Tucson’s Brian López conquers Europe with indie Rock

TUCSON, Ariz. – Tucson-born indie rock musician Brian López, known for his infectious song, “Like a Virus,” is taking his sound across the Atlantic.

CALÓ News spoke with López ahead of his European tour, where he will open for French indie pop singer Mélanie Pain in 11 cities across France, the United Kingdom and Germany, which he kicked off Jan. 28 in Paris. The tour marks a milestone in a career rooted in the Sonoran Desert and shaped by a lifetime of musical curiosity.

López began playing music at 12 while attending Roskruge Bilingual Magnet Middle School in Tucson. Before he could read a single note of music, he played entirely by ear. After school, he practiced daily with friends, immersing himself in the sounds of ranchera music, cumbia and pop hits rather than sheet music.

Despite not knowing how to read music at the time, López enrolled in an advanced placement music theory class to prepare for college. He passed the course and went on to earn a classical guitar scholarship to the University of Arizona, where he received his first formal musical training.

After graduating, López formed several indie rock bands and continued performing — something he had been doing since his teenage years.

Music was not the dominant force in his household growing up. His father, a former men’s basketball coach at Pima Community College, was deeply rooted in sports, while his mother expressed her creativity as a visual artist. 

“My Tata played guitar and had a great voice,” López said. “He’s really the only person in my family with musical talent. I’ve always been the black sheep.”

While in college, López participated in a study abroad exchange in Europe, an experience that would expand his horizons and inspire his art.

“Part of writing music is experience — having a perspective that’s unique and worth listening to,” López said. “There are a lot of people writing amazing things. But without travel, without experiencing other cultures, meeting people, making mistakes and really living life, it’s hard to grow.”

The opportunity to study abroad during his senior year offered López a fresh perspective and reinforced his commitment to his craft, a commitment that has since brought him full circle, returning to Europe as a touring musician.

Until then, his world had been small. López spent his entire academic life within a one-mile radius.

“By my last year of college, I knew I had to get out of [Tucson],” he said.

Creative waves, work ethic keep him rooted

López spent six months in Barcelona, where he learned to speak Catalan. Later, he got his foot in the door of the music industry through an internship at the Funzalo record label and arts management company, learning the business side of the music industry.

He later directed a publishing catalog of more than 5,000 songs.

“If you’re a writer, it’s beneficial to understand how publishing works,” López said.

The experience opened the door to touring as a sideman with various bands. Eventually, he began performing solo and gradually built an audience — one that he continues to grow today.

“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, and I know I’ll continue to have them. That’s part of the game and a real test of endurance, especially in the arts,” López said.

He said he experienced a falling out with a record label and a publisher, followed by prolonged negotiations involving lawyers, challenges he never anticipated when he set out simply to write and perform music, but ones he has come to accept as part of the industry.

His focus has never wavered.

During the pandemic, he recorded the album TIDAL, available on all major digital streaming platforms. The release adds to his discography, which includes Prelude, Static Noise and Ultra.

More than half of the music López listens to is instrumental or in a foreign language. He gravitates toward sounds beyond English, frequently listening to French, Spanish and Italian music.

When asked what inspires him to write music, López said he is past the point of relying solely on inspiration, “it’s about work ethic.” Discipline, he said, is what keeps him productive. “You ride those creative waves as far as you can, and when you hit a rock, you have to figure out a way to keep going,” he said.

Reaching audiences beyond the Sonoran Desert

The romanization of Southwestern culture and his persistence have allowed his music to reach other continents, he said.

“I think there’s been a lineage of Tucson musicians who have gone to Europe and found more success there,” López said. “Through their trailblazing, there was already a bit of a pathway for me, something I could build on and expand into other avenues.”

López, who tours Europe regularly, said consistency has been key.

“I’ve toured the U.S., and it’s such a vast country,” he said. “I’d love to find more success in the U.S. But in Europe, I’ve put in the work — and it’s working now.”

When discussing the upcoming full Spanish-language album, López shared more about its vision.

“There’s music that your parents listened to, your grandparents — even your great-grandparents,” López said, adding that the goal is to bridge generations. “Artists like Agustín Lara. I’m trying to refresh those songs and make them feel contemporary and modern for a new audience.”

The album, which López is currently putting the finishing touches on, was encouraged by close friend Sergio Mendoza, founder of Orkesta Mendoza, who pushed him to pursue the project.

It will feature López’s interpretations of songs made famous by iconic artists, including José José (El Príncipe de la Canción), Pablo Milanés, Silvio Rodríguez, Linda Ronstadt and Joan Manuel Serrat, among others.

“There’s going to be something for everybody,” López said. “You don’t have to speak Spanish to connect with this album. It’s been challenging and really rewarding. I’m working incredibly hard to make it work.”

When he’s not in the studio recording vocals, López said he now handles the administrative side of his career himself, serving as his own manager. 

To aspiring musicians like he once was, he encouraged showing up each day to make their dreams come true.

“Stick with it,” he said. “For younger folks, it’s especially hard right now. You have to be consistent. Talent isn’t enough — it’s a game of endurance. If you show up every day and keep going, things will happen. I guarantee it.”

Dawn Page (she/her; Latine) is a freelance writer for CALÓ News. She grew up on the U.S.-Mexico border between Douglas, Arizona, and Agua Prieta, Sonora. She recently earned a Master’s in Bilingual Journalism from the University of Arizona. Her reporting focuses on immigration, borderlands issues, lifestyle, business and entertainment.