There are some songs that are perfect for screaming and singing along, just like “Boyfriend of the Year,” “Line 7,” “You,” and “I Hate That I Love You.” The young woman behind these songs is named Paula Koups. She released her first single, “Magic in Chaos,” in the summer of 2020. Nearly three years later, this Madrid-based artist has over 600,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, nearly 180,000 followers on TikTok, and her videos have received over six million likes.
At LOS40, we recognize that Paula is one of the most promising artists in the current music scene. That’s why we asked her 40 questions about herself. Her relatable lyrics, catchy rhythms, and joyful personality are just some of the reasons why her success continues to grow. Discover why you shouldn’t lose track of her. We present to you: Paula Koups!
Here are 40 things about Paula Koops:
1. Year and city of birth: January 4, 1998, Madrid
2. What was your first contact with music? The first memory I have is of my dad in the car singing “It’s Raining Again” by Supertramp. He did the whole part of the song – which I obviously didn’t understand – and when the last moment came, when there is a poem that the children sing, I sang it because they had just come from we learn it in kindergarten.
3. When did you know you wanted to do it? In truth, as far back as I can remember, there hasn’t been a second that I haven’t wanted to be a singer. From a very young age, I danced and sang in front of the mirror as if I were giving a concert. HAHA my family closed all the doors so they wouldn’t hear me.
4. The song you wish you had composed: If the world ended – JP Saxe et al another love -Tom Odell
5. A music genre you would never get into: The truth is that I’m a big fan of trying out different musical styles and there’s nothing I can say no to, but… I think it’s hard for me to see a Paula Koops in the Heavy Metal.
6. A favorite artist and/or artist: Still Yungblud… but lately very much on a loop with Tate Mcrae.
7. The music you listened to at home as a child: I grew up with the music my father played me, Beatles, Supertramp, Genesis, Rolling Stones, Spandau Ballet… but it’s true that when I was little I really liked listening to La Oreja by Van Gogh – in fact, I cried when they broke up (hahaha).
8. A song you’re obsessed with right now: Cupid by Tini – I don’t go out of the loop and it’s also like I forget and open Tik Tok and go back to vice.
9. The one you hate to hear right now: Buah the truth is that I never hated a song, but if I had to say one it’s Calm of Rhema. It sounded so loud that every time it starts playing somewhere I get super nervous.
10. Artist or artist you would like to collaborate with: I would die peacefully with an Eminem ft. Paula Koups.
11. Is this a dream or a reality? Ugh, I think both. It’s a dream, and maybe that’s what makes the daily work to achieve it so beautiful and exciting. And that when you feel like giving it all up, there’s a voice in your head that says “you can, just a little more”. But for a year now, it’s a dream that is becoming more and more a reality. And I am happy.
12. The musician who is in your contact book and who excites you: Haha Miki Núñez, always Miki.
13. If you weren’t a singer, you would be… I studied business administration and marketing, but I think I would have opted for acting, I really started in music by studying musical theatre.
14. Music for you is… A lifeguard float. I think, for every moment, music always helps. In fact, for me, in my hardest and saddest moments, what helped me was the music. I might as well compose for myself as listen to songs on Spotify…
15. A favorite hobby or sport: Dancing since I was little. In fact, I think I spent a lot more hours dancing than singing… but haha that’s not one of my strong points.
16. A moment in your life that you would like to repeat: The day I adopted Trufa (my dog), I don’t think I’ve ever had a happier moment than that.
17. What you would say to little Paula: That she understands, that she just had to believe in herself. I mean, I would really love to have a time machine, go back to 5-year-old Paula dancing in the mirror and tell her, hey, you’re gonna make it, keep fighting.
18. The social network that hooks you the most: ICT Tac.
19. A life lesson that changed yours: Let luck work. It’s super easy to idealize when someone’s doing well, and the reality is that that person may have been working non-stop for five years with nothing coming out and all of a sudden one of the things comes up, and it looks like have luck. But it’s a lot of work and perseverance.
