Boy Pablo

Norwegian band

boy pablo

Muñóz performing in 2019

Background information
Birth name| Nicolás Pablo Rivera Muñoz
Born|  (1998-11-29) 29 November 1998 (age 26)
Bergen, Norway
Genres|

* Indie rock
* indie pop
* jangle pop

Years active| 2015–present
Labels| 777 Music
Members|

* Nicolas Munoz

Website| www.boypablo.com

Boy Pablo (stylized as boy pablo) (born 29 November 1998) is the indie pop music project of Norwegian singer songwriter Nicolas Muñoz. Muñoz writes, records, performs, and produces all of the project's music. Boy Pablo's live band currently consists of Nicolás Muñoz (guitar, vocals), Gabriel Muñoz (lead guitar), Judah Kubendran (bass guitar) and Esteban Muñoz (drums).

Boy Pablo gained attention in late 2017 after the music video for the song "Everytime" gained international popularity on YouTube's algorithm.[1][2][3] The duology concept EPs Roy Pablo (2017) and Soy Pablo (2018) were released under Boy Pablo's own independent label 777 Music. His debut studio album, Wachito Rico was released in October 2020. Out of nominations for five Spellemann Awards, Boy Pablo has won one, and has additionally been nominated for three GAFFA Awards and one P3 Gull award, having won the latter.

## Early life

[edit]

Nicolás Pablo Rivera Muñoz[4] (born 29 November 1998)[5][6] was born and raised in Bergen after his Chilean parents immigrated to Norway in the 1980s.[7][8] Born into a musical family as the youngest child, his father and brother were both multi-instrumentalists and helped teach him how to play guitar, drums, bass guitar and piano.[9] He attended secondary school at Kongshaug Upper Secondary School of Music, a music boarding school in nearby Os.[10][11] He and his parents moved to Os, Hordaland when he started secondary school, two years prior to January 2017.[12]

## History

[edit]

### 2015–2016: Career beginnings

[edit]

Muñoz began the "Boy Pablo" project in December 2015, and released his debut single "Flowers" in January 2016.[11] He played his first-ever gig as a warm-up band for Tellef Raabe (brother of Norwegian singer Sigrid) at Hulen in April 2016.[11][13] In September 2016, he performed as part of the Vill Vill Vest festival in Bergen.[14] Boy Pablo gained immense national popularity after receiving a Bergenfest scholarship of 35 thousand kroner in November 2016. Alongside this scholarship, he additionally won his own headlining gig as well as a performance at the 2017 Bergenfest.[15]

### 2017–2019: Roy Pablo and Soy Pablo

[edit]

Muñoz further gained international popularity in 2017 with the song and music video for "Everytime", originally uploaded to YouTube in May 2017. Within a few weeks, the video had received millions of views, with Muñoz significantly expanding his fanbase.[1] Boy Pablo released the 6-song EP, Roy Pablo, in May 2017, which includes "Everytime". In August 2017, Boy Pablo opened as a supporting act for American band Beach Fossils at Red Bull Sound Select in Oslo.[16]

Boy Pablo released the single "Losing You" in March 2018,[17][18] and embarked on a sold out thirty-nine date headlining world tour of United States, Europe and Asia.[19] On 5 October 2018 Boy Pablo released his second EP, Soy Pablo.[20] The EP received critical acclaim and was successful commercially in Norway, topping the national Vinyl albums chart.[21] The EP additionally landed in the top 10 of year-end critics lists from Gaffa and Nöjesguiden, placing at Nos. 9 and 4 respectively.[22][23] At the 2018 Spellemannprisen (also referred to as Norwegian Grammy Awards), Boy Pablo was awarded with the award for Breakthrough of the Year which additionally gave him the Gramo scholarship of 250.000 kroner.[24][25] At the same ceremony he was nominated in the categories of Best International Success,[26] and Indie/Alternative of the Year for Soy Pablo.[27] At the 2018 P3 Gull Awards, Boy Pablo also won Årets Nykommer.[28] In January 2019, Boy Pablo was the only Norwegian artist to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California, U.S. in that year.[29][30] At the 2019 Spellemannprisen (also referred to as Norwegian Grammy Awards), Boy Pablo was nominated for Best International Success for the second consecutive year in addition to Årets Musikkvideo ("Losing You").[31]

