March 19, 2024 • 52 mins
Natalia Lafourcade is a force. As you’ll hear when she sings during our conversation today she has a gorgeous voice. But she’s also a deft songwriter who’s able to weave together traditions that feel both modern and old at once.
And she’s also a beautiful interpreter of song—take for instance the phenomenon that was the song “Remember Me” from Pixar’s film Coco. Or take the many instances where she’s recorded some of the classic songs from across Latin America—performing on songs by greats like Violetta Parra from Chile and Agustín Lara from Natalia’s home state of Veracruz, Mexico. After spending the last seven years interpreting those masters, Natlia’s released De Todas Las Flores, her first album of originals since 2015.
On today's episode Justin Richmond talks to Natalia Lafourcade about the evolution of her artistry over the last 25 years. She recalls the time a hummingbird inspired her to move past a creative rut, and how the logistical challenges of recording her latest album to tape wound up creating an urgency that ultimately fueled the creative process.
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Natalia Lafourcade songs HERE.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Pushkin. Natalia la Forcade is a force as well here
when she sings during our conversation today. She has a
gorgeous voice, but she's also a deaft songwriter who's able
to weave together traditions that feel both modern and old
at once. And she's also a beautiful interpreter of song. Take,
(00:39):
for instance, the phenomenon that was the song remember Me
from Pixar's film Coco, or take the many instances where
she's recorded some of the classic songs from across Latin America,
performing songs by greats like Violet Tapada from Chile and
Augustine Lata from Natalia's home state of Vera Cruz, Mexico.
After spending the last seven years interpreting those masters, Natalia
(01:02):
has released De TOAs Las Flores, her first album of
originals since twenty fifteen. The songs are very much inspired
by where she's at in life now, but you can
hear her reverence for the classics still in these songs.
When Italia came by leda Snag a Grammy a couple
of months ago for her new album, I made a
point of stopping by her label offices that Sony to
(01:23):
have a chat with her. We discussed evolution of her
artistry over the last twenty five years, the time a
Hummingbird inspired her to move past the creative rut, and
how the logistical challenges of recording her latest album to
tape wound up creating an urgency that ultimately fueled the
creative process. This is broken record liner notes for the
(01:44):
digital Age. I'm Justin Ritchman. In continuation of our month
long celebration of Women's History Month, here's my conversation with
Natalia La Fricade. When did you start playing guitar?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
I started playing when I was fourteen years old, probably
around that, very very little. I was very very little.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Fourteen is actually when I you started playing? Yes, okay?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
And how come I.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Wanted to join a band? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
I didn't want to join a band. I didn't think
about it.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
My mother and I moved in to another apartment that
was my aunt, and in the closet there was this
guitar like with only three strings, and I took it.
I didn't know how to play, but I took it,
and then I started writing songs with three strings. With
(02:41):
strings I to remember, I think it was.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Okay, the three top strings.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, yeah. So I started writing songs that I don't
remember obviously, and then one day I told I said
to my mother, I want to learn guitar. So I
was having somebody helping me with the rest of the strings.
(03:09):
And I had this boyfriend that was playing a lot
of you Doo song. OK, so he was giving me
those three chords of that are in many of the
music and the songs, and that's how I started. Then
I had my first guitar that was jammaha, very very
(03:30):
hard to play it. It was metal strings for me
that was really really hard. And then when I was sixteen,
I went into the school and I said like, okay,
I'm gonna take real classes. So I was trying. Then
I got something you know when you ah yeah, So
(03:51):
I have to operate it. And it took a long
time to go back to the guitar, and I was
just learning myself by myself, you know, with my friends.
I didn't have a teacher really in guitar. It was
my friends telling me chords and ways.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
When you're guitar, did you have songs in your head
that you wanted to sound like or artists that you
wanted to sound like?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Yeah, of course, like I had those references of Brazilian
music most of the time. You know. There was a
friend in school that I remember, that's the first person
I asked. I said, like, I'm trying to learn the
chords of the guitar, but they're doing the whole finger
(04:38):
for me is just too hard. I don't have the
force my fingers are. They don't get used to this.
Do you have any chords? It's a lot of from
the intuition the way I play guitar. But I was
asking this friend, do you have any chords that is
easy to do? And it sounds very fancy, like very
(05:02):
like wow, she knows very well what she's doing. So
I want to I want to write songs, I said,
But I don't want to go just to the those
course that everyone uses, like just the minor on the
major court. No, no, no, I want aha. I want this
to sound like more interesting. So he was saying like,
(05:26):
I'm going to give you some Brazilian course like from
Bosanova and that music, so you can go and play this.
It's going to be simple for you. And then he
was showing me music Alyssis on my Little Regina Kaetanvelo
so Gio Gilberto, those kind of musicians that I fall
(05:52):
in love a lot of Brazilian music. So it became
because of this, in a way, does Bosanova way or
Brazilian way of playing became a very strong way for
me to fine songs and music. He was giving me discords,
(06:17):
you know, so he was saying like, if you play this,
it's really easy and you can go. You can go
from everywhere like in the guitar, and it's gonna be
easy for your fingers. And then he was giving me
like the So that was my first approach to writing songs.
(06:44):
So I was writing like a song which is called Elephants,
Elephants and ketto goos card conao los elephanto sab cato
coming in Sabados. Isn't the laden Now that's possible. So
(07:11):
that was really easy for me to do. But it
sounded like wow. I remember the label saying like, oh,
that song is really beautiful. But for me it was simple,
more simple with my fingers and my strength.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
That was on your first record, right, yeah, yeah, right, yeah.
It did seem like there was a lot of those
Basonova rhythms, like you would hear them every so often
in the first I don't know, like and actually a
lot of your music still.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Still still even the last album going through very I mean,
for me, folk music from Latino America has become a
very important part of my inspiration and the way I
write songs to find my own voice like that, that
has been very important for me. But the Brazilian way,
(08:05):
I don't know why. It keeps going through the songs
in a way that I don't even know why, but
it is there, like their songs in the last album
that have that it's antio and I'm sorry, but but
I have I have those two ways. I don't know,
(08:26):
it's still there.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
That's amazing. Yeah, and you got to work with Gilberto
Jill right yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
But long long ago, you know that was for that
wasna like singing those beautiful songs by Augustina la Farolito.
It's beautiful and also like I was singing, I don't
remember the song that I that I interpreted in the
(08:53):
person when he was Person of the Year at Latin
Grammy long ago, like twenty years ago or something like that.
