"Things that are scary can't be killed with a machete."
Such beautifully harrowing maturity is what singer-songwriter Gena Perala (pronounced Jenna) puts to song with an empowering zeal. "Machete," her Tarantino-esque new single -- which officially dropped today, August 5th, 2025 -- holds her skilled storytelling in the foreground, recounting experiences with bullying and an admirable decision to persevere.
With a spaghetti western groove and femme fatale feel, the Americana tune thrives in its vocal-driven nature as slithering guitar and steady percussion outline the timbre's inflection. The strummed cinematic sway seems like it was plucked right out of a film, and bobbing bass completes the soundscape with a slow burning, determined grit.
Raised in unique surroundings with creatives and performers, Perala, a British Columbia native, has had an inclination toward artistry since growing up along the carnival circuit with carnie parents. "Machete" brings to life a history-rich single cover: a young Perala, her younger brother, and the gypsies. As Perala puts it, "Something about that image—the little girls with the guns. It's a paradox: innocence armed with defiance."
A brazen banjo bop, "I'm Gone," and the piano-led ballad, "Goodbye Friend," precede Gena Perala's most recent single, and it's clear her talents are dynamic. Given the span of folk, country, Americana, pop, alternative, and rock in only three singles, Perala's upcoming album, Somewhere New, per Erik Nielsen at Afterlife Studios is sure to be electrically eclectic in its theme of choosing oneself.
But there is more to this scintillating storytelling knack than just music. A skilled multi-creative, Perala has three published poetry collections, and her poem on civic engagement and the importance of voting won the top prize at Rock the Vote's audio contest. Further, you may have seen her playing herself among Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart in the feature film Love Happens.
What started as a rough studio idea turned into "Machete," and what "Machete" harnesses is sure to inspire further intrigue into her daring and darling sophomore album, Something New, which is slated for a fall release.
Gena Perala rides in with mystique and leaves with smoke. She isn't just writing, but she's building a legend. Don't blink, because the next soulful chapter is on the way.
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