By José Gandue @Gandour Archive photos La Zorra Zapata
It's easy to fall in love with her. Not only because of her obvious beauty, but also because of the smoothness of her voice, which shifts from innocence to subtle provocation in a matter of microseconds, with moving phrases like «"It's incredible how we blindly defended the colors, endless love songs, only to then deny it and look towards another sea.". Her name is Nuria, And anyone might think that, with that name, she looks like the most religious aunt in the house. But when it comes to music, and her other artistic and professional activities (she is a writer, model, painter and illustrator) everyone in Peru and its surroundings knows her as The Fox Zapata. His own thing, if we complicate things with clumsy journalistic definitions, It's a kind of indie folk pop, with an intense use of loops that the music itself controls, immediately captivating listeners seeking new sounds in the ever-changing Latin American music scene. They currently have only one official track on digital platforms, called Incredible, But there are several recordings circulating on YouTube that clearly demonstrate her talent and what she might bring us in the future. We connected with her via WhatsApp, and we couldn't resist asking her a bunch of questions:
What is the music of La Zorra Zapata about?
These are specific moments I've experienced. Things I feel.
How would you explain to someone who hasn't heard your music what those things sound like?
I'm singing what I'm telling my notebook.
Do you always have a notebook with you?
Yes, I have a large archive of notebooks. The lyrics for most of the songs were actually entries in my diaries. Let's just say that's where I get the lyrics from.
And where does the music come from?
I ask myself that question. I try to keep it simple and go with the melody that resonates with me, letting the song come together on its own. Appealing to instinct, to impulse.
What influences do you recognize?
Ugh, Infinitas, but the looping mechanics remind me of Juana Molina. I can find hints of Thom Yorke, of Warpaint, but bass lines similar to Ray Barreto's.
Would you label your music with any genre?
It's like a mournful folk-pop (laughs). I'll label it if they let me invent the label.
Okay, let's talk about the mechanics of the loop. How does it work in your case? When did you decide to use it in your music?
I had knee surgery and had to be immobile for quite a while. I took advantage of the time and bought a loopstation, I got a microphone and started making loops. The cool thing about loops is that they let you create songs with very little. Any sound that gets picked up by the pedalboard becomes a rhythmic pattern, and that was enough to improvise vocally. So I spent two months locked away playing with my pedal. And now it's also very important in my creative process.
I read in your biography that you are a painter, model, writer… Is there any point of connection between all those things and music?
Yes, I am that meeting point (laughs). Everything is crossed and tangled, that knot is me.
What are your live shows like?
My main goal in a live show is to stay focused on the song and the music I'm making. That's what I want to give. Sometimes the audience triggers my judgmental side, and that interrupts me when I'm playing. My live shows are a testament to that (laughs). It's not that I'm not interested in the audience, it's just that my priority is being connected to what I'm doing; everything else falls into place.
You've already officially released a track, Incredible, what's next?
Three or four more songs with audiovisual material are coming, and then the rest of the album. We need to grow as a band, incorporate more drums, and just play, play, play.