I was very little.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
You performed the song of Latin Grammy.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was for him, like he was
there for me. It was like dream because I admire
him so much, and then they were asking me to
go there and play for him, so it was really beautiful.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
How did you get to get him on your record?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
And then for Moher Divina, we got in touch with
his team and he was open to do that. He
knew about me. I was impressed by that because obviously
I thought, of course he's not gonna remember, and that's
fine because he's Jilbert to Jill. But there was this
(09:42):
concert in Mexico City and I went there with my
friend Queso, which is also one of the persons that
was teaching me a lot of Brasilian music, and we
went to this concert and then I get to say
hello to Gilbert and he was like, hey, you know,
how are you. I can't believe he remains my name.
(10:03):
He knows my name. And then years after that, he
was willing to do the song with me.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Were you in the studio with them or did you know?
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Really that was ah, that was in the distance. I
hope it was like that. Yeah, yeah, m m man.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
I was hoping you got to be in the studio
with them.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Imagine that. Yeah, And then years later I got to
do the same Person of the Year and sing for
Kaetano Veloso. So that was also for me, like I can.
It was librous and yeah, I was able to sing
to him as well. I think they both are a
dream for me, you know, like to get to to
(10:44):
play together. It might be possible.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Who knows, I would love that it. So Brazilian music
was like kind of the first maybe besides pop music.
It was the first like music that you really dove
into many.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Many different changes and types of music. Really, you know.
I remember the first album that I bought with my
money was the debut album by Bjork and Those Mama's
Gone by Erica Vadu, Jammy Kwuai with Traveling Without Moving,
those kind of albums. That was the music I listened.
(11:23):
And I was young and starting to have my own
taste in music, you know, like when you're like I
am listening to this and my headphones and I like it,
and I don't care if nobody else is liking this music.
I feel connected to do this for some reason because
I didn't understand the words and the lyrics on those songs.
(11:45):
I was just a music connection to those musics. My
parents are musicians and the music I was listening at
home with mainly classical music, sometimes poletros that my mother
liked a lot, many different changes of music, jo Letta Bara,
those kinds of music. So then I started listening to
(12:07):
new things in the school. I remember the first time
I heard Billie Holiday and I was like, wow, this
is totally another thing, like I love this, And then
I went through Elaficierro, Nina Simon. I was listening to
Johnny Mitchell. I remember, like that cassette of Blue that
my friend gave me, and I was like, oh, I
(12:29):
can't believe this. This is really Tori Amos, PG Harvey,
you know Apple. I was getting into those kind of
things by my friends showing me that music because that
wasn't in my background from my childhood or nowhere really
radio Head, I don't know, I was listening to that.
(12:50):
It has been changing. Then I was more curious about like,
wait a minute, I want to hear what's in Mexico,
what's in my country?
Speaker 1 (12:59):
When did that happen? Because it seems at some point
and maybe around Moorhead, that that's when that happened.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Yeah, you know, I was left in that for one
year almost and I was very close to say I'm
not going back to Mexico. And it was the time
I was not having a good moment in terms of
my career, like I didn't know what I really wanted
to do. For a moment, I was like, I don't
(13:27):
want to do this anymore. This is not for me.
What caused that, I think it was that I was
very young. I was eighteen when I released my first album,
and then everything happened fast, and for me, it was
just too much information. And then I decided to have
a band, and that was for me a lot, you know,
(13:50):
because I had so many things that I wanted to
explore in music. But then it seemed that everything was
already taken by everyone around me. You know, it wasn't
my decisions or it wasn't the way I wanted to be.
(14:10):
But I was doing that for so long that I
got very far, you know, from knowing what I wanted
and how I wanted the music to sound. Like for me,
it was like I need to go far, far from home,
and I need to go to a place where nobody
will know my name and I don't know how to
(14:30):
speak that language, and I will need to learn and
I will be free. It will be my time and
no more music. But I ended up because of my
friends in the house full of musicians and they were
playing a lot of blues.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
This is in Canada.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
This is in Canada. So I got to listen to
all the genes in music and to be surrendered by
that vibe, you know, of a lot of musicians around me,
and that was beautiful for me. It helped me to
go back into music. And then I was writing. Yeah, yeah,
(15:10):
but I stopped the music for like three months or
something like that. I wasn't playing anything. There was piano, guitars,
any instrument, drums, anything, and I didn't touch anything. I
was just like trying to recover my soul. I think
it was the thing of the soul and the heart.
(15:30):
And then there was one day I sat on the
piano and I started playing this instrumental album which is
called The Four Seasons of Love that it isn't even
in Spotify. It was just for a period of time there,
I'm gonna put it there. But that was the music
that was coming. Has not lyrics but alwa, it's just music.
(15:53):
So that was yes, I did, but it was the
only album that I own my master But I was
telling the label in Mexico because they, of course imagine
I was solo artists. But then I say like, I
want a band, and they were like, but how a
band like your solo artist? No, no, no, I want
(16:13):
my band. And then I said like, no, I don't
want anything. I'm going to Canada. And then I go
back to Mexico and I'm like, okay, I'm going to
release an album, but there's no voice in the album.
So the label is like, what what do you expect
us to do with an album that doesn't have your voice?
So I was like, I don't know, but I'm going
to release those music. So for them it was like, okay,
(16:34):
you do it and it's yours. You can do whatever
you want with that music. And then I was doing
my album back with my songs, so that was really
good for me to go back to the songwriting. But
at that moment, I realized that there was something missing
to connect to people. I was connecting in a way,
(16:57):
but not the way I wanted to connect. You know,
I want to tell you I just wanted to have
something more how would you say it? To very simple
language through music that connects to people's feelings and.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Make it release plain and simple note not complicated, because
you have some lyrics that I mean, you know, almost
like I want to compare to like it's all right
mom only bleeding Bob Dylan, where it's like, you know,
it's fast and like the words are quick. Yeah, a
lot of.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Verses yeah ahah, that's right, and.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
A lot of references sometimes to pop culture.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Yeah. And I really wanted to make it pretty but
simple quotio like just everyday language but poetry and something beautiful.
But I felt like I need to learn I need
to learn more about songwriting. So I was still louder.
(17:57):
For me, it was like, Okay, this guy really has
amazing music. It sounded so like Mexico, so like Vera Gruz.
