| Lila Downs | |
|---|---|
June 2007. Luminato - Masters of World Music |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ana Lila Downs Sánchez |
| Born | September 19, 1968 Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, Mexico |
| Instruments | Voice, guitar |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Website | liladowns.com |
Lila Downs (born September 19, 1968) is a Mexican singer-songwriter. She performs her own compositions as well as tapping into Mexican traditional and popular music. She also incorporates indigenous Mexican influences and has recorded songs in indigenous languages such as Mixtec, Zapotec, Maya, Nahuatl and P'urhépecha.
Her debut album, La Sandunga, was released in 1999 and she achieved international success in 2001 with the album Border.
Lila Downs was born on September 19, 1968 in Tlaxiaco, Mexico, the daughter of Anita Sanchez, a Mixtec cabaret singer and Allen Downs, a British-American professor of art and cinematographer from Minnesota. From an early age Lila showed interest in music; at the age of eight she began singing rancheros and other traditional Mexican songs.[1] She began her musical career singing with mariachis. At fourteen she moved to the United States with her parents. She studied voice in Los Angeles and learned English, which her father helped her to perfect. When she was 16 her father died and after this event she decided to return to her native Tlaxiaco with her mother.
One day while she was working in a store in the Mixtec mountains a man came in to ask her to translate his son's death certificate. She read that he had drowned trying to cross the border into the United States. This so deeply affected her that it continued to influence her work throughout her career. She talked about this in an NPR interview Lila Downs: 'Border'.[2]
Although today Downs is proud of her origins there was a time when she felt shame regarding her Native American roots. "I was embarrassed to have Indian blood. I was embarrassed that my mother spoke her language in public". This lead her on a path to find herself, which included dropping out of college, dying her hair blonde and following the band, The Grateful Dead. After some time Downs found herself back in Oaxaca working at her mother's auto parts store where she met her future husband and musical collaborator, Paul Cohen.[3]
Downs studied Anthropology and Voice at the University of Minnesota and attended the Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca to complete her studies.
At 25 after completing academic and music studies Lila decided return to Tlaxiaco. Paul Cohen always encouraged her to venture in music and joined a group percussion called Yodoyuxi's Cadets Because Paul Cohen had business in the United States she began to live in both Minnesota and Oaxaca.[4]
During her stay in Minnesota Downs formed a group called La Trova Serrana which achieved great popularity among the Latin public of the United States, singing songs on the Zapotec and values culture them upon his return to Mexico started singing in bars, restaurants and clubs in the City of Oaxaca, Philadelphia and California in United States, always with the support of saxophonist U.S. Paul Cohen getting much positive impact on the criticism, why decide to undertake an extensive tour of Mexico.[5]
In 1994 Lila Downs made her first album recorded independently entitled Ofrenda the songs included in this material is a collection of items traditionals by Oaxaca and mexicans. This album also contains songs written by singer from the beginning with lyrics sung in Spanish mixtec and zapotec are languages native of Oaxaca, the material was carried out independently and with the support of the Oaxacan Cultures Institute.[6] Because this album was not only promoted commercial success in LP and cassette, never released a version in CD.
In 1996 Downs recorded at album sound in a live session of a renowned café-bar of the City of Oaxaca, on this record Lila was accompanied by a set of well-known musicians who supported and helped in its interpretation of traditional themes as well as country music and parts of jazz.[7] Lila Downs With this work became known in different parts of the Republic of Mexico and was their first album was released in CD but had a big impact and was directly promoted in presentations, published only a small number of copies so that this material is now discontinued and although not physically part of the official discography of Lila Downs is available at digital format.
In 1997 Lila Downs made her second label material of study prior to his international career, the performance of this material as a model before items to be included in later albums such as La Sandunga, Tree of Life and Border.[8] It made an extensive compilation of items of repertoire traditional but like Mexicanwith its albums previous boom had no commercial or spread massively so this disc is currently out of print.
It was not until 1999 Downs sign with the label Narada Productions have achieved commercial success and made known to internationally with the album La sandunga (recorded at year earlier), this material came to the fore within the mexican music and this drive was one of the first traditional music that merged sounds and modern rhythms as jazz, blues and bolero. Lila Downs "La Sandunga"]</ref> The album is played in Spanish and mixtec and was produced by Lila Downs and Paul Cohen with the support of Xquenda Cultural Association.[9] Because of this work Lila participated in the sound track of the mexican film Green Stones and achieved great popularity in countries such as Mexico United States, Spain, France, England and Germany selling over 500,000 units worldwide.
Downs' next album, The Tree of Life, was released in 2000, with this album Downs' fame continue to spread to other markets and countries such as England, Switzerland, Canada and especially the United States. This work found Downs turning to her indigenous past and the album features pre-Hispanic sounds and instruments. Several of the songs on the album are sung in native Mexican languages such as Mixtec, Zapotec and Nahuatl. In October 2000 she began a two month tour called the Tree of Life/Árbol de la vida which included concerts in Latin America, Europe and the USA. The tour began in Mexico and ended in Spain.
