VIDEO: Gina Chavez Releases New Single HEAVEN KNOWS

Austin musician Gina Chavez never thought she'd see the day when two women could marry in Texas. Then again, she never thought she would marry a woman.

Lightbeam, set to release this Summer, is a sonic departure for Chavez who is known for her signature style of bilingual Latin folk-pop that topped the iTunes and Amazon Latin charts with her award-winning album, Up.Rooted. The 2015 Austin Musician of the Year traded her acoustic guitar for the smooth tones of a Gibson hollow body, and called upon producer Dwight A. Baker (MISSIO, Alpha Rev, The Wind and The Wave, Josh Abbott Band) to lay down five soulful and diverse songs, that expand upon her previous work with same lively and sophisticated spirit that her fans have grown to love.

Lightbeam boasts intensely personal lyrics -- heaven knows our souls, our story / the shape of your heart when you hold me / wouldn't tear us apart or disown me" -- strong melodic hooks and a pop aesthetic that showcase Chavez's versatility as an artist.

"These are songs my heart has been wanting to sing for so long," Chavez said. "To shout from the rooftops that I am in love! To tell the world about this incredible woman who lights me up and calls me to my best self, and show that our love is more than tolerable. It's the kind of love we're made for."

Recorded in eight days at Matchbox Studios in Austin, Texas, the EP features some of Austin's finest -- Dave Boyle (keys), Conrad Choucroun (drums), and Steve Terebecki (bass) -- on five unapologetically personal tracks that explore longing, faith, beauty, and sacrifice.

Check out the new track below!