I don't know, I just fell in love so much
with his music.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Had you really listened to it before? I bet you
heard it, but.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Yes, because it's very famous songs from Augustine Lada, but
not consciously about it, you know, like not really paying
attention to the chords to music the way he moved
through the music.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
You know.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
And I was trying to learn that on my guitar
and I was like, wow, this is really a hard thing,
Like it wasn't easy, you know, for me, but I
learned a lot from his music, and then I was like, okay,
I got to listen to Tonya la negra, you know,
singing better, a tropical singing asul, those songs that for
(18:53):
me sounded like listening to Eta James or like those
beautiful music and standards that I heard in English before.
But it was Spanish, and it was boletos and it
was tango, and there was many dangers there that I
would live. I can do this in Spanish. And then
(19:14):
I just started like searching for more composers, great music
and Spanish.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Could you do a little bit of your version of
Vera Cruz Acristinados. I think it's credited to his sister, but.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
You know, I see Colologne platu, you see pirata Nacio rumba,
Vera's in vera Cruz, something like that, Vera Cruz ring
(20:01):
consito dias and suniola soulas the it's a little loud
Vera Cruz spellasi to the bartria kesavi so fri conta
(20:23):
vera Cruz so to s notches Elu you're the straight Yes,
PALMERI mo vera Cruz. Mm hmm, all Wanda tattoos, players
(20:47):
like Hanna Standrekable something like that. It's beautiful, it's very passionate.
That to you a s colon Plata. So it's more like,
but I don't know, it's it's so the way we
(21:10):
are in Mexico.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
So ah like that, right, especially maybe even more so
in Vera Cruz right now.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, And I don't know, Like I
really felt like I want to learn to do this.
I want to learn to sing this music and and
write this way in my way, in my universe and
my approach, my own approach. I got really inspired by
(21:38):
that music. And then I was able to listen to
other composers that really affect me in a way, Like
I was able to go back to Bile, go back
to Simon DIA's like this, great composers from Venezuela. It
helped me a lot to find my own way.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
We have to take a quick break and then we'll
be back with more from a conversation with Natalia la Fricade.
We're back with Nata Alla. Could I ask you also
because Fioletta part is one of my favorite and one
of my favorite songs from her. You did a version
of always been one of my favorites is Kado.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Let's see if you can remember the most beautiful lyrics.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
H Okay, that's somethime case coll okayllos those made almost
who to your your cause, cola, no many of your
(22:56):
dumbellows in the mood or something like that, call a
comb Colando your came your to and estimoon your your
Oh you case your yr Yo, plan amuson and bot
(23:33):
your your your world? Look up plan your yard, your
rodos are you or a Telenoto cas.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Your your.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Something like that. I don't remember the lyrics instead of
gonna and chile.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Everyone listening, I feel I should look up the lyrics
that it's the most beautiful song maybe ever know, one
of the greatest.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
She has so many, but yeah, for me, I don't know.
It was really beautiful to have this approach to those
musics and not so easy, not so easy to sing.
But I'm still learning.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
So going back and listening to that music and learning
to play it and learning to sing it, it seems like
that also it changed your songwriting.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Maybe yeah, of course I realized that when I listened
to the last album that I made, and it's probably
the most personal album that I have, and I think
in every song there is very clear the influences that
I have been able to explore through the years. There
(24:58):
is this incredible composer from Venezuela. I love his music
as his name is Simondas. Maybe you know him. When
I heard him the first time, I would like, this
is incredible music, so magic and the metaphors through the lyrics,
and he uses a lot nature as an inspiration and
(25:21):
for me, I felt so connected because the place I live,
which is better Cruise, I love it so much because
of the weather and the nature around the earth. So
I was learning the very very first song that I
learned by him, This is your video commadres Yes Samoa
(25:47):
two kaso me video alone only combationdreos Yes commos as
us Commo Samoa to Korazon conning meo too koa zoono
(26:08):
so so beautiful. Yeah, and I can see how music
has impact. Then maybe a song like Parto, which is
the song from my favorite you like Pararido You know
things me om Cagas, Beertos, Bara surfle Is, Condo sce
(26:37):
and skin Finitor Moon Siri Salas. Then through the to
Beru Pardos Elelientola Gabola. It's in the SETI casin Sindelf
(26:59):
and two movie Me and to Be the Universo and
two certain told Serbian gianno Sarbian?
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Do you.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Baraself? Philly? So it reminds me to those musics.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
How did you start that song humming Bird in English?
Speaker 2 (27:38):
The Huming Bird? I was in this beautiful place that
my friend Gail has in Bera Gruz was her mother's
farm and Rossillo. I actually have a song that I
wrote for Rossio, the Tolos campus. And this friend, she's
(27:58):
not physically anymore here, but she's part of my life
and she's a very important person for what I do.
Like she was in credible artist, and in this place,
I was recovering myself for something. I don't know what
that was. I think we all have moments when you
(28:21):
just feel like your heart is broken for things that
happen in life. But then everything goes so fast and
you don't get to really like connect to when you
feel there's pain that you need to see and pay
attention to, you know. So I was recovering myself from that,
(28:42):
and I decided to go there for a month. I
went there with my friend Alan, and we were trying
to see if there was music coming or not. That
was for another project that I was working on. But
he said like, don't worry, I'll be around. You don't
feel any pressure, Like I'll be around and you feel
(29:02):
like you want to come and record, will do it.
If not, don't worry. And then I was in the
room one day and I remember that I was inside
the room for many days, not being able to do much,
just sleep or read or just be there. And I
remember there was this coming bird coming every day like
(29:23):
doing thus and the window, and I was like, how
come a homing bird could come to a window go
to a tree, like, don't come to the window or
the door, like there's nothing here. But symbolically, I felt
like this bird was calling to me and it made
me feel like it was the spirit of Rossillo saying
(29:47):
like come on, go outside, go for a walk, or
come on, there's life out there, like you're in the bed,
please like come out. So there was a day I
was just like, Okay, I think I'm gonna go for
a walk, and then I started like having mourning walks
into the forest and then I just this melody came
(30:08):
to my mind, like I was singing this, and then
I went to the room and I only had a harana,
which is this instrument for so and I was playing
on that instrument the melody and it came like that.
(30:29):
But I didn't pay so much attention to this song,
you know, maybe because the way I was feeling for
me was just a basic lyric, everything is gonna be fine, Humimbert.
