Interview | Hard Rock Trio The Warning

The Villareal Velez Sisters Are Unstoppable

Hailing from Mexico, The Warning is a trio hard rock band, formed in 2013 by the Villareal Velez sisters: Daniela (guitar, vocals), Paulina (drums, vocals) and Alejandra (bass guitar). The Warning have released four studio albums, and their most recent album `Keep Me Fed’ was released last year. These three hard rocking sisters have already played at notorious festivals like Wacken Open Air and Pol’andRock, and now they are in Landgraaf [NL] for their first Pinkpop gig. Before they went on stage in the tent, I had the chance to talk with Dany, Pau, and Ale and this is what they had to say….

PINKPOP FESTIVAL 2025

So, ladies, the first time at Pinkpop, are you nervous?

Pau: ,,No, not nervous, excited actually.”

What are your expectations of your first gig here at Pinkpop?

Pau: ,,We heard a lot about this festival and it is also our last show of our European Tour, so we are just very happy to closing on such a great venue; everything has been great so far, so we are just excited for a great energetic crowd, hopefully…”

How do you make up a setlist for a festival like this?

Dany: ,,Um, well, we like to put in a little bit of everything actually and especially today, we cover a lot of genres with our songs, so we gonna play some heavy stuff and some lighter ones, so it is hopefully a good mix for everybody..”

Pau: ,,And also, we would like to promote our latest album of course, so the setlist will have a lot of songs from that album.”

Are there songs that you find you need to play, the so-called crowd pleasers?

Pau: ,,Oh, yeah, of course, there are songs that have more dynamic with the crowd, more crowd interaction, you know, so these ones are essential.”

Are there still songs of your last album that you have not played live yet?

Dany: ,,Oh no, we have played them all…”

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

Could you tell me something about your songwriting process, how do you actually compose your tracks.

Pau: ,,It depends, the process is never the same actually, we write the music and the lyrics come later on, but sometimes when you are on tour you have a fresh idea and you try something out and you write something, but it all depends on when we have time to sit together, the three of us, and start working on something.”

Who comes up with the ideas for new songs?

Dany: ,,The three of us, we work as a team all the time.”

You started out as three sisters playing together at home, how did that evolve into a full-fledged rock band?

Pau: ,,With a lot of hard work, we have been doing this now for almost eleven years and before that we had a lot of practice time, getting to know each other in the sense of being team mates and band mates, off stage and on stage of course.”

Dany: ,,Touring everywhere non-stop for about four years makes you a better musician and band, so it is just a lot of hard work with a great team that made this all possible.”

HOW DOES THE WARNING SOUND?

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard a song by The Warning?

Dany: ,,Ooooo…. very energetic, powerful and I would say authentic music that comes from our hearts and souls.”

Your lyrics are English, why not Spanish…

Pau: ,,It was never our plan to write Spanish lyrics or so, we did not have a business plan or something like that, we just started writing and well, English is of course the most used language in rock music lyrics, so…”

Is there a difference between your Mexican fan base and the European fans?

Dany: ,,Of course, there is a cultural difference, and I feel like each country has its own identity and we would like to experience these differences, especially when we are playing on stage, you feel a different kind of energy in every other country. It is very lovely to see how every audience reacts differently.”

How do you balance creative control with the expectations and pressure of record labels, managers, and fans?

Pau: ,,You know, everyone that works for us and with us always wants what is best for the band, but we have a lot of creative freedom, and the entire team is like a big family.”

Dany: ,,There is no pressure from anyone, I think, we have pressure from ourselves, we wanna be great and we wanna do well and we wanna take this to a next level and our team supports that.”

THE DEFINITION OF SUCCESS

What does success mean to you?

Pau: ,,Oooo…success to me, means how we are actually living right now, travelling the world, sharing our music, writing your own music, and connecting with people. And success is of course also to be doing this for a living.”

Seeing the fact that you are an all-female rock band, have you ever faced challenges or stereotypes in this male-oriented/dominated genre?

Pau: ,,Yes, many times…’’

Does it bother or annoy you?

Pau: ,,Yeah, we want music to be for everybody, and we have seen changes in those years that we have been playing around the world and that is great to see. It is very important for us to be part of that and for every show that we give and challenge these stereotypes that people might have we just rock and show that music is for everybody. Hopefully more women in the future will get the opportunity to share music in this way, so I mean, we are here, so …”

What are you most proud of so far?

Dany: ,,Of each other and our whole team. We really had to work hard to come where we are now and we are at this incredible festival doing what we like most, and I am just so proud of each and everyone of us for this every day work that it takes to get where we are now.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF LYRICS

How important are your lyrics?

Pau: ,,Super question, I mean, I feel like the music has its own thing and lyrics are very powerful, and I love singing them and performing them.”

Do you think that it is important that the fans/audience comprehend your lyrics and relate to them?

Dany: ,,Not necessarily understand them, but just make them their own, so that they can really have that song for whatever they need it.”

What is the long-term ambition of The Warning?

Pau: ,,To play everywhere, our ambition is to keep coming back to festivals and maybe become a headliner someday, that’s our ambition and that is the goal for everyone in our team.”

Dany: ,,Making music that people can enjoy.”

Last question, if I were playing in The Warning – which seems highly unlikely, being a male – and you would be the music reporter, what would be your last question?

Pau/Dany (both overly excited): ,,Oooooo, wow, um…….’’

Pau: ,,Let me see……. where was your bunk in the tour bus?”

And the answer would be?

Pau: ,,As far away from the bathroom as you can get, oh my God….”

Thank you, ladies, and enjoy the show.