Zardoya's youth directly shaped the linguistic versatility that defines her band's discography. Born in Puerto Rico, she moved with her family to the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, at a young age. Growing up in the American South as a native Spanish speaker fostered a distinct dual identity. At home, classic boleros, salsa, and Spanish-language pop filled the living room; outside, she absorbed nineties alternative rock, R&B, and American singer-songwriter traditions.
This geographic transition required constant cultural negotiation. Rather than suppressing her heritage, Zardoya learned to view her bilingualism as an artistic asset. She gravitated toward the guitar as an adolescent, composing early sketches that pulled equally from Norah Jones, Carla Morrison, and Brazilian tropicalia. When she eventually packed her bags for Los Angeles in the mid-2010s, she brought along a notebook packed with melodies designed to weave effortlessly between Spanish and English.