I had that Homemembert in my mind and my heart,
so I didn't pay so much attention to the song
(30:49):
until I was working with the producer of the album
and I show him this song and he said like,
do you like this one? And I was like not
really so much as normal, I said like, we need
to record that song in the album. So that's why
I love producers because they help. So that's how it came.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
And the producer on your newest record, the last Florist,
is Adan Horoski. That's right, his son.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
How did you become friends with him?
Speaker 2 (31:21):
When I was working the tribute to Augustine Larra years ago,
I was asking Nadan to come and sing one of
the songs on the album, and then we became friends,
very close, very close to each other. We love each
other a lot, and then for many years we were
saying like, let's collaborate, let's do something together. And twenty
(31:45):
twenty I realized I really needed to go into the
studio and record my music. And I was asking him
would you be okay to be the producer?
Speaker 1 (31:55):
And he was like, of course, what made you think
he was the one for this record?
Speaker 2 (31:58):
You know? It was just a feeling in my belly.
I don't know. Sometimes I moved from my belly feelings.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
From your belly to your mouth.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Yeah, So I just felt that because actually my managers
were saying like why Adan, and I was like, I mean,
he's my friend. I had other albums that we were
working on, Canto Mexico, Mussas. Those were albums that made
me connect a lot with traditional music from Mexico and
(32:30):
Latin America. There were many people around those and it
was good and I really enjoyed the process of those records.
But I felt like I just went to stay with
my friend and hang out with him and used to
be silenced in the studio. Nobody else. I asked everyone
(32:51):
not to come like the label, my husband, my managers,
I was with Rossio only the two of us and
the band with the producer Adan and also the beautiful
band that I that I had this brand.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
It's incredible Mark Rebow with everyone including Tom Waite, and
just incredible.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
We love him, yeah or huge fans, right, amazing, especially
if we play guitar.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
Yeah, especially we play I mean guitarist.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Just he's He's crazy.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
What was it like meeting him and playing with him?
Speaker 2 (33:24):
It was amazing. I mean I just want my life
to be like that all the time.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Like you guys look in Texas too, write like some
where were you.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
In Sonic Ranch which is in the middle of the
desert and Ranch of the Nest. It's beautiful there and
Tony Ranch has this amazing studio, many studios, sir. And
then the producer was listening to the songs. It was
(33:53):
one year and also because of the pandemic, we were
taking it very slow, no pressure, and I was sending
the music and the one day he was like, I
think Mark, we would come and record on your album.
And I was like, that's really far from us, Like
how how are we going to make this true? But
(34:16):
Adan is really magic. He's like, let's call him. Let's
just give a call.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
I can only imagine what a dance like based on
his dad's films, you know, like I can only imagine
that lineage.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Yeah, yeah, people, I know you know when I was
I was mixing the album in parties with Adan. Then
he invited me to Alejandro's house to just have a coffee.
And I didn't want to ask for anything else but that,
you know, like it was your normal Sunday, just let's
have a coffee and cookies and talk. But then he
(34:50):
was telling me like I'm going to read you tat
to you and like okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
So it was so he's got to be out of control.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Right, yes, and the best way they they are the best.
It's really inspiring to be close to them. And there
was the reason I also wanted to work with that,
you know. I wanted to be close to him and
his magic and mystic I wanted.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
To have that.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
And then we have beautiful people in the band, like Mark,
not just Mark Ribbot, I mean Cyril on the drums,
Sebastian on the base.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
From your it was like your dad's piano student or
harpsichord student.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Yeah, not really like that close. They became friends. Really.
The funniest thing is that. Emiliano Dorantez is my neighbor. Right,
he lives very close from where I live, but I
mean in the middle of nowhere. And then during the pandemic,
there was a moment we oh everywhere right, like place
(35:58):
I want to see another human being. And we were
doing this Wednesday of the week movies in the forest
in the jungle, you know, in the Yeah, so we
put like a blanket or something like that, and we
were doing the movie theater there and then Emiliana was
coming and we became friends because of that because we
(36:20):
were chatting. And then I was like, hey, would you
come to the house and give me some piano lessons
maybe because I am free, I have time, And then
he was coming, and then one day I was showing
him some of the songs that I was writing, and
then he was trying to play those and on the
piano he plays so beautiful, incredible, He's genius and he's
(36:43):
just sensitive. Yeah, it's really amazing and yeah, so he
ended up recording the music and on the album. And
I remember Mark Rieb was the first day they had
like this moment of musicians, you know, like make was
saying like, oh, you're playing those classical, beautiful piece and that,
(37:06):
and then Emiliana was saying like, no, I'm just writing
this at the moment, I'm just playing this. I am improvising.
And Mark was like everyone were like, wow, this kid
has something special. And then he's like, give me a
note and I'm going to play a card and then
you give me another note. And they were just giving
(37:28):
crazy notes that will crash between each other so to
make it really difficult for him. But then he was
doing like a whole area or something like that, like
peace out of that. He was playing ten minutes non
stop from what the notes that they were giving to him.
So then Mark Rivet and Sebastian they were just like, Okay,
(37:51):
we're ready to go. Like there's not gonna be any
problems with this kid because he's like twenty right or
something one right now. I think, Yeah, there's a lot
of like those magic moments in the process of the album,
which I love. I think it's important to have that
kind of connections.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
It's beautiful that you cut it to tape too and
not digital.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Yeah, and also Adan came with that idea. I always
wanted to record that way. Then I found out that
for producers or engineers. Sometimes it was like, Okay, this
is going to be more difficult, and then I just
didn't dream about it anymore. But with that Dan were like, yes,
(38:36):
let's do it, let's try.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
Yeah, and no metronomes too, write like no click, no metronome.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
No metronomo, no click, no bait. But the hardbat It
was the first time I was doing it this way.
It was beautiful because Adan didn't want us to rehearsal
that much the music. Actually, he asked me not to
prepare any demo, which I didn't. I did like three
(39:02):
four demos of the songs. I wanted to have the
brass section because I just went to see it would
work or not. But the other songs, he was playing
that music from the message on my phone, which was
right the moment what I wrote the song, and then
from that we were saying like, okay, this could be
(39:25):
an intro, so you, Emiliana, can improvise something here that
would be like close to this, And then hear you
mark you're going to start here, and then.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
We were.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Ill say, like making the construction of the arrangement at
the moment while listening only my boys and the guitar,
trying to grab the feelings, you know. So there were
moments when we were really connecting, and there were moments
that were more like a mess, like no, this is
not the right way, no, no, no, please take that
(40:00):
distortion out of the guitar, we're saying to Margaret. But
they were like, wow, I like this. But then Alaan
was like, no, no, this is not the song for this.