Border, released on EMI music in 2001, was the first album by Downs to feature songs sung in English. The album was released simultaneously in the United States and Mexico. With this album Downs merged sounds from different genres such as traditional folk music, hip hop, rock and chilena. It included fifteen songs, eleven of which are in Spanish, three in English and one in Mayan. The album received generally good reviews and placed seventh in "Top charts" of world music.[10] It also stirred up controversy due to its frank discussion of immigration, Native American marginalization and the Acteal massacre.[11] Downs was criticized by various organizations, especially politicians and the church.[12]
The album's first single was released in Mexico, "Mi corazón me recuerda" a poem by Chiapas poet Jaime Sabines set to music achieved moderate success on the Mexican music charts. In Spain the song "La Llorona" was released and in France the song "Corazoncito Tirano" was released as a single. In the United States the song "Medley: Pastures of Plenty/This Land Is Your Land/Land" was released.[13] The latter incorporates two Woody Guthrie songs, "Pastures of Plenty" and "This Land is Your Land" as well as original lyrics by Downs, "Land".
One Blood one of Lila Downs most successful albums was released in April 2004 simultaneously in United States Spain and Mexico the lyrics on this album are about the migration, the discrimination and the case of Mexican human rights defender Digna Ochoa.[14] In addition to traditional traditional sounds as "La Bamba" "Viborita" comprising sounds as son jarocho, chilena, jazz, rock and folk. This album contains thirteen tracks of which three are in English, one triqui, one Purepecha and eight Spanish letters were authored by Lila Downs, Paul Cohen, Celso Duarte and Jose Marti, Lila Downs with the material obtained in 2005 Grammy Latino in the category of Best album of world music[15] and reached the top of the charts in United States, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany and France.[16]
Lila Downs took approximately one and a half to prepare this project came to light on April 2006. This CD draws on Mexican ranchero songs and runs merging sounds as pop, rock, northern, cumbia and hip-hop. This CD contains fifteen tracks of which twelve are the three traditional Mexican repertoire are authored by Lila Downs and includes a version in English of "La cumbia del mole" song that gave fame to Downs and to date is the letter of the artist.[17]
The most successful theme of this album was "La cumbia del mole", this song refers to the preparation of this mexican dish and tradition by Oaxaca, this simple managed to position itself among the top of the charts in Mexico, United States, Canada and United Kingdom.[18]
Downs in 2007 published a CD with more success in Spanish to date, containing songs from their previous album La Sandunga, Tree of Life, Border/The Line, One Blood and La Cantina It was entitled simply The Very Best of Lila Downs; was accompanied with a DVD containing thirteen tracks recorded live at a concert in Madrid, Spain.[19]
Two years after the release of La Cantina, Lila launched Ojo de Culebra during the month of September 2008 in Europe, North America, Australia and Latin America. The album reached sixth place in sales in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Spain and several Latin American countries. The first single is titled "Ojo de Culebra" that was attended by singer spanish singer La Mari by group of flamenco Chambao. The song is a merger of rock cumbia and flamenco with some influences of reggae.[20] This song was the first places in the charts of world music in several countries[21] The second single was "Perro Negro" a merger of rock with ska that was not so international presence as its predecessor, this song with the participation of Rubén Barragan singer of the mexican rock band Café Tacuba.[22] "Little man" (released in the U.S. alone) and "Justice" would become the next two singles, the latter with the participation of the spanish singer Enrique Bunbury also participated in this album Raul Midon, Gilberto Gutierrez and Mercedes Sosa.
The single "Black magic woman" achieved moderate success in Europe, United States and Canada, later pitched for the British market the single "Silent Thunder" which was well accepted by the public. In October 2009 placed the imprint of Lila Downs on the outskirts of the birthplace in his hometown Tlaxiaco, Mexico, also was awarded the keys the city for its work of media of Mixtec and as one of the greatest personalities who were born there.[23]
"Lila Downs y la Misteriosa en Paris - Live à FIP" is the second live album by Downs, released on April 13, 2010 in Spain and France, the album was recorded in 2009 in Radio Francia estudio 105 in Paris, France. The album was released in May 2010 in the United States and in July in most other countries. It received positive feedback from critics. Lila Downs y la Misterosia en Paris was released in Mexico with an edited version of the live concert on DVD and was number one in sales of Gender World Music for the music chain Mixup for three consecutive weeks.[24] Although receiving little promotion the album has received moderate success on the Mexican charts. In a survey of the best albums of 2010 conducted by the Mexican television network Channel 22, this album was ranked number one.[25]
Downs is currently preparing her ninth studio album, Pecados y Milagros (Sins and Miracles), to be released on October 30, 2011. She will be joined on the album by La Mala Rodriguez, Celso Piña and Toto la Momposina.[26] Downs also announced that she is preparing an international tour, the Sins and Miracles Tour, which is expected to start in Mexico.[27]
Due to the success of One Blood and Border, between 2001 and 2004 was the One Blood Tour with Lila performed 30 international presentations.[28] This tour was presented on three continents in countries having an impact in Europe and Asia as Philippines, Japan, China, Egypt and Afghanistan[29] where Downs caused a sensation because it was the first time I ran these countries taking his music, which was well received by the public. In May 2007, Downs published a DVD collection as a document of that tour in a concert in Oaxaca and Mexico City; this DVD contained thirteen live tracks and a documentary as well as special features like interviews, short films by Allen Downs (Lila’s father) and videos.
