By José Gandue @Gandour
María Mónica Gutiérrez has one of the most striking voices on the Bogotá music scene. Her tone is particularly high and has a captivating quality that lulls the listener almost immediately upon beginning to sing. It is a very personal vocal performance, almost unrepeatable and inimitable, and, definitely, beautiful in every sense of the word. In local media, her participation in such diverse projects as Meerkat (band of folk and jazz mixtures, with a strong presence in academic environments) and Sagan (Electro-pop, with dance elements, and a strong presence at alternative festivals). Yes, María Mónica has managed to make versatile use of her voice because, even with its unique timbre, it could adapt to different musical expressions. But the time has come for that talent to be at the service of her own words, under the name of Mountaineer.
Although Gutiérrez has been working on it for quite some time, in 2020 he was able to release his first solo album, called Savior. This 8-song album, created with different producers, is a work that encompasses different textures, ranging from trip hop and pop to a touch of calypso. and other electronic construction techniques. Salvadora is an eclectic production, where there is room for experimentation and where, without exceeding the speeds, different atmospheres are felt between each tune, without ever losing the attractive cadence that Gutiérrez imprints to maintain unity in the final result.
For the past few weeks Maria Monica is in London, thanks to a scholarship granted by the British government. From there she has been promoting her publication, and that's why we were able to talk to her about it:
How does Montañera differ from the other projects you have participated in?
Montañera is my solo project. I compose and write everything myself, although I work with several producers. Montañera sounds different from my other projects in that it explores a side of me as a composer and singer that I feel I hadn't explored in any of my other projects.
How would you describe the sound of Montañera?
To me, it sounds like Bogotá, with all the blends that come with a capital city, but also with all the nature that surrounds it, the high-altitude plains and mountains. It also sounds like the era we live in, where everything can be done from a computer, with machines, without losing an honest, introspective, and welcoming sound.
What has your project inherited from the other groups you have participated in?
Suricato and Ságan have been my school. They shaped me as a singer, as a songwriter, as an artist. Denying that past is impossible; it's where I come from, and I love where that experience with my bands has brought me now.
What are your texts about?
They talk about love, about things that I think are important to share with others, such as... Dawn will break, They speak of images of nature, of invented landscapes, of deep feelings.
The album has an eclectic, varied sound, what unifying element do you think it contains, apart from your voice?
Maybe no other element (laughs). I really enjoy creating and exploring paths that sometimes lack cohesion. I think that at a deep, subtle level, it does have a unity that perhaps can't be described solely through sound.
You barely released your album before you went to England, what's the reason for your trip?
I actually got it after I was already here, which was a bit strange. I'm studying for a master's degree in music and development with a scholarship I received from the British government.
It can't be easy promoting your album from a distance, how did you do it?
Yes, it hasn't been easy. Adding to that, we were in quarantine here in London until yesterday, so it's been complicated. I've mainly promoted it through my social media, with the support of the aggregator I'm part of and the publisher where my music is distributed. It also helped a lot that I had already released three singles with music videos when I was still in Colombia. So, with the release of the remaining songs last month, there was already some anticipation for the album.
Do you think that, taking advantage of your stay there, there might be interest in your music in England?
Yes, absolutely. I think the fact that cultural and musical activity is so stagnant here makes it difficult, but hopefully the scene will pick up again soon and there will be options for live concerts, festivals, radio appearances, etc.