And then you were like, okay, I'm gonna change. I mean,
he has so many instruments around and I don't know.
We were just trying things and playing. I love to
(40:22):
do that, and yeah, the songs and the music started
to come to show its own spirit and we were like, okay,
this was really beautiful, Like let's leave it like this.
And the good thing was that Emiliano has a really
good memory. He was the only one maybe that really
(40:43):
know the chords and the harmonies of the song. So
he was ready to be there for the other ones
saying like no, it's not this cord, it's just one,
or let's go from this place to this place. But
he was the guy in the room that had all
that information because we were already playing the music in Bacruz.
Speaker 1 (41:05):
So he was more like a bit more. Yeah, all
those elements I think add up the record is so
it sounds like so free and beautiful, and it just
goes so many different directions. There's just some beautiful arrangements
and beautiful songs.
Speaker 2 (41:20):
Thank you, Thank you, really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Yeah, we have to pause for one last quick break
and then we'll be back with more from Natalia la Forcade.
We're back with the rest of my conversation with Natalia
la Forcade. There's not a lot of artists that if
you listen to the first record through the most recent
(41:44):
record and been doing it twenty four years about they
all get better, you know, and to where like this
one's like the best one. That's just an incredible feat.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
Yeah. I think it's really hard to reinvent. I don't
know if that's what exists in English, to explore what
is new for your universe some musician, songwriter or artists human.
I mean, it's a lot of search and for me,
(42:17):
this album is a master Like it has taught me
so many important things that I want to keep close,
you know, even ten years in the future, twenty years,
Like I don't want to forget the things that I've
learned through this process because I think it's very important
(42:38):
to keep trying to do this work. You know, like
this album made me sit down even on the stage,
Like I felt like this album was saying, I don't
want you to move during the concert. I just want
you to play and sing and you will sit down
andrics No, just bring it all from that point and
(43:03):
be very calm and everything. I was actually thinking about
this interview right now. I think like this could have
happened like one youg or two when I was releasing
the album, right, but things like this moment has happened,
Like this album has given to me beautiful moments. But
it's like in the time of this album, not the
(43:26):
time that I want your time, Yeah, not my time.
And I found that beautiful because I've learned that not
always you might have the control of what you're doing
and the music and the way it flows.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
I'm so glad, thank you so much for the for
the album. It's beautiful, all the music. And I'm glad
also it's been recognized. I mean, you're here because you're
for a Grammy Award. Yeah, it's beautiful that it's getting
the credit it deserves.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
Yeah. Yeah, I feel happy. I feel happy for that,
you know. I mean, you're not thinking about this recognition
while you're doing the thing, you know. But it was
hard moments when we took the machine to better a
cruise that was crazy, you know. We took the machine
to my studio once and then I got COVID. They
(44:16):
had to take it back to Mexico City and then
bring it back again to my studio. Yeah, tap machine machine. Yeah,
they were taking the machine to my house and everyone
were there, the cordo strings, everyone, but the machine wasn't good.
(44:38):
It was damaged for a reason. And then it was
two days of like, let's find those little piece that
we needed to fix it. And I don't know, like
there were funny moments like that, and the recording process
of the album, it's very unknown secum cities in English
(45:01):
handmade when you try to record like that. I mean,
I am not like the Beatles. They had so much
money they could buy seventy tapes or even more to
record an album, but for us it was just like
fifteen or maybe less, just twenty minutes for every track,
twenty four tracks?
Speaker 1 (45:22):
Would you record like this again?
Speaker 2 (45:23):
Of course that's the way I want to record the most. Yeah,
I mean it's okay. It depends on the project, I think,
but I really loved it.
Speaker 1 (45:35):
Are you writing always?
Speaker 2 (45:38):
Not always? Recently I've been writing. Last week I was
doing some music for a TV show that somebody asked,
and I was writing a song that is called cancer.
But not always, you know, for I am not very
disciplined as a writer.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
Do you find myself say? I mean, I like you
take your time? No, you know.
Speaker 2 (46:07):
There's moments, yeah, months and I do nothing, and then
there's one day and I got inspired. I think this
moment in my life, I feel very inspired. But that
doesn't happen always for me.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
I hope we get more music than soon.
Speaker 2 (46:26):
Oh yeah, me too, me too, me too. I ask
for that. I asked the music it's too good.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
Could you play one more song?
Speaker 2 (46:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (46:34):
Yeah, maybe?
Speaker 2 (46:36):
Uh ah, okay, pause and lusias phusy open sound paso
melo brand stand up, so canstrom no off sent barasernos
(47:13):
ris basar la vida is silu bensanzuke daniamostovo, Parasernos, dantovin
(47:34):
kela this, Daciano, the Street Kills, Basi construi Le lucio,
the e man comgupara traspinal the sta mundo dam basil
(48:05):
me on the agla Allen God talk Allen contain treloso
telosup plico no lolvives fo Pazlosias is sigop and Sandu
(48:43):
and thing baslasonas nomlges Brandistan of Suru, Machina nustromo no
(49:03):
sufficient the parasernus tgri Santasalavia is sigupen santo ke Dan
almost all the parasstantovin gelais dance Yeah, no podriya the
(49:30):
street a girl sparso comes true even lush so locate cat.
You're soo look over a sa and you see who
Neiverso Loco Mirarte, Kriser yellows Dancia Marte so lo keero
(49:58):
get You're so Luke Obrasteste Universo Loco Mirarte crasser je
laddistance your man so lokro GeTe you're aso Loker obrasad
(50:21):
and stiverso local Mirrarte crass Jeerladistancia Marty so look ok.
You're also look obra side and stay woo versal Loco
Mirart crac jealis dancer am ahama and ladis Stancia.
Speaker 3 (50:57):
Amte I play it in a different tone. It's not.
Speaker 1 (51:10):
It was gorgeous.
Speaker 3 (51:11):
It was gorgeous.
Speaker 1 (51:12):
It was gorgeous, beautiful where it goes.
Speaker 2 (51:17):
Thank you so much, appreciate taking the time, Thank you,
thank you so much. It's my pleasure. Thank you for
having me.
Speaker 1 (51:23):
Of course, hope we do it again, maybe in Mexico.
Speaker 2 (51:25):
Yes, please, Imberra Gruz.
Speaker 1 (51:30):
Thanks to Natalia la Fricade for playing and singing for us.
