. I also just want to keep promoting him because he is a Latin artist who deserves to be much bigger than he currently is.
4. How You Remind Me, NickelbackI just started listening to this song again, and it's just a classic dad-rock vibe. I enjoy listening to it from time to time and it really is a kind of song that you listen to when you're in a specific mood.
5. The Bird & the Rifle, Lori McKennaI was shown this song by one of my songwriting teachers; she used it to describe third person narratives while telling a specific story, and I love the imagery that is shown.
Related Categories
News
Student Spotlight
Most Popular
15 of the Best Cover Songs (and Why They Work) From Fast Car to Ring of Fire, there's no formula to making a successful cover song. But the best covers answer two important questions.
Latest
Joel Ross
Image courtesy of the artist
Berklee Presents 2024 Spring Signature Series The series will celebrate the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, as well as pay tribute to the music of Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, and Michael Jackson.
Master Tour and the Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMI) have announced a partnership in which students will be granted access to the platform to manage events and concerts on campus
Berklee and Master Tour Announce Partnership Master Tour will equip up-and-coming tour professionals from the Berklee Popular Music Institute with its state-of-the-art tools.
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Announces Center Stage Performances for Spring 2024 The four spring performances will highlight student talent in dance, music, and theater.
Read All
Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.
North America Stories
08/05/2026
For the second straight year, Miri Technologies Inc. has been honored with a pair of coveted awards at the broadcast, media and entertainment industry's pre...
08/05/2026
Nine Alumni Nominated for Tony Awards More than 20 alumni contributed to this year's Tony-nominated productions.
May 7, 2026
By
Tori Donahue
Boston Co...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Liberty University on why broadcast technology isn't just a technical invest...
08/05/2026
COW Jobs: UGC, On-Camera Video Content
Brie Clayton May 7, 2026
0 Comments
UGC, On-Camera Video Content
April 17, 2026Documentary Editor - US,......
07/05/2026
Multi-year partnership positions Victory+ as a free home for Dallas Cowboys orig...
07/05/2026
From sideline reporting to directing and producing, the talented sophomore is building a well-rounded foundation for a career in live sports production
In the ...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital has received two Future Best of Show awards at NAB Show 2026. The COBALT blueCORE platform was recognized by TV Tech, and the COBALT PACIFIC ULL-...
07/05/2026
ESPN analyst Mina Kimes will host the televised semifinals and finals of the 202...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI, the global film streaming platform, has selected Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner. Bitmovin's encoding infrastru...
07/05/2026
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and the U.S. Soccer Federation have announced...
07/05/2026
Angel City Football Club (ACFC) and Victory have announced a regional broadcast partnership bringing live match coverage to fans across the greater Los Angeles...
07/05/2026
Spiideo has announced the launch of AI Highlights inside Spiideo Play, its automated sports production platform. AI Highlights combines video, event data, audio...
07/05/2026
Leostream Corporation has announced a unified remote access ecosystem for high-p...
07/05/2026
The Atlanta Dream has partnered with Victory to stream all locally broadcast Dream games for free, expanding the team's digital distribution strategy and g...
07/05/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the appointment of Marc Engroff as Chief Fin...
07/05/2026
SES and ARD, Germany's largest public broadcasting network, have announced a long-term extension of their satellite distribution partnership through 2039. U...
07/05/2026
UpLight Technologies delivers a flexible video and lighting system for a new televised sportLaunching the Pro Cheer League required more than creating a compell...
07/05/2026
Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide have announced Spikes Under the Lights, a...
07/05/2026
Two multi-role L3Harris products - the Red Wolf launched effects vehicle and SK...
07/05/2026
L3Harris will be developing key features of a secure and resilient digital infra...
07/05/2026
Alysa Liu and Shohei Ohtani Help Drive Viewership as 91 of the Top 100 Broadcast...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital Wins Two Future Best of Show Awards at 2026 NAB Show
Manufacturer Recognized by TV Tech and TVBEurope for Innovation in signal processing
Cobal...
07/05/2026
Software and hardware platforms, AI power and user-friendliness on show...
07/05/2026
Intinor will demonstrate its latest technical enhancements for the Direkt series at BroadcastAsia 2026. With a continued focus on reliable contribution and remo...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI has chosen Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner, replacing MUBI's legacy on premises encoding setup to improve scalab...
07/05/2026
Meet Graduates from Berklees Class of 2026 Members of this years graduating class reflect on their proudest moments at Berklee and look ahead to whats next.
...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
At BroadcastAsia 2026, Interra Systems will demonstrate its latest innovations in automated quality control (QC), real-time monitoring, and captioning. The comp...
07/05/2026
At this year's Broadcast Asia, PlayBox Neo is set to unveil recent innovations across its PlayBox Neo Suite and integrated range of broadcast media solution...
07/05/2026
Strategic three-year partnership marks delivery phase of BFBS' next-generation media vision
Media organisation and military charity BFBS (British Forces Br...
07/05/2026
Amagi, the agentic industry cloud platform for unified broadcast, streaming, and monetization, today announced the availability of its In-Content Ads offering v...
07/05/2026
Lightware Visual Engineering has developed Rack Taurus for rack-based environments such as education and corporate training spaces. It enables clean and simple ...
07/05/2026
Jigsaw24, the UK's leading media equipment supplier and systems integrator, will showcase its expanded end-to-end workflow capabilities at MPTS 2026, signal...
07/05/2026
Ease Live, an Evertz company, today announced that it has been granted a US Patent for its proprietary graphical overlay technology, the foundation for interact...
07/05/2026
Test & measurement innovator Leader Electronics of Europe will present an extensive range of Leader, PHABRIX and LeaderPhabrix test and measurement solutions at...
07/05/2026
At Broadcast Asia 2026 (Stand 5H3 8), LiveU is redefining live production with its most powerful IP-video EcoSystem to date built to help broadcasters and con...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Recreating the 1974 Doctor Who Time Tunnel in After Effects
Graham Quince May 6, 2026
0 Comments
The Time Tunnel from Doctor Who titles is one of th...
07/05/2026
AI will help build the energy it needs.
That's the case U.S. Energy Secreta...
07/05/2026
Back to All News
Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix Present the Trailer of ...
07/05/2026
Less typing, more tanking.
Faster logins mean more time in the gaming action - and this week provides GeForce NOW members with a smoother path straight into th...
06/05/2026
Gravity Media Chief RF Communications Engineer Glenn Willems uses Wisycom RF over Fiber and wireless solutions across major cycling events and international mar...
Student Spotlight: Andrea Recalde The vocalist from Quito, Ecuador, talks about songwriting across language barriers, taking inspiration from family, and rediscovering dad-rock.
