By José Gandue @Gandour Photos Martín Pisotti
First, a personal observation: I must admit that much of today's pop music has more and more elements that appeal to me.. Let me explain why. There was a time, quite a while ago now, when we labeled any musical expression with the word "Pop," we were almost immediately linking it to something blatantly manufactured, something concocted in the offices of a record label, where the company owners, some marketing genius, and some cultivator of artistic seeds would sit, pull out their catalog, and show the products they had at their disposal for that new venture. We combined the pop concept with a business risk where millions were at stake and, of course, any despicable maneuver necessary to promote the merchandise that had to be sold quickly was acceptable. until it's exhausted and a new one is released to replace it. Of course, there are still many examples of this type of action, and that's why the word "Pop" sounds like a dirty word to many people, causing an emotional rash.
Fortunately, in recent years, in Latin America, Brilliant and independent women have taken over the genre and used it as their space for aggrandizement, reconstruction, and positioning in the music scene. Pop, in these cases, begins its process at home, in personal studios, with intimate instruments where the songs emerge and where they begin to tell their stories, their ideas, their reality. What's interesting is that, as it becomes truly personal, Pop music still expresses its desire to dance, to move the body, to display sensuality, but as personal pleasure, and as a tool for identity and struggle.
I observe all of that in an album as well-constructed as Eleté, from Argentina Lucia Tacchetti. Entirely composed by Tacchetti, except for the fascinating cover he does of Magnetism, of He killed a motorcycle policeman, Eleté It's an album that can be enjoyed individually in the late afternoon or appreciated with a group on the way to a party that stretches into the early hours. Ten well-crafted tracks that we recommend listening to in their entirety. Just a few days after its release, we were able to catch up with Lucia to chat with her and clear up a few questions:
How would you describe your current sound to someone who hasn't heard you before?
I define it as a very fresh sound, super eclectic and with many elements of current music.
How would you describe that evolution of sound, going from something that we could almost call folk to this use of electronic paraphernalia?
I feel it was something natural, from VOL. 3D (Editor's note: his previous album) I found my sound, the place I'd always wanted to go, it just sometimes takes longer to find it. My first acoustic album came about by chance, because I had moved to Buenos Aires and all my instruments were still in my hometown. So I feel like that change was completely organic for me, and I love making electro-pop. I love being with synthesizers, with rhythms. I feel completely myself in that moment; everything about the process resonates with me: the production, the creation, the live performance, everything.
Was there any artist who inspired you to seek that new direction?
I'm always looking for new artists, I love Mura Masa, LCD Soundstyle, Arcade Fire, Ela Minus, Sylvan Esso, Sen Senra, Cupido, and I could go on forever.
I don't know if you'll agree with me, but I see that machines have recently liberated female musicians, what do you think?
I don't attribute it specifically to that; I feel there's a general liberation of women, a voice that's getting stronger every day, and an increasingly solid path for many female artists. But I don't feel it's due to any one particular factor; it's something that's been happening for years and a very deep struggle for equality.
But there are more technological tools to achieve independence these days, aren't there?
Yes, there are more tools available for everyone, but I don't think it's a gender issue. There are more possibilities for creating your own songs at home with just a few resources; that's a fact.
Does working from home offer opportunities to create differently?
I feel that working from home gives you freedom, especially in terms of time. There are no schedules or limits; you can dedicate as many hours as you want. But it's always important to share that work. When you're alone at home, you miss that second ear and the fresh perspective of someone else. I really enjoy composing at home, but there are also times when I need to go to another studio to continue working, to clear my head and create better songs.
What is it about? Eleté, When describing their lyrics?
It has many coexisting universes; it has songs that are like photographs where you can immortalize a specific moment, something you feel in a situation, more sensory songs like, for example Everything is where I left it, Labyrinth. But there are also deeper songs where I give voice to situations that I experience in my daily life, such as They shout loudly, Commandment, Blackout, And there are also some more sensitive and emotional songs, which may be more about love or situations of sadness, nostalgia, like Invisible, 1K Needles. I think it's an album that goes through different moods.
From the promotional image to the sound, your album inspires movement, it makes you want to dance. How are you getting on with dancing these days?
Very well, this is something that has been happening since VOL. 3D I wanted to make music that would generate that movement in the body, I wanted to achieve that in the listeners, and I love that it's still interpreted that way today, because it was something I intended. Listening to music and being able to move your body is a beautiful feeling for me, and I love being able to generate that with my music, no matter how you move, as long as it makes you want to.
What are your plans for the next few months?
Next month we have the album launch at a live event. streaming, It's going to be a very special show for me because I'll be playing the album live for the first time, and at Niceto, which is an incredible venue. So, I'll be working flat out on that for the next few days, creating an audiovisual show that everyone will enjoy. And after that, I hope that live concerts will gradually start to reopen and that we can travel to Mexico and Spain next year, which were our plans for this year.