You can hear her latest album They Told Us Us
Floored Us and all of our favorite songs from Natalia,
along with some of these songs mentioned in this conversation
on a playlist at broken Record podcast dot com. Subscribe
to our YouTube channel at YouTube dot com slash broken
Record Podcast, where you can find all of our new episodes.
(51:53):
You can follow us on Twitter at broken Record. Broken
Record is produced and edited by Leah Rose, with marketing
help from Eric Sandler and Jordan McMillan. Our engineer is
Ben Tolliney. Broken Record is a production of Pushkin Industries.
If you love this show and others from Pushkin, consider
subscribing to Pushkin Plus. Pushkin Plus is a podcast subscription
(52:14):
that offers bonus content and adflete listening for four ninety
nine a month. Look for Pushkin Plus on Apple podcast subscriptions,
and if you like this show, please remember to share, rate,
and review us on your podcast app Our theme music's
by Kenny Beats. I'm justin Richmond.
Pushkin. Natalia la Forcade is a force as well here
when she sings during our conversation today. She has a
gorgeous voice, but she's also a deaft songwriter who's able
to weave together traditions that feel both modern and old
at once. And she's also a beautiful interpreter of song. Take,
(00:39):
for instance, the phenomenon that was the song remember Me
from Pixar's film Coco, or take the many instances where
she's recorded some of the classic songs from across Latin America,
performing songs by greats like Violet Tapada from Chile and
Augustine Lata from Natalia's home state of Vera Cruz, Mexico.
After spending the last seven years interpreting those masters, Natalia
(01:02):
has released De TOAs Las Flores, her first album of
originals since twenty fifteen. The songs are very much inspired
by where she's at in life now, but you can
hear her reverence for the classics still in these songs.
When Italia came by leda Snag a Grammy a couple
of months ago for her new album, I made a
point of stopping by her label offices that Sony to
(01:23):
have a chat with her. We discussed evolution of her
artistry over the last twenty five years, the time a
Hummingbird inspired her to move past the creative rut, and
how the logistical challenges of recording her latest album to
tape wound up creating an urgency that ultimately fueled the
creative process. This is broken record liner notes for the
(01:44):
digital Age. I'm Justin Ritchman. In continuation of our month
long celebration of Women's History Month, here's my conversation with
Natalia La Fricade. When did you start playing guitar?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
I started playing when I was fourteen years old, probably
around that, very very little. I was very very little.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Fourteen is actually when I you started playing? Yes, okay?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
And how come I.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Wanted to join a band? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
I didn't want to join a band. I didn't think
about it.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
My mother and I moved in to another apartment that
was my aunt, and in the closet there was this
guitar like with only three strings, and I took it.
I didn't know how to play, but I took it,
and then I started writing songs with three strings. With
(02:41):
strings I to remember, I think it was.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Okay, the three top strings.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, yeah. So I started writing songs that I don't
remember obviously, and then one day I told I said
to my mother, I want to learn guitar. So I
was having somebody helping me with the rest of the strings.
(03:09):
And I had this boyfriend that was playing a lot
of you Doo song. OK, so he was giving me
those three chords of that are in many of the
music and the songs, and that's how I started. Then
I had my first guitar that was jammaha, very very
(03:30):
hard to play it. It was metal strings for me
that was really really hard. And then when I was sixteen,
I went into the school and I said like, okay,
I'm gonna take real classes. So I was trying. Then
I got something you know when you ah yeah, So
(03:51):
I have to operate it. And it took a long
time to go back to the guitar, and I was
just learning myself by myself, you know, with my friends.
I didn't have a teacher really in guitar. It was
my friends telling me chords and ways.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
When you're guitar, did you have songs in your head
that you wanted to sound like or artists that you
wanted to sound like?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Yeah, of course, like I had those references of Brazilian
music most of the time. You know. There was a
friend in school that I remember, that's the first person
I asked. I said, like, I'm trying to learn the
chords of the guitar, but they're doing the whole finger
(04:38):
for me is just too hard. I don't have the
force my fingers are. They don't get used to this.
Do you have any chords? It's a lot of from
the intuition the way I play guitar. But I was
asking this friend, do you have any chords that is
easy to do? And it sounds very fancy, like very
(05:02):
like wow, she knows very well what she's doing. So
I want to I want to write songs, I said,
But I don't want to go just to the those
course that everyone uses, like just the minor on the
major court. No, no, no, I want aha. I want this
to sound like more interesting. So he was saying like,
(05:26):
I'm going to give you some Brazilian course like from
Bosanova and that music, so you can go and play this.
It's going to be simple for you. And then he
was showing me music Alyssis on my Little Regina Kaetanvelo
so Gio Gilberto, those kind of musicians that I fall
(05:52):
in love a lot of Brazilian music. So it became
because of this, in a way, does Bosanova way or
Brazilian way of playing became a very strong way for
me to fine songs and music. He was giving me discords,
(06:17):
you know, so he was saying like, if you play this,
it's really easy and you can go. You can go
from everywhere like in the guitar, and it's gonna be
easy for your fingers. And then he was giving me
like the So that was my first approach to writing songs.
(06:44):
So I was writing like a song which is called Elephants,
Elephants and ketto goos card conao los elephanto sab cato
coming in Sabados. Isn't the laden Now that's possible. So
(07:11):
that was really easy for me to do. But it
sounded like wow. I remember the label saying like, oh,
that song is really beautiful. But for me it was simple,
more simple with my fingers and my strength.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
That was on your first record, right, yeah, yeah, right, yeah.
It did seem like there was a lot of those
Basonova rhythms, like you would hear them every so often
in the first I don't know, like and actually a
lot of your music still.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Still still even the last album going through very I mean,
for me, folk music from Latino America has become a
very important part of my inspiration and the way I
write songs to find my own voice like that, that
has been very important for me. But the Brazilian way,
(08:05):
I don't know why. It keeps going through the songs
in a way that I don't even know why, but
it is there, like their songs in the last album
that have that it's antio and I'm sorry, but but
I have I have those two ways. I don't know,
(08:26):
it's still there.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
That's amazing. Yeah, and you got to work with Gilberto
Jill right yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
But long long ago, you know that was for that
wasna like singing those beautiful songs by Augustina la Farolito.
It's beautiful and also like I was singing, I don't
remember the song that I that I interpreted in the
(08:53):
person when he was Person of the Year at Latin
Grammy long ago, like twenty years ago or something like that.
