Arriving at his 40 made Natalia Lafourcade meet Songbookthe vein of the message that feeds its new musical project, the character that gives life to its alter ego, and the concept of a tour that will take it around the world for more than a year to interpret its new artistic creation live. A year later, with the launch of her new album on Thursday (April 24), the Laureada Mexican singer -songwriter states that her new work came to reiterate her role in life and the path she wanted to follow.
“I feel that Songbook He came to talk to me about that message as a songbook that I am, but it also made me feel very inspired by the songs in the world, at a time of my life where one is said: ‘I already arrived at 40, and now what follows?’ Spanish Billboard In an interview in Mexico City.
The LP happens to Of all flowershis celebrated 2022 album that accredited him a Grammy and three Latin Grammys award, and marked a creative society with his friend and colleague, the producer, musician, actor and Franco-Mexican director Adam Jodorowsky. A dumbbell that is repeated in Songbookengraved in Mexico completely on analog tape.
David Aguilar, Brothers Gutiérrez, Israel Fernández, Diego Del Morao and Gordon Hamilton, who enrich the work with their nuances and sound textures that go from the bolero, to the Jarocho son and a flirting to tropical and ranche music, also collaborated. In addition, the work of Soundwalk Collective provides a sound design that complements the depth of the album, integrating natural sounds as part of the musical landscape.
-The repertoire of Songbookthe 12th Lafourcade album includes original compositions and a pair of Mexican traditional music reinterpretations with Son Jarocho “El Coconito” and “La Bruja”, which establish a dialogue with the essence of the project. Published by Sony Music, it is made up of 14 tracks, including an acoustic version of “songbook” in which it explores sounds such as the bolero, the son jarocho, tropical and ranchera music, very the style of the iconic Chavela Vargas. Other titles that are part of this production are “clandestine love”, “Crystal mascaritas”, “El Palomo y la Negra”, “Crescent moon”, “Canyon tears” and “Acapulco Cariñito”.
The winner of four Grammys and 18 Latin Grammys – recently highlighted among the 50 best Latin pop artists of all time for Billboard – He admits that her alter ego in this new work pushed her to do things she, like Natalia Lafourcade, would not have done. “This song of songwoman cornered me to the maximum creativity from dance, the exploration of the movement, the exploration of the painting, many things that I like and that perhaps kept them stored in a drawer,” he says. “That shows that it is a new facet, a stage that taught me of the ability I have to transform and not just me, all.”
And without having thought much, he confesses, Mexico, through its traditional rhythms, its letters and their songbooks, permeated again Songbookas happened in his past albums A song for Mexico (2020), A song for Mexico II (2021) y Of all flowers (2022).
“I believe that the album has a lot of Veracruz, much of our way of speaking, of our mischief. And I repeat, without looking for it, without pushing it, all the influences of those who were involved and that Mexicanity were seen,” he explains. “Just as Emiliano Dorantes arrived with the influence of Agustín Lara, the Ranchero Mexico arrived, the tropical Mexico with Toña La Negra, the Mexico that Chavela Vargas embodied. All those flashes, it was something that was manifested in the spell. I liked that a lot because I tell you that we are all here and we transpire that Mexicanity.”
In addition, he points out, the new songs showed fantasy and a surreal touch, “what happens as in a dream.” Without hesitation, he knew that his new album had to have the co -production of Jodorowsky, the critical and sensitive ear that would help him direct his creations.
“Creating with Adam is one of the most beautiful things. In addition to Adam, there were David Aguilar, Emiliano Dorantes, Alfredo Pino, my life of a lifetime, people I love, who I admire, all involved in a study, playing, making music, of the happiest moments of my life creating,” he says. “And Adam, I really like his philosophy, life, his way of operating, his friendship, his way of loving me. I have found a producer in both places: my place of producer and artist.”
The author of “Even the root” points out that with Jodorowsky – son of the famous filmmaker, theatrical director, psychomago, writer and producer of Chilean origin Alejandro Jodorowsky – knows that he can exercise her role as a producer and author without losing the approach. “When we enter the recording studio you are in the leather, everything happens: there is happiness and there is also a lot of confrontation, and there are days that you are having a fatal, that you are very delicate and you need a sensitive being. That is Adam.”
Lafourcade said that before Songbook He became a conceptual album, was designed as a tour with her on the stage to guitar and voice. “That was the first trigger that led us to create an entire album.” In this way, a series of intimate concerts in Mexico, produced by the OCESA promoter to promote the album, began on Wednesday (April 23) in Xalapa, Veracruz, and will arrive on May 2 to the Metropólitan Theater of the capital, and then return in September to the National Auditorium. With stops in several cities in the country, the United States and Latin America, Canchionera Tour is emerging as one of the most ambitious tours of Lafourcade.
With Mexico as one of its greatest inspirations, and after having brought the name of the country to the top with its music, Lafourcade applauded the Governmental Initiative Mexico Sing, announced last April 7 by President Claudia Sheinbaum, to promote songs free from apology to violence. “I agree that it is time to analyze a little and open your eyes, and be aware that music has a lot of strength,” he expresses. “The sung word has a major force, it really affects us, transforms us, for better or worse. It is a transformation of a level that we do not even dimension it. I believe that the constructive look is always a great contribution.”
