“I Felt Alone, Particularly As a Girl”: Javiera Mena on Being a Trailblazer within the LGBTQ+ Latin Neighborhood
Just lately releasing her newest EP I. Entusiasmo and the brand new music video for its single “Diva,” Latin Grammy-nominated Javiera Mena has continued to impress during the last 15 years as a powerhouse vocalist, producer, and DJ.
A extremely introspective physique of labor, Mena shares a few of her deepest and innermost ideas on I.Entusiasmo. The file seemingly draw its sonic influences from electronica, disco, pop, and Latin music, analyzing the varied emotions typically related to the gamut of euphoria to heartbreak. Highlights embrace “Diva,” “Flashback,” and “Dos,” the latter of which tells the story of a convoluted love triangle.
After unveiling a cinematic, retrofuturistic music video for “Diva” again in Might, Mena has now shared an unique reside video of “Flashback,” which was filmed at her “10 Años Celebration Present” celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Rolling Stone-ranking album Mena.
Over the previous 15 years Mena has solidified herself as a trailblazer as one of many first overtly lesbian ladies in Latin music. She turned heads in 2019, when she turned the primary lesbian Latin lady to ever carry out at Coachella.
Chatting with EDM.com, Mena mentioned her ideas on being an LGBTQIA+ advocate within the Latin group, how she’s celebrating Satisfaction Month, and the discharge of I.Entusiasmo.
EDM.com: How has the time been for you because the begin of the pandemic?
Javiera Mena: It has been a time of evolution. The primary month was loopy and felt a bit like the tip of the world. There was no music in my life and no creativity. After which I began to get used to it a couple of months later and doing music once more. I purchased a microphone and I started recording and producing my album in my house studio.
EDM.com: Are you able to inform us extra concerning the type of music in your new EP, I.Entusiasmo?
Javiera Mena: It is electro-pop, but it surely has one ballad and an excellent ballad with piano and strings. I contemplate it introspective music as a result of my lyrics are usually not your regular pop lyrics. They’re tremendous private. I combine the expansive sound with my private view of the world and of affection.
EDM.com: The place do you draw your influences from?
Javiera Mena: Nature. I’m initially from Chile. We now have a view of the sky each evening as a result of we do not have a lot mild within the cities. We now have a whole lot of area between cities, so you possibly can see the sky. You are feeling the within of the galaxy.
This was my first affect. And I’m influenced by different music too, like electronica and Latin music.
EDM.com: How did it really feel for you when Billboard spotlighted you as certainly one of “Latin America’s LGBTQ activists who outlined that motion”?
Javiera Mena: It was an honor. I used to be with Ricky Martin and another actually superb artists. My lyrics discuss love between two ladies and this was revolutionary on the time in my nation—Chile—so it felt improbable to get that recognition.
EDM.com: That’s undoubtedly inspiring. On that very same notice, since we’re celebrating Satisfaction Month, are you able to inform us what the expertise has been like so that you can be an overtly homosexual feminine music artist within the Latin group?
Javiera Mena: Firstly, 10 years in the past, I felt alone, particularly as a girl. There’s a large homosexual male group in digital music, however not as many ladies. I felt like a pioneer on this space. It was good to be one of many first ones, however arduous to talk out in a society that was hidden.
EDM.com: How are you celebrating Satisfaction Month again house?
Javiera Mena: With my flag (laughs). I at all times have a whole lot of interviews throughout Satisfaction Month, so I really feel a bit like Santa Claus in Christmas. Yearly it is an increasing number of and extra, so it is a good month.
I rejoice it with my associates. This 12 months is totally different. I normally go to the Satisfaction in Madrid, the place I now reside. It is the capital of homosexual pleasure on the planet, together with New York.
EDM.com: In the course of the pandemic, you performed an internet DJ set with Membership Quarantine. How did it first come about and what was that like for you?
Javiera Mena: I used to be superb. I like Membership Quarantine. They invited me out to do a late evening DJ set since they have been based mostly in Los Angeles. I like their initiative. It was tremendous cool and an honor to be there.
EDM.com: You have been not too long ago the primary Spanish-speaking artist to play within the Avaken digital world. What was that have like?
Javiera Mena: There at the moment are a whole lot of younger individuals who hearken to my music. Avaken is a sport that’s performed by 16-year-olds. It is refreshing and nice to have a brand new viewers.
I need to do extra video video games and produce music for video video games. I feel my music went over nicely there. My music movies have at all times been influenced by video video games and Japanese tradition.
EDM.com: Why did you resolve to call your new EP I. Enthusiasmo?
Javiera Mena: “Enthusiasmo” as a result of I like the phrase and that means of enthusiasm. The that means is like ardour and hearth. The songs on the EP all have that feeling.
Javiera Mena and Chico Blanco.
Sharon Lopez
EDM.com: Are you able to inform us extra concerning the creation to your music video “Diva?”
Javiera Mena: We produced the music video in a studio in Madrid with Chico Blanco, an digital producer and singer. I invited him to be in my tune and the video for it. It is a psychedelic expertise with different folks, too. I needed to take the inspiration from digital events, however there have been no events happening in the course of the pandemic. It’s a celebration tune with an excellent digital really feel, virtually like drum & bass and techno.
EDM.com: What are you planning over the subsequent six months and 12 months?
Javiera Mena: With the pandemic I can solely plan like one week of my life at a time. I’ve exhibits in Spain, and I not too long ago carried out in Madrid. Folks have been sporting masks. I’ve a Barcelona present quickly too.
I need to begin to produce music for different musicians. And I’ve one other EP and extra songs I need to launch on this 12 months and in the beginning of subsequent two.
Hearken to I. Entusiasmo beneath.
FOLLOW JAVIERA MENA:
Fb: facebook.com/javieramenaoficial
Twitter: twitter.com/javieramena
Instagram: instagram.com/javieramena
Spotify: spoti.fi/2TfbaXx
YouTube: bit.ly/3h7GEYt