In a cozy backstage room at the Bell Centre just before opening for rock icons Evanescence, Mexico’s rising rock trio, The Warning, shared their journey with Montreal Rocks. These three sisters—Dani, Pau, and Ale Villarreal—have carved out a unique path in rock, going from jamming on a video game to playing massive stages. Their story is as genuine as it gets, filled with family bonds, fierce passion, and hard-won experience. With a fan base that grows by the day, this band is creating a movement, redefining what it means to be a rock band in today’s world.
They’re used to playing large venues like the Bell Centre now. “I think the biggest one that we’ve played for was 70,000 people with Muse in Lyon.” The sisters recall how surreal that show felt, standing in front of thousands of fans who may or may not have known their name but would certainly remember it after that night. “It was very surreal. I don’t think I would use the word intimidated, but more than likely impressed, or just, like, overwhelmed with how… yeah, shocked with how much talent and amazing music people can make.”
Long before they’d share a stage with Muse or Evanescence, the band’s musical roots took hold in their home. “It all started when we were very, very young. We all started playing the piano,” they explain. But things took an unexpected turn when their parents bought them a video game, Rock Band. “We always lived in a very musical environment. Our parents are not musicians, but they love music. So we would always hear music around the house.” Family time often meant watching DVDs of concerts—Queen, Elton John, Pink Floyd—and they absorbed the magic of live performance.
The video game, though, is what made them want to pick up real instruments. “Dani and Pau played all the time. I was very young, so I just watched them play,” Ale remembers. “But that’s what mainly inspired us to do what we do today.” Dani took up the guitar, Pau chose the drums, and Ale, the youngest, gravitated to the bass. “It wasn’t until I picked up the bass that we were like, ‘Oh, we can play together.’ So we did a cover of ‘God Gave Rock and Roll to You,’ by Kiss. And after that… we kept on writing music. And yeah, ten years later, we’re here.”
Their path hasn’t been the usual one. Each of them has dedicated nearly their entire life to music, balancing school and shows, albums, and family. “There was one point that we had to kind of balance school with recording an album,” they recall. “But we did finish high school. We were very flexible with school because we were having shows, playing festivals, recording albums, doing interviews, travelling. And it was like, ‘I have a math exam next Monday.’ But we managed to get through it.”
This lifestyle doesn’t leave a lot of room for downtime, something that’s clear as they reflect on the pace of touring. “I feel like not really,” they admit. “It’s more of a mentality. You have to let yourself maybe for an hour, not concentrate on anything that is work-related. You get these little, tiny time lapses, but no, we’re mostly on all the time.”
Despite the relentless schedule, The Warning’s music reflects an energy that’s anything but weary. Their sound is intense, hard-hitting, and refreshingly raw. “People think we listen to that type of music all the time, that we live in that all the time. We don’t,” they clarify. “At least we try not to because it can be very overwhelming.” The sisters find peace in quieter moments, whether it’s lofi music, watching video games, or even ASMR cake videos.
Their high-energy performances contrast with their down-to-earth personalities, surprising fans who expect something different. “People meet us and say, ‘You’re smaller than we thought,’ because we’re short. And they see us as sweet,” they share. “They see the opposite of what they see on stage when they meet us at meet-and-greets and stuff.”
As for pre-show rituals, these rockers don’t have an elaborate routine. “We’ve been doing it for so long that it’s just a really automatic switch that turns on,” they say. Recently, though, they’ve added something new. “For this tour, we’ve been kind of bougie. We brought a trainer with us. We’ve been warming up and pumping it up before the shows, and then we cool down after. I don’t think people think about that, but that’s the best thing that has ever happened to us.” Cooling down, stretching, and meditating post-show has helped them cope with the physical demands of touring. “It’s been a game changer.”
Yet, even with these measures, the road takes a toll. The sisters mention their touring schedule for the year ahead—nonstop. With their parents often joining them on tour, it becomes clear that family ties run deep. “Mom and Dad don’t come on tours just to be Mom and Dad. They have actual jobs within the team.” They note that the question of whether their parents will continue to tour with them is always there. “It’s super valid. You feel tired. Sometimes I’m like, ‘I really don’t want to take that flight and go to that show,’ and I’m like, ‘You don’t have to. You can take that show off.’ But they also, as parents, want to be there for us.” They don’t worry about it, saying that it’ll happen “when it happens.”
The Warning’s latest album, Keep Me Fed, shows a new side to the band, one that’s embraced outside collaboration for the first time. “We let someone else into our creative process. As sisters, it’s our safe space. And inviting someone else who we don’t necessarily know at that moment could be jarring because you have to be very vulnerable and just open to it.” But they’ve found that the creative synergy has led to exciting new music. “Music is about connecting with people. So finding connections with a complete stranger who knows music to write a song—imagine what it can do to someone who listens to it.”
As they gear up for their show, they reflect on their role as a supporting act versus headlining. “There’s something very different about opening shows for people because you are the first thing that people are going to see. You need to bring that energy and get people pumped up for the headliner.” When headlining, “you know people know your songs; they bought tickets for you.” But as an opening act, they say, “It’s our goal as a band to make people like us, to have an impact. We try to make them remember us.”
Looking back on the journey that began with a cover of Metallica on YouTube, they’re well aware of how much has changed. “I hadn’t realized that you were the kids that were on that YouTube video playing Metallica,” Montreal Rocks notes. The sisters laugh, remembering. “That was really long ago—ten years—and we looked very different.” They even made it onto The Ellen Show, which Pau remembers as “very nerve-wracking.” But those early steps set the foundation for the intense, unforgettable band they’ve become today.
For The Warning, music is about more than just personal expression. It’s about inspiring others, especially young women, to follow their dreams. “We’re just doing what we love,” they say. “And if people feel inspired by that to do what they want to love, not necessarily just music, but having the courage to follow their dreams and work for them—then for us, that’s just amazing.”
Watch the full interview below:
Interview & Live Photo – Annette Aghazarian
Filmed by Brenden Friesen
