That Girl With Dark Eyes

Taking cues from electronic, melodic and notable musicians of the past and present, Barcelona-based musician Tiffany Garrett Sotomayor—better known by her stage name That Girl With Dark Eyes—creates music described as "a dinner party where Daft Punk sips Blood Orange champagne with Prince and Chromeo." Brian Eno heavily influences her moments of ambiance, while the catchier hooks bring her music into a more contemporary realm. Her single "Balloon," which we are pleased to premiere here, feels like just that: the electronic, love-based song urges listeners to ride a balloon and go higher, evoking similar notions to Drive's central themes of loneliness, isolation and underlying urges that are impossible to repress. For TGWDE, there was inspiration to be found in more than just love. She found inspiration in word "balloon" itself: "There's the celebratory side, the one we associate with parties and happiness. Then there's the romantic [and] dreamy part, like when someone fills your bedroom with balloons," she explains. "Finally, the freedom and anticipation [of] watching them drift into the sky."

After many years of writing, home recording, and a few strokes of luck, TGWDE met her producer Julian Saldarriaga, the guitarist for Love of Lesbian, after a performance in a local bar. "One day in a moment of music career turmoil, I reached out. I wanted to learn from him and know the reasons behind his success," TGWDE remembers. The two had coffee and soon thereafter, Saldarriaga decided he wanted to not only produce her music, but also help with advance recordings and introduce her to the two engineers behind Love of Lesbian's gold selling albums. ("Balloon" was also produced by Stanley Gabriel, who's worked with Ladyhawke, Kate Bush, and Little Boots.)

"Everything about this has been somewhat of a 'pay it forward' experience, made by the generosity of people in my life," TGWDE says. "I also did a crowdfunding campaign which helped with additional costs, so it's a collection of songs made by the people. I feel very loved and very grateful." - Interview Magazine

"Fans of Chromeo and La Roux's funky sound will enjoy That Girl With Dark Eyes' "Hey Baby," a song heavily inspired by the '70s and awesome guitar riffs." - Pigeons and Planes

Prince. Sheila E. Janet Jackson. These are the names that come to mind as soon as the fresh, funky beats of Barcelona-based electro up-and-comer That Girl With Dark Eyes’ “Hey Baby” comes stinging into the speakers. Sold already? Thought so.

That Girl With Dark Eyes — TGWDE for short (or Tiffany Garrett Sotomayor for long) — has been crafting music in Spain over the past year. Having already premiered her shimmering, La Roux-like “Lonely as a Wolf” earlier this year, TGWDE has returned this month with a fresh, sparkling electro-pop gem: “Hey Baby,” which we’re excited to premiere right here on Idolator.

Riding in on top of vintage synths and stinging ’80′s electro beats, the songstress immediately transports us backward to a simpler, funkier time: “She don’t want nobody to love her/She don’t need nobody’s advice,” the singer (TGWDE for short) sassily croons, immediately bringing Sheila E’s iconic “The Glamorous Life” to mind. Listen to TGWDE’s “Hey Baby” after the jump.


Although she’s still a fairly new name on the scene, TGWDE has already cut her teeth live while opening for several acts including Skrillex, Phoenix, CSS and The New Pornographers. She’s also worked with producers like Roddy Bottum, JC/DC (Tegan & Sara) and Pascal & Stanley Gabriel (Kylie Minogue, Ladyhawke, and her music’s been featured on a bunch of shows, including Lipstick Jungle and Heroes.

Armed with some truly punchy pop earworms (plus the fortuitous revival of funky disco throwback sound to Top 40 radio!), TGWDE seems poised to make her most major splash to date on the pop scene yet. - IDOLATOR

That Girl With Dark Eyes a.k.a. Tiffany Garrett Sottomayor, hails from Barcelona and has been hard at work in recent months. She released her single "Lonely as a Wolf" towards the beginning of 2014, and now she has released her latest tune, the catchy "Hey Baby." In "Hey Baby," TGWDE brings the trademark sounds of the 80's to life with energetic synth sounds, throwback guitar riffs, and drum samples.