20. Something you can’t stand that makes you sick: I think the only thing that I can’t stand and that costs me a lot is stealing. I have a terrible fear of airplanes. And since I know I have trips, my head is starting to be a lousy place.
21. A sentence you repeat often: You know what I mean ?
22. Something about you that very few people know: I spend the day reading conspiracy theories, in fact my favorite is one that says Avril Lavigne is not Avril Lavigne
23. A movie you love or that defines you: I love you, Rose.
24. Something you suck at: Sportsman, I am a REAL hand butter.
25. Something (or someone) you’re obsessed with: With cookies, in fact, my friends tease me a lot, because I can’t continue my day if I don’t have cookies for breakfast. Well, Diet Coke – I only like light and real my breakfast is a few biscuits and a Diet Coke – that’s the norm.
26. Your personality: Haha it depends on the day, but in general very demanding, for better or for worse.
27. Your fondest childhood memory: The day I met Mau (my kitten). I was around 6/7 years old and my grandfather had a cat called Manolo, but of course Manolo got pregnant and had three kittens. And that weekend alone, we went into town to see my grandparents, and I had no better idea than, on the way back, on a two-hour trip to Madrid, to put one of the kittens under my dress, and since, 17 years to me. I think it will always be my favorite memory.
28. A childhood toy (or game): BUAH The Sims, real that I got up two hours earlier every morning, so I could play before school.
29. What you miss: In Canela and Mau, always. They were my best friends, and my childhood pets and ho, I can’t stop crying every time I see a cat and haha I still feed the ones on the street, even if they run away all humans.
30. Something you regret: For not believing in myself before and letting people’s opinions affect me so much.
31. Your favorite word: Tomato, I hate tomato, but I love the word tomato and I’m sure my next animal will be called tomato.
32. A mania: I can’t unlabel things. And I always drink coke little by little, I CAN’T POUR MY COCA COLA INTO THE WHOLE GLASS – it literally gives me something, I can’t drink it.
33. Tattoos: I have 11 of them, all in my arms and all with a lot of sense. I have the word nirvana tattooed, which is the state of complete bliss, and kind of like a reminder to enjoy every day of life and go to bed happy every day.
34. A hidden pleasure (something you’re embarrassed to admit you like): Reaching out the car window HAHAHA it feels like it gives me a lot of peace and happiness I DON’T KNOW WHY
35. The most surreal thing that has happened to you in your career: My group of friends and I went to celebrate a friend’s birthday in Jávea. And we went to a beach, which was supposed to be a 30-minute walk, with many slopes, and there was no one there. And suddenly another group of people arrives, we were the only ones and a girl says to me ‘are you Paula Koops?’ and i like AAAA knows who i am. I was super excited, because it was the last thing I expected.
36. If you had to name your next song, it would be… Wow, I would love to do a song called Roma. I have several ideas tossed around, but none have materialized yet (hahaha)
37. Challenges ahead: I would love to travel to South America to compose and obviously start touring concerts. I’m dying to.
38. If you weren’t Paula Koops and you met her, what would you think of her? Wow, I think I would freak out if she told me that everything she did was done on her own. That sometimes I forget, and someone tells me and I say wow, it’s true. And nothing, I think she would think a nicer girl, and that shows she’s passionate about what she does.
39. Which of all your songs do you feel most proud to have composed? I believe that Best friends (laughs) It’s a song that came and went a lot in the drawer, which from the first minute was one of my favorite songs, because it told one of my most personal stories, but at the same time I was very scared to take it out. And when Marmi and Candela got together, it was like god, my favorite song with two artists that I admire so much, I’m super happy. Also, I wrote the entire script for the music video, and right now I feel very happy.
40. How do you remember your first time in a recording studio? Wow, that was in a singing class that I took, and I remember it was super grating because that was the first time I heard my voice on headphones and of course it sounds super different from the way you get along when you sing… and the truth is it was a bit of a disaster and i was “out of place” but now it’s one of the things i love the most do in the world HAHAHA