I was very little.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
You performed the song of Latin Grammy.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was for him, like he was
there for me. It was like dream because I admire
him so much, and then they were asking me to
go there and play for him, so it was really beautiful.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
How did you get to get him on your record?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
And then for Moher Divina, we got in touch with
his team and he was open to do that. He
knew about me. I was impressed by that because obviously
I thought, of course he's not gonna remember, and that's
fine because he's Jilbert to Jill. But there was this
(09:42):
concert in Mexico City and I went there with my
friend Queso, which is also one of the persons that
was teaching me a lot of Brasilian music, and we
went to this concert and then I get to say
hello to Gilbert and he was like, hey, you know,
how are you. I can't believe he remains my name.
(10:03):
He knows my name. And then years after that, he
was willing to do the song with me.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Were you in the studio with them or did you know?
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Really that was ah, that was in the distance. I
hope it was like that. Yeah, yeah, m m man.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
I was hoping you got to be in the studio
with them.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Imagine that. Yeah, And then years later I got to
do the same Person of the Year and sing for
Kaetano Veloso. So that was also for me, like I can.
It was librous and yeah, I was able to sing
to him as well. I think they both are a
dream for me, you know, like to get to to
(10:44):
play together. It might be possible.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Who knows, I would love that it. So Brazilian music
was like kind of the first maybe besides pop music.
It was the first like music that you really dove
into many.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Many different changes and types of music. Really, you know.
I remember the first album that I bought with my
money was the debut album by Bjork and Those Mama's
Gone by Erica Vadu, Jammy Kwuai with Traveling Without Moving,
those kind of albums. That was the music I listened.
(11:23):
And I was young and starting to have my own
taste in music, you know, like when you're like I
am listening to this and my headphones and I like it,
and I don't care if nobody else is liking this music.
I feel connected to do this for some reason because
I didn't understand the words and the lyrics on those songs.
(11:45):
I was just a music connection to those musics. My
parents are musicians and the music I was listening at
home with mainly classical music, sometimes poletros that my mother
liked a lot, many different changes of music, jo Letta Bara,
those kinds of music. So then I started listening to
(12:07):
new things in the school. I remember the first time
I heard Billie Holiday and I was like, wow, this
is totally another thing, like I love this, And then
I went through Elaficierro, Nina Simon. I was listening to
Johnny Mitchell. I remember, like that cassette of Blue that
my friend gave me, and I was like, oh, I
(12:29):
can't believe this. This is really Tori Amos, PG Harvey,
you know Apple. I was getting into those kind of
things by my friends showing me that music because that
wasn't in my background from my childhood or nowhere really
radio Head, I don't know, I was listening to that.
(12:50):
It has been changing. Then I was more curious about like,
wait a minute, I want to hear what's in Mexico,
what's in my country?
Speaker 1 (12:59):
When did that happen? Because it seems at some point
and maybe around Moorhead, that that's when that happened.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Yeah, you know, I was left in that for one
year almost and I was very close to say I'm
not going back to Mexico. And it was the time
I was not having a good moment in terms of
my career, like I didn't know what I really wanted
to do. For a moment, I was like, I don't
(13:27):
want to do this anymore. This is not for me.
What caused that, I think it was that I was
very young. I was eighteen when I released my first album,
and then everything happened fast, and for me, it was
just too much information. And then I decided to have
a band, and that was for me a lot, you know,
(13:50):
because I had so many things that I wanted to
explore in music. But then it seemed that everything was
already taken by everyone around me. You know, it wasn't
my decisions or it wasn't the way I wanted to be.
(14:10):
But I was doing that for so long that I
got very far, you know, from knowing what I wanted
and how I wanted the music to sound. Like for me,
it was like I need to go far, far from home,
and I need to go to a place where nobody
will know my name and I don't know how to
(14:30):
speak that language, and I will need to learn and
I will be free. It will be my time and
no more music. But I ended up because of my
friends in the house full of musicians and they were
playing a lot of blues.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
This is in Canada.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
This is in Canada. So I got to listen to
all the genes in music and to be surrendered by
that vibe, you know, of a lot of musicians around me,
and that was beautiful for me. It helped me to
go back into music. And then I was writing. Yeah, yeah,
(15:10):
but I stopped the music for like three months or
something like that. I wasn't playing anything. There was piano, guitars,
any instrument, drums, anything, and I didn't touch anything. I
was just like trying to recover my soul. I think
it was the thing of the soul and the heart.
(15:30):
And then there was one day I sat on the
piano and I started playing this instrumental album which is
called The Four Seasons of Love that it isn't even
in Spotify. It was just for a period of time there,
I'm gonna put it there. But that was the music
that was coming. Has not lyrics but alwa, it's just music.
(15:53):
So that was yes, I did, but it was the
only album that I own my master But I was
telling the label in Mexico because they, of course imagine
I was solo artists. But then I say like, I
want a band, and they were like, but how a
band like your solo artist? No, no, no, I want
(16:13):
my band. And then I said like, no, I don't
want anything. I'm going to Canada. And then I go
back to Mexico and I'm like, okay, I'm going to
release an album, but there's no voice in the album.
So the label is like, what what do you expect
us to do with an album that doesn't have your voice?
So I was like, I don't know, but I'm going
to release those music. So for them it was like, okay,
(16:34):
you do it and it's yours. You can do whatever
you want with that music. And then I was doing
my album back with my songs, so that was really
good for me to go back to the songwriting. But
at that moment, I realized that there was something missing
to connect to people. I was connecting in a way,
(16:57):
but not the way I wanted to connect. You know,
I want to tell you I just wanted to have
something more how would you say it? To very simple
language through music that connects to people's feelings and.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Make it release plain and simple note not complicated, because
you have some lyrics that I mean, you know, almost
like I want to compare to like it's all right
mom only bleeding Bob Dylan, where it's like, you know,
it's fast and like the words are quick. Yeah, a
lot of.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Verses yeah ahah, that's right, and.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
A lot of references sometimes to pop culture.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Yeah. And I really wanted to make it pretty but
simple quotio like just everyday language but poetry and something beautiful.
But I felt like I need to learn I need
to learn more about songwriting. So I was still louder.
(17:57):
For me, it was like, Okay, this guy really has
amazing music. It sounded so like Mexico, so like Vera Gruz.
