In this interview, we talk with Adele and Felipe from Tipa Tipo, a musical combo blending North and South American influences into their own dreamy fusion of tropical soft rock. They walk us through the evolution of their sound—from indie beginnings in Lima to their pandemic-era rebirth in New York—and share the story behind their band name, their inspirations, and what it’s like to play Make Music New York.
So how did Tipa Tipo come together as a band, and what’s the story behind the name?
Felipe: We started collaborating together around 2010, under different names. We tried different styles of music that were calling our attention back then.
Adele: We started in Lima. We had a band called Humanimas—like human + animal, Humanimas. It was more like indie rock. We were performing around Lima, in La Noche de Barranco and other venues around the city. Then I got into grad school here in New York, so we moved. I feel like our sound really changed after that. We kind of stopped playing for a few years, New York was a bit overwhelming, and we were recalibrating what we were doing: our sound, our influences. Then, during the pandemic we started collaborating again. That’s when we really got into the idea of fusing North and South American sounds—like disco and soft rock, which were big for both of us growing up—and also bringing in Latin sounds, cumbia, and other styles, hybridizing it all. As for Tipa Tipo, Felipe always said he wanted a name that had rhythm.
Felipe: Yeah, we were thinking of something that sounded like a drum fill. We tried a few names—something that wasn’t already taken on Spotify. It’s so hard since you’re competing with millions of people. But Tipa Tipo really resonated with us. It kind of feels like our avatar.
Adele: I remember I was laying on the floor of the studio—we produce all our own music—and I was like, “What about Tipo Tipa? No! Tipa Tipo!”. We really liked it. It’s kind of binary, sure. But it sounds cool and makes sense to our band.
So, Felipe, you’re from Peru. And how about you, Adele? Where are you from?
Adele: I was born in Hawaii, actually. Then I moved to Arkansas and grew up there until I was 17 or 18. Then I went to college in Florida. After that, I went to Peru to do music research around 2010. I ended up staying much longer, met Felipe, started playing in bands, and worked at UPC teaching piano and other stuff. So it kind of feels like fate that we met.
How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard it before?
Felipe: We’ve been calling it “tropical yacht rock.” It’s more than that, but I think it gives you an idea of the worlds we’re playing with. We’re trying to fuse North and South American musical cultures. In particular, we’re influenced by recording and production techniques from the ’60s, ’70s, and early ’80s. We’re not trying to recreate that era, but we are trying to incorporate those techniques—recording to tape, live tracking as much as possible, and using instrumentation like vintage synthesizers and guitar tones.
Adele: A lot of electric piano. Those sounds were big in soft rock and yacht rock. “Yacht rock” is a very specific term for a certain group of bands from the ’70s. It’s kind of a joke term—it became a thing because of a low-budget YouTube miniseries in the 2000s that grouped this kind of music under that label. Some people in that scene actually hate the term. So we’ve considered whether we should change it. But I think it gives a general idea. Maybe “tropical soft rock” is more universally accessible. It’s a bit niche, because some people might not know what soft rock or yacht rock is. But once you hear it, you realize—you’ve definitely heard this kind of music before.
What artists or bands inspire your music?
Adele: Definitely bands from that era—Fleetwood Mac, Hall and Oates. And also more contemporary artists. We’re really into this band Tennis, from Denver, they do a kind of retro pop. And then there are Latin American bands like Buscabulla, Vanessa Zamora, Bandalos Chinos—other bands that are exploring this retro pop aesthetic.
Felipe: And old-school cumbia bands, for sure—Los Destellos, Los Orientales de Paramonga, Manzanita, Los Mirlos. That instrumental era of Peruvian cumbia is a huge influence.
How did you first get involved with Make Music Day—or in this case, Make Music New York?
Adele: I think we’ve done it twice or three times. We did it the first year we got to New York, around 2013 or something. We had no idea where anything was, and we just signed up for a bunch of shows. I remember playing around Brooklyn—I don’t even remember exactly where. It started raining at one point. And then we did it again in 2020 during the pandemic, it was virtual. I think we also participated last year with this New York radio station, with Alisa Ali.
How has your experience been with Make Music Day?
Adele: It’s cool. For me, it shows just how much music there is in New York, the impressive number of musicians and bands I’ve never even heard of. It’s kind of like Fête de la Musique. I remember going to Fête de la Musique when I was 17 or something—2003 maybe—and feeling like, wow, I’ve never seen so much live music happening outside everywhere. It’s kind of reminiscent of that.
How does a day like this compare to your usual gigs?
Adele: There’s a strong sense of community. Because it’s often outside, people can just walk by and stop. New York has a lot of ticketed shows—you have to get people in the door, sell tickets. There’s a very commercial element to it. But this feels a bit more… socialist? It’s festive and refreshing.
So what’s next for Tipa Tipo? Any upcoming releases or shows?
Adele: We just finished our next LP, which will be coming out—well, you know how long these things take—probably within the next year. We also have a remix coming out tomorrow. Our previous record came out last April, so it’s been a year. It had a great reception, and we’ve been releasing remixes since then, this will be the fourth one.
Felipe: Yeah, we’ll probably end up with an EP or maybe a whole album of remixes. Different people have been doing their own versions of our songs. We’ve got another one in the oven.
Adele: And the next album will include a lot of collabs—with artists like La Zorra Zapata from Lima, Cheo Pardo from New York (originally from Venezuela), and others. We’ll probably have a show with Cheo in July, kind of adjacent to the LAMC. So yeah—we’ll keep you posted!
Last question. What advice would you give to new artists just starting out?
Adele: I’d say: stick with it. It’s a long road.
Felipe: It’s a long game. And enjoy the process. Maybe even take time to write down your ideal scenarios every so often—it helps keep you on track. Otherwise, it’s easy to get derailed. There are so many ways to participate in music, and it’s okay to try new things.
Adele: I’d also say: nurture the contacts you make. That’s your network. Value the people you meet along the way, they’ll become the community that supports you.