### 2020: Wachito Rico

[edit]

In May 2020, Boy Pablo announced the release of his debut studio album, Wachito Rico;[32] the title is a Chilean expression and means "handsome boy."[33] The album's singles are "Hey Girl", "Honey" and "Rest Up". With the release of the latter single, Boy Pablo announced his second-ever headlining world tour to support Wachito Rico, which kicked off in the UK in March 2021.[34]

## Live band

[edit]

Current live band

* Nicolas Pablo Rivera Muñoz – rhythm guitar, vocals
* Gabriel Muñoz – lead guitar
* Esteban Muñoz – drums
* Judah Kubendran – bass

Former live band

* Eric Tryland – keyboard, backing vocals
* Henrik Åmdal – bass guitar
* Sigmund Vestrheim – drums
* Amund Valde - keyboard

## Artistry

[edit]

Muñoz cites Mac DeMarco, Veronica Maggio, Tyler, the Creator, the Beatles, Arctic Monkeys, Tame Impala and Mild High Club as musical influences.[35][36][37] His rise to fame with a DIY-produced bedroom pop track,"Everytime" (2017), which gained popularity through the YouTube algorithm has drawn comparisons to that of American singer Clairo's rise to fame with her video for "Pretty Girl" (2017).[38][39]

## Discography

[edit]

### Studio albums

[edit]

Title  | Details

|

Wachito Rico[40] |

* Released: 23 October 2020
* Label: 777 Music
* Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming, cassette

### Extended plays

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Peak chart positions

|
|

NOR
[41] | NOR
Vinyl
[21]
Roy Pablo[42] |

* Released: 19 May 2017
* Label: 777 Music
* Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming, cassette

| —  | 4
Soy Pablo[43] |

* Released: 5 October 2018
* Label: 777 Music
* Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming, cassette

| 40  | 1

### Singles

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Peak chart positions  | Certifications  | Album/EP

|
|
|
|

NOR
Air.
[44] | BEL
(WA)
Tip
[45] | US
(RAP)
[46]
2016  | "Flowers"  | —  | —  | —  |  | Non-album singles
"Beach House Interlude"  | —  | —  | —  |
"Ur Phone"  | —  | —  | —  |  | Roy Pablo
2017  | "Everytime"  | —  | —  | —  |

* RIAA: Gold[47]

2018  | "Losing You"  | 2  | 11  | —  |  | Soy Pablo
"Sick Feeling"  | —  | —  | —  |
2019  | "Never Cared" (with Jimi Somewhere) | —  | —  | —  |  | Non-album single
2020  | "Hey Girl"  | 31  | —[A] | 48  |  | Wachito Rico
"I Just Wanna Go Home"  | —  | —  | —  |
"Honey"  | —  | —  | —  |
"Rest Up"  | —  | —  | —  |
"Leave Me Alone!"  | —  | —  | —  |
2022  | "La novela" (with Cuco) | —  | —  | —  |  | Non-album single

### Other certified singles

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Certifications  | Album/EP

|
|
|

2017  | "Dance, Baby!"  |

* RIAA: Gold[48]

| Roy Pablo

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

Award  | Year  | Category  | Work  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Spellemannprisen | 2018  | Breakthrough of the Year and Gramo Scholarship | Boy Pablo  | Won  | [49]
Indie  | Soy Pablo | Nominated
International Success of the Year  | Boy Pablo  | Nominated
2019  | Nominated
Music Video of the Year  | "Feeling Lonely"  | Nominated
P3 Gull | 2018  | Newcomer of the Year  | Boy Pablo  | Won  | [28]
GAFFA Awards (Norway) | 2018  | Norwegian Newcomer of the Year  | Nominated  | [50]
Norwegian Hit of the Year  | "Losing You"  | Nominated
Norwegian Album of the Year  | Soy Pablo | Nominated

