From lawyer to Latin Grammy winner, Mexican singer and songwriter Paloma Morphy shares what it feels like to be the “new girl in class,” and how her law studies inspired her new single “La Mexicana.”
Paloma Morphy: I studied law and left my job as a criminal defense attorney to give music a chance, which had always been my childhood dream. This was a big step for me, and I felt like the new girl in class, stepping into a world I’d only watched from afar.
Seeing all these artists in real life, after years of seeing them on a screen, was shocking, surreal and exciting. It filled me with mixed emotions, happiness, nervousness, excitement and, of course, a bit of impostor syndrome. I often found myself asking, “What am I doing here?” But deep down, I knew it was a dream come true.
When I learned I was nominated for best new artist, I was initially scared, assuming it would be a competitive atmosphere where people might side-eye me. However, to my surprise, everyone was incredibly supportive. It was a shared, natural experience. We were all in the same boat — nervous, excited and trying to put our best face forward. Many of us were experiencing this for the first time, which created a sense of camaraderie. We didn’t know what to expect from the week, but we supported one another and enjoyed meeting each other. It was genuinely a cool experience, and, honestly, I liked them all.
Recently, I released a song with a message for Mexico titled “La Mexicana.” It came out a few days ago, though I had written it some time back.
Reflecting on my journey, I had studied law and worked as a criminal lawyer before deciding to pursue music. I gave myself two years to see where this dream would take me. While working in prosecutor’s offices, I witnessed firsthand the systemic failure of addressing gender violence, how many complaints never even reached the investigation stage. This experience compelled me to write “La Mexicana,” a song inspired by what I saw and felt during that time.
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