Waves of Sound: Experiencing Ona Mafalda

Emma Todbjerg
7 minutes ago
5 min read

As Ona Mafalda steps on stage in the quaint Dalston pub, The Victoria, the warm lights behind her cast an ethereal gleam over the space, occupied solely by Mafalda and her drummer, Alex Moreno. The two are magnetic – not only with each other, but in the way they pull the audience effortlessly into their orbit. The audience seems to become part of their duet. This synergy is evident from the moment she appears.

Having already conquered some of Europe’s major music scenes, including Primavera, she returns to London for a one-of headline show – a homecoming of sorts for the British-born singer-songwriter. Mafalda highlights that one of her inspirations is the places she’s lived including the US, England and Spain. So, it comes as no surprise that she seems entirely at ease in London. The audience feeds off that energy in turn. Her choice to embrace her borderlessness feels like the mark of a true Londoner as her music mirrors the diversity of the city as she switches between English and Spanish in both speech and song. The possibilities within her music seem endless and are enabled by her indefiniteness. Her music is fluid, producing a space that feels upfront and favourably fallible.

Her sound follows the same pattern. Mafalda does not fit neatly into any one box. Her sound catalogue ranges from energetic to sombre, embracing the many facets of the human experience. The emotions that run through her music can be traced back to her artist name: Ona Mafalda. “Ona”, Mallorquín for “wave”, reflects her journey to music and her future intentions. Her artistry is multifaceted and constantly evolving – building and crashing like waves. Her music is dynamic, moving effortlessly between registers, with identity in its various forms serving as the clear through-line.

The most poignant moments of the evening unfold when she slows the tempo and slips into the less ecstatic, but equally powerful, corners of her repertoire. A striking lyrical honesty disarms the audience, as a bubble forms within the pub, encapsulating us all in a space that feels free to safely share. Unity feels like the right word to describe this performance: unity between drummer and singer, art and setting, artists and audience. This is what live music should do – move you, whether that means dancing or hugging your loved ones. It feels undeniably real. That is exactly what Ona Mafalda strives for; her drive is the pursuit of truth. She seeks connection and wants her music to be a collective experience.

After the performance, we had the opportunity to ask Ona some questions about her music journey.

Emma Todbjerg: You briefly mentioned your artist's name in our conversation at The Victoria; could you elaborate on what the name comes from and what it represents for you?

One Mafalda: My real name is Mafalda, but adding “Ona” felt like a natural extension of who I am and who I’m becoming. “Ona” means wave in Mallorquín, and I chose it because a wave is always moving, shifting, transforming and that mirrors how I see myself and my artistic identity. It also roots me deeply in Mallorca, where my mother is from, and where I have spent a lot of time.

How do your personal experiences form your sound?

My sound has always grown out of it. I grew up between London and Mallorca, shifting between cultures, languages, and emotional landscapes. That duality naturally appears in my music. I love writing songs and the small moments, the big shifts, and the things I can’t always articulate out loud. I’ve always processed my emotions through music; it’s how I make sense of everything.

What kind of sound do you aim to achieve?

The sound I aim for sits somewhere in the world of rock-pop. I love that combination of energy and emotion, of rawness and live instruments. It gives me room to be powerful but also vulnerable.

What themes do you think your music encompasses?

They often revolve around identity, empowerment, and transformation. I’m fascinated by those moments when you realise you’re changing or when you finally decide to let yourself change. Love and loss appear frequently, because they naturally shape us, but so do questions of selfhood, especially coming from a background where people sometimes project narratives onto me. Music gives me a space to reclaim my own story.

How do you want your music to leave the audience feeling?

More than anything, I want listeners to walk away from my music feeling understood. Even when a song comes from a painful place, I hope it leaves people feeling lighter, like they’ve released something. The best thing anyone can say to me is, “This made me feel better,” or “This made me feel stronger.” If my songs can be that kind of emotional companion, then I’ve achieved what I set out to do.

How is your creative process as a bilingual?

Being bilingual is a huge gift in my creative process. Sometimes the emotion I’m trying to express sits more naturally in Spanish, and other times it insists on being in English. Every language has its own emotional texture, so switching between them opens up more possibilities for me. I never force the language to arrive with the melody or with the feeling and collaborating with artists who also move between languages or genres keeps pushing me to explore further.

What are the inspirations and impulses that influence your music?

My inspirations come from so many places artists I admire like Florence and the Machine, PJ Harvey, and The Strokes, but also visual art, the people I love, and the places I’ve lived. Ultimately, what drives me is the impulse to tell the truth, even when that truth is uncomfortable.

You mentioned your connection to London on stage. How has London influenced both your sound and your career?

London plays a massive role in my identity. I was born there, and its creative energy shaped me long before I fully realised it. Everything started in London for me. When I mention my connection to the city on stage, it’s because London taught me to be bold, to take risks, and to embrace individuality. It exposed me to so many music scenes: indie, alternative, electronic, pop and that variety naturally influenced my sound. Even though I live mostly in Spain now, London remains an anchor in my life.

What shape do you hope your musical journey takes?

Looking ahead, I hope my journey keeps evolving in ways that surprise even me. I want to continue playing live, touring, and growing, always moving forward, just like the waves my name comes from!

And what are her future goals? To keep moving like the waves. She wants to keep growing. Much like the artist herself, the music takes you on a journey – one that shows no sign of stopping anytime soon, as there are always more transformations and discoveries to be made. She has no intention of giving up this connection with her audience either, explaining that she plans to continue playing live and to keep touring. For Ona Mafalda, London is a pillar for her music and identity, so you can certainly expect to see her back onstage here again.

Follow Ona Mafalda on Instagram and listen to her music on Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.