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ "Hey Girl" did not enter the Ultratop Flanders singles chart but did spend four weeks as an extra tip on both the Flanders and Wallonia Ultratip singles chart.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Skelton, Eric (20 October 2017). "YouTube's Algorithms Keep Recommending This Song, and It's a Hidden Gem". Complex. ISSN 1538-6848. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
2. ^ Hunt, El (22 October 2018). "Boy Pablo: the internet sensation laughing through the heartbreak". NME. ISSN 0028-6362. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
3. ^ Bjerkestrand, Frode (16 April 2018). Nicolas Muñoz var vant til å spille konserter for venner og kjente. Så la han ut en video på Youtube, Bergens Tidende (in Norwegian). ISSN 0804-8983. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
4. ^ Velez, Jennifer (May 14, 2019). "Boy Pablo On Growing Up Bicultural & More". Grammy.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
5. ^ "Nicolas Pablo Rivera Munoz, (født 1998): 3 roller i norsk næringsliv". Proff.no. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
6. ^ wachito rico [@soypablo777] (November 29, 2019). "hahaha thanku hermano lol!!! (lots of love)" (Tweet) - via Twitter.
7. ^ "100% Boy Pablo: Norway's dream-pop boy wonder". The Face. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
8. ^ Jackson, Jhoni (June 7, 2018). "Meet Boy Pablo, Sunny Indie Pop From Norway's Chilean Diaspora". Remezcla. OCLC 1128296156. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
9. ^ Reeves, Benji (31 August 2020). "INTERVIEW: BOY PABLO — Cortex Creatives". Cortex Magazine. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
10. ^ Bjerkestrand, Frode (3 February 2019). "I 20 år har skolen vært en talentfabrikk. Det siste stjerneskuddet er blitt en internettsensasjon". Bergens Tidende (in Norwegian Bokmål). ISSN 0804-8983. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
11. ^ a b c Olsen, Benjamin Søgnen (6 January 2017). "Merk deg namnet: Boy Pablo" [Name to note: Boy Pablo]. Os og Fusaposten (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Retrieved 31 August 2020.
12. ^ Olsen, Benjamin Søgnen (6 January 2017). "Merk deg namnet: Boy Pablo" [Name to note: Boy Pablo]. Os og Fusaposten (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Retrieved 31 August 2020. "6 January 2017 [...] For to år sidan flytta han til Os med foreldra. [...] Vi flytta til Os då eg skulle starta på Kongshaug Musikkgymnas."
13. ^ tellef raabe [@TellefRaabe] (7 April 2016). "LYDPRØVE! kom for å se Boy Pablo kl 22:00. lurte å kjøpe billett på forhånd, men sikkert noe i døren på @hulen" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 31 August 2020 - via Twitter.
14. ^ "Første Artistslipp: Boy Pablo! — Vill Vill Vest 2016". Vill Vill Vest. June 6, 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2020.[permanent dead link]
15. ^ Bjerkestrand, Frode (22 November 2016). "De vil bli den neste bergensbølgen". Bergens Tidende (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 31 August 2020.
16. ^ Lund, Ellen (21 July 2017). "Spiller i Norge for første gang på flere år - intimkonsert i Oslo bekreftet i dag". Gaffa (in Norwegian). Retrieved 31 August 2020.[permanent dead link]
17. ^ Jagota, Vrinda (26 March 2018). Boy Pablo - "Losing You" (Review), Pitchfork, accessed 31 August 2020
18. ^ Skelton, Eric (23 March 2018). Boy Pablo Follows Surprise Internet Hit With New Song and Video "Losing You", Pigeons & Planes (in English)
19. ^ "Rising Norwegian Indie Pop Artist Boy Pablo to Play Seattle and Portland on Forthcoming Tour". NorthWest Music Scene. 30 June 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
20. ^ "BoY pAbLo on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
21. ^ a b For "Roy Pablo" and "Soy Pablo":
* "Vinyl 2019 uke 03". topplista.no. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
22. ^ "Dette er årets 50 beste album". Gaffa (in Norwegian). 24 December 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2020.[permanent dead link]
23. ^ "Årets bästa musik 2018". Nöjesguiden (in Swedish). 10 December 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
