Photo: Bella Rabbit
Bella Rabbit continues to push boundaries with her latest artistic statement: a raw, acoustic Tiny Desk submission that showcases exactly why she refuses to fit into anyone's box. Filmed with stripped-down energy and honest intention, this performance is a testament to an artist who knows exactly what she wants and isn't afraid to say it in two languages.
Artist Message
Beyond excited to be back with a new song. "Cali California" was created in a time where the world felt way too chaotic but somehow I found myself in a bubble, here in LA. Hope it resonates with you.
I decided to take a year off to ground myself and create from purpose. This song is part of the work I created during that time last year.
Special shout out to my amazing friends & musicians who I deeply admire, respect & love.
Bass: Jose Villalpando (@Itsmejosev)
Guitar: Bobby Saint (@bobbysaint461)
Djembe: Dale Virgo (@dalevirgotv)
Credits
"Cali California"
Written by: Andrea Sandoval Lara & Dale Virgo.
The Lyrics
(Verse)
No me juzgues si no me pongo a llorar
con la mierda que veo en el celu
Hoy decidí que preocuparme no debo
Para hacer lo que quiero porque
Me quieren meter en un caja
Y que la acepte porque es dorada
Aquí en Cali,
Reseteando la memoria
(Prech)
Matcha latte en la mano después de Pilates,
Para no acordarme de que el mundo es un desmadre
(Chorus)
ooh mira mírame, mi receta, mi baile
Ooh ooh salva sálvame, no me dejes de querer
ooh Sigue, sígueme, si me quieres conocer
Ooh ooh siempre tengo lo que quiero, si no hago un berrinche
(Verse 2)
De mil maneras entretengo mi mente en
Cosas nada sanas
Y me cuestiono porque me pongo triste
Y quiero hacer nada
Dime cómo hago para no pensar, no pensar
Cómo borrar?
Quiero ser feliz aunque sea un ratito
Quiero ser, quiero quiero ser libre
En el momento me quiero perder
Ya no perderé tiempo, porque corre,
Un minuto se vuelven 66
(Chorus)
ooh mira mírame, mi receta, mi baile
Ooh ooh salva sálvame, no me dejes de querer
ooh Sigue, sígueme, si me quieres conocer
Ooh ooh siempre tengo lo que quiero, si no hago un berrinche
Aún no he sido honesta
Aún puedo llorar, así fue ya por la mañana,
Es la verdad, créeme
Me duele el corazón
Cuando veo el teléfono
La luz sale
al final, ni el bien ni el mal
Son uno igual
Ooh ooh
(Chorus)
ooh mira mírame, mi receta, mi baile
Ooh ooh salva sálvame, no me dejes de querer
ooh Sigue, sígueme, si me quieres conocer
Ooh ooh siempre tengo lo que quiero, si no hago un berrinche
All Rights Reserved Planet Bella Rabbit
Photo: Bella Rabbit
The Story Behind the Performance
Bella Rabbit is not an artist who plays by the rules. This Tiny Desk submission, recorded in Cali, is proof of that creative independence. While most artists polish and perfect every detail for contest submissions, Bella leaned into authenticity: raw vocals, acoustic instrumentation, and a message that translates across languages: don't put me in a box.
The performance opens with a confession in Spanish that immediately sets the tone. She's not going to cry over what she sees on her phone. She's not going to worry about fitting expectations. The decision has been made: she's doing exactly what she wants, and if that makes people uncomfortable, that's their problem, not hers.
"Aquí en Cali reseteando la memoria": here in Cali, resetting the memory. It's both a literal location stamp and a metaphorical statement. This is where the reset happens. This is where she sheds old expectations and steps fully into who she's becoming.
The beauty of Bella Rabbit's approach is in the blend. Her Spanglish flow isn't code-switching for commercial appeal: it's genuine expression from someone who lives between cultures. The Spanish verses carry emotion and vulnerability, while the English and mixed phrases land with directness. "Mírame, mírame mi receta, mi baile": look at me, look at my recipe, my dance. It's an invitation and a challenge at the same time.
Why This Submission Matters
NPR's Tiny Desk Contest has become a launching pad for artists who bring something unique to the table. The format strips away production tricks and forces artists to show their core talent. No auto-tune safety nets. No elaborate staging. Just you, your instrument, and your voice.
Bella Rabbit submitted an original song titled "Sailor Moon" for the NPR Tiny Desk Contest 2024, and this acoustic performance demonstrates exactly why she deserves attention. The soul in her delivery, the confidence in her bilingual lyrics, and the clarity of her message all come through in a format that reveals an artist's true strengths.
The line "Siempre tengo lo que quiero si no hago un berrinche" hits different when you understand the context. She's saying she always gets what she wants as long as she doesn't throw a tantrum: as long as she stays focused and doesn't let frustration derail her mission. It's a reminder to herself as much as it is a statement to anyone watching.
The Production Behind the Performance
What makes this submission work is the intentional simplicity. Acoustic guitar provides the foundation, allowing Bella's voice to carry the emotional weight. There's no over-production, no attempt to hide behind layers of sound. This is an artist who trusts her voice and her message enough to present both with minimal interference.
The visual setup matches the sonic approach: intimate, direct, and unpretentious. Bella Rabbit sits with her instrument and delivers the performance like she's sharing a story with friends, not auditioning for validation. That confidence is what separates artists who perform from artists who connect.
For producers and engineers working in the DZL Records ecosystem, this kind of stripped-down performance is a reminder of what matters most: the song, the voice, and the truth in both. You can polish a track in the mix, but you can't manufacture authenticity. Bella brings that from the first note.
A Reset Anthem for Independent Artists
"Reseteando la memoria" becomes the anthem within the anthem. In an industry that constantly tries to categorize, package, and market artists into digestible formats, the act of resetting becomes revolutionary. Bella Rabbit is an artist who refuses to be confined: not by genre, not by language, not by anyone's expectations of what she should sound like or say.
The plea "Salva, sálvame, no me dejes de querer": save me, don't stop loving me: adds vulnerability to the independence. Even in declaring her freedom, there's an acknowledgment that she still needs connection, still needs to be seen and valued for who she truly is.
This balance between strength and vulnerability is what makes the performance resonate. Bella isn't pretending to have it all figured out. She's documenting the process of figuring it out in real time, and she's doing it in front of a camera with nothing but an acoustic guitar and her voice as backup.
Watch the Full Performance
What's Next for Bella Rabbit
Artists like Bella Rabbit are exactly why DZL Records continues to champion independent voices in the music industry. The ability to move between languages, blend genres, and refuse categorization is the future of music: not the exception to it.
This Tiny Desk submission is more than a contest entry. It's a statement of purpose from an artist who's doing it her way, on her terms, with her recipe and her dance. Whether NPR selects her for the desk or not, the performance stands as evidence that Bella Rabbit is an artist worth paying attention to.
For more artist spotlights and behind-the-scenes content, stay tuned to Dubcorner as we continue supporting artists who refuse to be boxed in.