In an intriguing twist of fate, 'De todas las flores,' Natalia Lafourcade's ninth studio album, became an unforeseen success. It was the project she had the least faith in yet it has blossomed into a remarkable triumph in her illustrious career. "It's a work that doesn't fit what's trendy," the Mexican singer-songwriter told The Latin Times. "I truly thought nobody, or very few people, were going to listen to it."
Lasting an hour and six minutes, "De todas las flores" opens with a 1.5-minute violin intro, followed by guitar chords leading up to Lafourcade's haunting voice. The album isn't just music. It's also an experience born from deep personal pain, transformed by her art in a beautiful experience for the listener. "It is an album surrounded by death and the pain it causes. Also filled with love," Lafourcade explained.
Natalia Lafourcade's gift from music and to music
During a unique, two-part interview, I had the opportunity to connect with Natalia Lafourcade at a pivotal moment in her artistic journey. The first part was conducted via Zoom, amidst the quietude of a family country house during the peak of the pandemic lockdown. In this serene yet isolating setting, Lafourcade was in a reflective state, seeking to make sense of the global turmoil and the tumultuous events unfolding in her own life. She was starting to work on "De todas las flores back then."
The second part took place almost three years later. We were in a corner of the hectic and crowed red carpet of the first Rolling Stones Awards. She had already seen how "De todas las flores" awed the critics and got her invitations to every award show and to every music festival in the Spanish-speaking world. A couple of hours later, the album would win the award for "Best Album of 2023." She was also recognized as "Legend" for her life's work.
"I am so grateful to everybody who listened to it. All the recognition, the nominations, and the awards still feel surreal, she admitted. "I never thought this album would get noticed this way, if anything. It was a labor of love and pain. To me, it was one of those gifts that music will give you if you stop and listen."
From "Desde la raíz" to "De todas las flores"
Before "De todas las flores," Lafourcade was focused on celebrating Mexican and Latin American music. "I was so inspired by all our sounds, our folk music, that everything else faded," she explained. Her last original album was "Desde la raíz" in 2017. Then came "Musas I" and "Musas II."Un canto por México I and II" came out in 2020 and 2021.
During the pandemic, Lafourcade revisited hundreds of audio notes on her phone. It was a journey back in time, recovering lost pieces of her soul, including compositions lost on a mobile phone in a Chilean forest. Then she found her partners in crime led by Mexican producer Adan Jodorowsky, son of the avant-garde filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky.
The album encapsulates a spectrum of emotions ranging from the heart-wrenching pain of lost love in "Vine solita" to reflections on life and self-love. "De todas las flores," the title track, paints a metaphor of a colorful garden turning to desolation, symbolizing the agony of a fading relationship.
Lafourcade's journey through this album was dark and at times harrowing, a voyage into old wounds and broken dreams. Yet, "it was a necessary path towards healing," she admitted. This introspection is not just personal; it reflects in her music, making the album a holistic experience.
"Caminar bonito," dedicated to her current partner, celebrates the everyday moments in a relationship, while "Llévame viento" draws inspiration from her walks in the Peruvian mountains. The album also explores joy and humor in tracks like "Mi manera de querer" and "Canta a la arena."
"Que te vaya bonito Nicolás," a poignant tribute to her nephew who tragically passed away, closes the album. It's a reflection on the impermanence of life, a theme that bookends the album.
A successful experiment
Lafourcade's approach to recording was equally unconventional. Embracing old-school techniques, the album was recorded on tapes with all musicians in one room, free from sound effects. The result is an eclectic mix of genres, from bossa nova and Mexican folk to jazz and Caribbean flavors. "That is another reason why I doubted it would be more than a niche album. I thought there wasn't a space for it in Latin music," Lafourcade confessed.
She was wrong, of course. In November she won three Latin Grammy awards for this soul-stirring album.
Natalia Lafourcade has taken her album around the Americas, Madrid, and Paris with sold-out shows. Her next stop will be the 2024 Grammy Awards, where "De todas las flores" is nominated for "best album in rock, urban, or alternative Latino."
As she continues to share her soulful melodies, Lafourcade faces the future with a blend of fear and excitement, ready to embark on her next musical journey with humility and grace. Her story, like her music, resonates with authenticity, a beacon for anyone seeking solace and inspiration in the depths of Mexican music.
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