24. ^ Uppal, Sonia (30 March 2019). "Spellemann-vinnere 2018". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 31 August 2020.
25. ^ Linga, Sigbjørn (30 March 2019). "Spellemannprisen til Sigmund Vestrheim". Hordaland Folkeblad (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Retrieved 31 August 2020.
26. ^ "Stargate er Årets internasjonale suksess 2018 – Spellemann". Spellemannprisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). 11 June 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
27. ^ "Nominerte Spellemannprisen 2018 – Spellemann". Spellemannprisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). 8 February 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
28. ^ a b Gjestad, Heidi (26 November 2018). "Vinnerne av P3 Gull 2018". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 31 August 2020.
29. ^ "Boy Pablo eneste norske på Coachella". Sunnmørsposten (in Norwegian Nynorsk). 4 January 2019. ISSN 1503-9056. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
30. ^ "Boy Pablo til Coachella-festivalen". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). 9 January 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
31. ^ "De nominerte til Årets internasjonale suksess 2019 – Spellemann". Spellemannprisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). April 27, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
32. ^ Strauss, Matthew (May 29, 2020). "Boy Pablo Announces Debut Album Wachito Rico, Shares New Songs". Pitchfork. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
33. ^ "wachito rico - Boy Pablo". tastemakers. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
34. ^ Muir, Jamie (31 August 2020). "Boy Pablo has unveiled a wistful new one with 'rest up' + announces 2021 world tour". Dork. OCLC 1065354071. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
35. ^ Tangen, Ida Eline (16 November 2016). Sammen med kjæresten fra 5. klasse, NRK P3 (in Norwegian)
36. ^ Gutiérrez, Constanza (9 March 2018). "Un colocolino en Noruega". Qué Pasa. ISSN 0717-8085. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
37. ^ Galesi, Emanuele (20 December 2017). Con il sole negli occhi: il pop sognante di Boy Pablo, Giornale di Brescia (in Italian). Retrieved 31 August 2020
38. ^ Furu, Ludvig (10 April 2018). Boy Pablo: – Er under gjennomsnittet lei meg, Natt & Dag (in Norwegian)
39. ^ Honaker, Elly (27 August 2020). "boy pablo drops EP ahead of album release". Old Gold & Black. OCLC 1097117195. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
40. ^ Strauss, Matthew (May 29, 2020). "Boy Pablo Announces Debut Album Wachito Rico, Shares New Songs: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
41. ^ "Discography Boy Pablo". Norwegian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
42. ^ "Roy Pablo - EP by Boy Pablo". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 2019-12-22. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
43. ^ "Soy Pablo - EP by boy pablo". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 2019-12-22. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
44. ^ Peaks on the VG-lista Topp 40 Airplay singles chart:
* "Losing You": "Radio 2018 uke 35". topplista.no. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
* "Hey Girl": "Radio 2020 uke 33". topplista.no. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
45. ^ "Discographie Boy Pablo". Ultratop. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
46. ^ devops (2013-01-02). "Rock & Alternative Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
47. ^ "American single certifications – Boy Pablo – Everytime". Recording Industry Association of America.
48. ^ "American single certifications – Boy Pablo – Dance, Baby". Recording Industry Association of America.
49. ^ "Arkiv: boy pablo – Spellemann". Spellemannprisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). 2 September 2019. Archived from the original on 31 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
50. ^ "GAFFA-Prisen 2018". GAFFA (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* Norway

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

*[Ref.]: Reference