Sometimes, the best music happens when you stop planning and just start feeling. That’s exactly how goodtoknow—a collaborative project born between Mexico City and beyond—came together. What started as a spontaneous studio session between four artists quickly unfolded into an EP filled with intimacy, playfulness, and connection.
In this conversation with Urbanista Magazine, Benja and Paula reflect on the joy and vertigo of creating in real time, the vulnerability it takes to share raw lyrics with friends, and how spontaneity shaped every note of their debut. From late-night studio euphoria to the delicate balance between solo artistry and collective expression, goodtoknow is proof that when trust and curiosity lead the way, music becomes more than sound—it becomes human.
https://open.spotify.com/album/3a3VPuqZpU505o0LifvwWt?si=NU_uLRx2SwWS2WTOJWjzxg
What did vulnerability look like in the writing process between the four of you?
Benja: I would say vulnerability came specially from Paula, she was brave enough to share very personal feelings in the lyrics with us, while we were pretty much observing her process. Nonetheless, I felt a lot of commitment from everybody in the band to respect the mood in order to encourage Paula on her search for words, it was such a loving, empathetic and joyful process. Musicwise, every one was so beautifully connected with creating, and therefore their own vulnerability.
Paula: This process was special for me, because all these songs are very personal, and I hadn’t really had the space to process them on my own. Most of the lyrics happened in the studio while recording. The guys had no real clue of what I was going through or who I was talking about in the songs, they’d tease about “when are we going to find out who ‘October’ is and pretend to get offended when I wouldn’t say. But i just remember them being very graceful and letting me go into my own world and silently process and when i was ready just hear me out. That felt special because I’m so used to writing alone for my music that it can be uncomfortable or intimidating if you don’t have that same sort of privacy or respect n a group setting.
What role does improvisation or spontaneity play in your recording process beyond that first session?
Benja: Spontaneity was pretty much the core of what was happening. We literally decided to jump into the void that first day just for the sake of it, out of joy, just because we could. I learned so many lessons after the recording of the EP, taking away the responsibility of the joy from the result of a process was one of them. There is so much pressure nowadays, giving the fact of how hard it is to maintain independent careers in music, that you are thinking of reaching a certain result everytime, but this EP was all about feeling music like a game, like there is nothing to lose, and that’s so refreshing.
Paula: We’ve only had one experience so far making music together. So everything is very new. But this whole EP came from us just following our musical intuition and trusting each other and just going for it. I have sparse memories of maybe Benja asking or wondering if he was doing too much or too little on a certain bassline or Nano maybe asking for feedback on a certain decision he was making on drums, but I just remember the process being more of affirming each other’s decisions than questioning it.
How does the setting — like Estudios Noviembre or Mexico City itself — impact how you write or connect as a group?
Benja: I personally think the studio had a lot to do on how organic and tight the music felt. I mean the first bounce we had of the EP is not that far from what the final master sounds, it came all so nice from the very source. On the same day we would write the songs, go to our workstations and figure out arrangements from each instrument, later the recording, without a click, just feeling the vibe for the first time… Noviembre did help a lot with that workflow.
Paula: The studio was just perfect. The space was inspiring. The crew was generous and respectful and very talented. And it was just a perfect space to just get in and focus on the music.
What was the vibe in the studio that night when everything started coming together?
Benja: I just remember euphoria, and not only us, the people in the studio were happy to stay with us until 4 am to keep going forward, it was so much joy.
Paula: I think vertigo. And curiosity. And just overall fun
If ‘I’LL STAY’ were a feeling, mood, or moment in time, what would it be?
Benja: A very nice soundtrack, for sure.
Paula: I think the EP makes you feel like you’re the main character in a movie.
The lyrics feel incredibly personal, yet universal. What’s your approach to writing about emotion without being too literal?
Benja: In my experience, the more personal the lyric is, the more universal it becomes, even if it’s about memories that are only in your head. If it triggers you in some way -being literal or not- you have the proof that someone else will connect.
Paula: Mm, not sure. I just wrote what I was feeling. And since I didn’t want to write for or against anybody, but I just needed to come to terms with how I was feeling, maybe that let me write in a less “point my finger at you” kind of way? Maybe that made it feel more universal? Not sure. Im just happy I feel like I was able to put into words what I was dealing with.
How do you balance being a group while maintaining your own solo artistry?
Benja: We were very empathic with one another about protecting this project from stressing us out before we did anything, so communication and honesty are very important.
Paula: It’s all new.. So I think we’ll figure it out as we keep going.
What do you hope listeners take away from this project, especially those who may not speak the same language?
Benja: The sense of joy and energy it gives to me. Like, for the past year this is among the most played albums in my phone, and it is because it makes me feel so nice, I really hope people can get some of that too.
Paula: Most of the people who listen to us are Spanish speakers because our individual projects are all in Spanish. So that’s going to be interesting to see. I think I just hope the music and the feeling behind the lyrics prove that that’s enough to connect with it (even when there’s a language barrier). I’ve listened to a lot of music in other languages my whole life. And I think the music has always been enough. The humanness behind the songs always transcends culture and language.
Describe the EP in three words, but none of you can repeat each other’s!
Benja: Chill, loving, energetic.
Paula: Subtle. Light. Pure.
What’s next for goodtoknow? More spontaneous sessions, or are you planning something bigger?
Benja: We have a week’s schedule in October to repeat the formula and get in the studio to play around. I personally have no other expectations than to have fun with the guys.
Paula: I have a trip to Mexico in October, and we just want to get together again and make music and see if the magic was just a one-time thing or if there’s more to keep exploring. I hope there’s more, because these five songs and the experience of having a band have made me very happy so far.