"She don't need nobody to love her, she don't need nobody's advice" TGWDE sings on the fetching pop tune. These days, a lot of artists are influenced by the music of the 80's but "Hey Baby" has a truly authentic sound and feel, which teleports your eardrums back in time. "Hey Baby" is a super funky record that would even make Prince himself have a flashback. - EARMILK

To keep things short and sweet, this remix caught my attention at first sight. It’s bursting basslines and sexy vocal rework of Tiffany a.k.a. That Girl With Dark Eyes, makes for one heavy-hitting remix that should not be overlooked. Make sure to keep your eyes on these two because they are all about spicing things up. - Rolling Tuff

Soulful, memorable, danceable, purposeful pop, the music That Girl With Dark Eyes delivers reveals an impeccable ear for melody, hook driven songwriting and proves a promising artist capable of much more than we’ve yet to see. But most of all, she displays good taste by commissioning Overjoy to remix her latest, “Lonely As A Wolf.” - Kick Kick Snare

Known as That Girl With Dark Eyes, goddess Tiffany Garrett Sotomayor, crowned Spain's "synth pop hero," clearly holds more behind them, having already received nods from Rolling Stone (Spain), Elle, Paste, and a VICE Thump premiere of the haunting music video for the original track back in February. She is clearly poised to come into her own in the American music industry. But not before she has finished perfecting her soulful synth pop with a purpose abroad, and opening up for likes of Skrillex abroad.

In her own words, the original track's basis "comes from a place of still wanting to be noticed in a relationship and you're still fighting for their attention. It's also knowing that in reality we are all alone. There's something truly beautiful about being alone, yet so painful and the song/video is meant to express this internal battle and how you might drive your lover crazy with your craziness.”

On this Overjoy remix, we hear a distinct loungey vibe and synth wind-up as a consistent count-off beat moves the track through. Sotomayor croons in light, breathy vocals just above the beat and a muffled, spoken word underlay added by Ovrjoy. This time baby's not the one as That Girl With Dark Eyes searches for love in a strange universe, which is also artistically depicted in the official music video below. - EARMILK

You’ve heard of the expression to cut a rug : meaning to throw shapes on the dance floor but what’s to do when you rip up your fireside rug and drape it over your head and make a pop music video of it? you are quite literally playing a wolf in sheep’s clothing of course! This is part of the video treatment that goes along with That Girl With Dark Eyes, new single “Lonely As A Wolf” which aside from TGWDE wearing a cloak made of shagpile, also features a room full of mannequins and a rather luminescently chic catsuit, all props that help to establish being in a dream state, – with TGWDE explanatory words on it being: “There’s something truly beautiful about being alone, yet so painful and the video is meant to express this internal battle and how you might drive your lover crazy with your craziness.” Being that TGWDE recorded this track in Barcelona and as much as we are drawn to the Catalonian inspired Dali dreamscape of it, “Lonely As A Wolf” packs a lot of new-wave synth action into it, which we also of course are nodding our electro heads rhythmically in agreement of. The use of vintage synths creates an essence of 80’s sound but with a contemporary outlook about it. Think upon it as New Order / The Cars jamming with Robyn, an unlikely event in realtime but in the dreamtime of “Lonely As A Wolf” it’s never say never, infact, I think it happens. - EQ Music

Last year, California native Tiffany Garrett Sotomayor escaped the West Coast and headed to Barcelona. During her time in Spain, she fired up some vintage synths and drum machines and developed an alter ego, That Girl With Dark Eyes. The fruit of her labor, a self-titled EP, is set to drop next month, but the video for the single is already prepared to make its debut. On "Lonely as a Wolf," the "one-woman band" laces saccharine vocal hooks through forceful, rumbling beats, which matches the way she winds through eerie white mannequins in the clip. - Vice (thump music)