In September 2008 started Ojo de Culebra World Tour, that took her to visit different countries on four continents, this being the most successful Mexican, who with his One Blood Tour visited 30 locations.[30] In Latin America, Mexico was the country with the highest number of submissions (21 in total), the tour officially ended on October 30 2009 giving a free concert in the Zocalo of Mexico City,[31] followed by Colombia and Costa Rica, with three each.
Although not part of the tour, Lila Downs appeared in the Live Earth in Germany, where she played three songs, and in late 2008 had a share in the Harmony Festival that is held in the California in United States.[32]
In March 2010 Lila Downs announced a world tour Black Magic Woman Tour which began in Buenos Aires, Argentina with three presentations continue to have a full.[33] This tour was introduced in several countries in America Asia and Europe in several of which broke attendance records. The tour officially ended on November 17, 2010 in Square Dance by Oaxaca City where she had an audience of approximately seven thousand people, that within the framework of book fair in Oaxaca.[34]
Downs has had small parts in such films as Frida,Fados and Hasta el último trago corazón; the latter is a documentary on Mexican music involving various exponents of the genre. Currently, Downs is working on the composition and arrangements for the musical Como agua para chocolate, based on the book by Laura Esquivel, which will premiere at the Public Theater of New York and Broadway in late 2011 or early 2012. She will participate in the filming of the U.S. film "Mariachi Gringo" directed by Tom Gustafson , where she will work alongside Mexican actresses Adriana Barraza, Martha Higareda and canadian actor Shawn Ashmore, the film is expected to be released in early 2012.
In 2001 Downs was invited to participate in the soundtrack of the Mexican film Piedras Verdes where she performed "Cancion mixteca", in 2002 she participated in the soundtrack for the film Frida singing the song Burn It Blue which was nominated in the 75th edition of the Academy Awards in the category of Best original music which was the winner.[35] Downs has also participated in other soundtracks for films such as Real Women Have Curves and Tortilla Soup. In the film by Carlos Saura, Fados (2007), she sings an unforgettable version of Foi na Travessa da Palha in Portuguese.[36]
Since the beginning of her career she has been involved with Paul Cohen who is as a partner and her artistic director. There has been much speculation in the media about the couple's personal life and that the couple could not have children. She talked about some of these aspects of her life in NPR Interviews: Lila Downs Woos Fans with 'Shake Away'[37] and Lila Downs' Cross-Border Musical Influences.[38]
In June 2010, Downs announced on their web site that, after several years of trying to be parents, they had adopted a child, Benito Dxuladi.[39] They currently reside in Coyoacán in Mexico City and Oaxaca although most of the time they spend traveling.
Downs has been a Social Activist throughout her entire career because she works to maintain a cultural identity in the eye of social distress. For example, she sings with passion, and admiration for her home in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her music draws out many socially significant issues, such as the mistreatment and misunderstanding of indigenous peoples of Oaxaca, by celebrating their Mixtec heritage through song.[40] Her albums are socially significant, especially her album, One Blood, or Una Sangre, which includes songs such as La Digificada, which is a song about Dina Ochoa's assassination. She was a social activist, and Lila featured her story on her album One Blood.[41] When asked if she is a politician, Lila expresses that she does not want to be a politician because she is not interested in power, instead she wants to support and change society through music.[42] On Friday, October 9, 2009 Downs, along with actress Salma Hayek represented to Mexico in a broadcast worldwide campaign for the foundation One Drop, to preserve water, where they performed the founder of Cirque du Soleil, Shakira U2 Vice President Al Gore and other world-class personalities.
Throughout her career Downs has received several awards; they include the Latin Grammy, Academy Awards, Lunas del Auditorio, among others. She has recently unveiled her mark on the Walk of Fame located in the outskirts of Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City for her career. Some of her most successful songs include: "Tengo miedo de quererte", "Estrella oscura", "La línea", "La llorona", "La cumbia del mole" y "Ojo de culebra".