I don't know, I just fell in love so much
with his music.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Had you really listened to it before? I bet you
heard it, but.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Yes, because it's very famous songs from Augustine Lada, but
not consciously about it, you know, like not really paying
attention to the chords to music the way he moved
through the music.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
You know.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
And I was trying to learn that on my guitar
and I was like, wow, this is really a hard thing,
Like it wasn't easy, you know, for me, but I
learned a lot from his music, and then I was like, okay,
I got to listen to Tonya la negra, you know,
singing better, a tropical singing asul, those songs that for
(18:53):
me sounded like listening to Eta James or like those
beautiful music and standards that I heard in English before.
But it was Spanish, and it was boletos and it
was tango, and there was many dangers there that I
would live. I can do this in Spanish. And then
(19:14):
I just started like searching for more composers, great music
and Spanish.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Could you do a little bit of your version of
Vera Cruz Acristinados. I think it's credited to his sister, but.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
You know, I see Colologne platu, you see pirata Nacio rumba,
Vera's in vera Cruz, something like that, Vera Cruz ring
(20:01):
consito dias and suniola soulas the it's a little loud
Vera Cruz spellasi to the bartria kesavi so fri conta
(20:23):
vera Cruz so to s notches Elu you're the straight Yes,
PALMERI mo vera Cruz. Mm hmm, all Wanda tattoos, players
(20:47):
like Hanna Standrekable something like that. It's beautiful, it's very passionate.
That to you a s colon Plata. So it's more like,
but I don't know, it's it's so the way we
(21:10):
are in Mexico.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
So ah like that, right, especially maybe even more so
in Vera Cruz right now.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, And I don't know, Like I
really felt like I want to learn to do this.
I want to learn to sing this music and and
write this way in my way, in my universe and
my approach, my own approach. I got really inspired by
(21:38):
that music. And then I was able to listen to
other composers that really affect me in a way, Like
I was able to go back to Bile, go back
to Simon DIA's like this, great composers from Venezuela. It
helped me a lot to find my own way.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
We have to take a quick break and then we'll
be back with more from a conversation with Natalia la Fricade.
We're back with Nata Alla. Could I ask you also
because Fioletta part is one of my favorite and one
of my favorite songs from her. You did a version
of always been one of my favorites is Kado.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Let's see if you can remember the most beautiful lyrics.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
H Okay, that's somethime case coll okayllos those made almost
who to your your cause, cola, no many of your
(22:56):
dumbellows in the mood or something like that, call a
comb Colando your came your to and estimoon your your
Oh you case your yr Yo, plan amuson and bot
(23:33):
your your your world? Look up plan your yard, your
rodos are you or a Telenoto cas.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Your your.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Something like that. I don't remember the lyrics instead of
gonna and chile.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Everyone listening, I feel I should look up the lyrics
that it's the most beautiful song maybe ever know, one
of the greatest.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
She has so many, but yeah, for me, I don't know.
It was really beautiful to have this approach to those
musics and not so easy, not so easy to sing.
But I'm still learning.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
So going back and listening to that music and learning
to play it and learning to sing it, it seems like
that also it changed your songwriting.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Maybe yeah, of course I realized that when I listened
to the last album that I made, and it's probably
the most personal album that I have, and I think
in every song there is very clear the influences that
I have been able to explore through the years. There
(24:58):
is this incredible composer from Venezuela. I love his music
as his name is Simondas. Maybe you know him. When
I heard him the first time, I would like, this
is incredible music, so magic and the metaphors through the lyrics,
and he uses a lot nature as an inspiration and
(25:21):
for me, I felt so connected because the place I live,
which is better Cruise, I love it so much because
of the weather and the nature around the earth. So
I was learning the very very first song that I
learned by him, This is your video commadres Yes Samoa
(25:47):
two kaso me video alone only combationdreos Yes commos as
us Commo Samoa to Korazon conning meo too koa zoono
(26:08):
so so beautiful. Yeah, and I can see how music
has impact. Then maybe a song like Parto, which is
the song from my favorite you like Pararido You know
things me om Cagas, Beertos, Bara surfle Is, Condo sce
(26:37):
and skin Finitor Moon Siri Salas. Then through the to
Beru Pardos Elelientola Gabola. It's in the SETI casin Sindelf
(26:59):
and two movie Me and to Be the Universo and
two certain told Serbian gianno Sarbian?
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Do you.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Baraself? Philly? So it reminds me to those musics.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
How did you start that song humming Bird in English?
Speaker 2 (27:38):
The Huming Bird? I was in this beautiful place that
my friend Gail has in Bera Gruz was her mother's
farm and Rossillo. I actually have a song that I
wrote for Rossio, the Tolos campus. And this friend, she's
(27:58):
not physically anymore here, but she's part of my life
and she's a very important person for what I do.
Like she was in credible artist, and in this place,
I was recovering myself for something. I don't know what
that was. I think we all have moments when you
(28:21):
just feel like your heart is broken for things that
happen in life. But then everything goes so fast and
you don't get to really like connect to when you
feel there's pain that you need to see and pay
attention to, you know. So I was recovering myself from that,
(28:42):
and I decided to go there for a month. I
went there with my friend Alan, and we were trying
to see if there was music coming or not. That
was for another project that I was working on. But
he said like, don't worry, I'll be around. You don't
feel any pressure, Like I'll be around and you feel
(29:02):
like you want to come and record, will do it.
If not, don't worry. And then I was in the
room one day and I remember that I was inside
the room for many days, not being able to do much,
just sleep or read or just be there. And I
remember there was this coming bird coming every day like
(29:23):
doing thus and the window, and I was like, how
come a homing bird could come to a window go
to a tree, like, don't come to the window or
the door, like there's nothing here. But symbolically, I felt
like this bird was calling to me and it made
me feel like it was the spirit of Rossillo saying
(29:47):
like come on, go outside, go for a walk, or
come on, there's life out there, like you're in the bed,
please like come out. So there was a day I
was just like, Okay, I think I'm gonna go for
a walk, and then I started like having mourning walks
into the forest and then I just this melody came
(30:08):
to my mind, like I was singing this, and then
I went to the room and I only had a harana,
which is this instrument for so and I was playing
on that instrument the melody and it came like that.
(30:29):
But I didn't pay so much attention to this song,
you know, maybe because the way I was feeling for
me was just a basic lyric, everything is gonna be fine, Humimbert.
I had that Homemembert in my mind and my heart,
so I didn't pay so much attention to the song
(30:49):
until I was working with the producer of the album
and I show him this song and he said like,
do you like this one? And I was like not
really so much as normal, I said like, we need
to record that song in the album. So that's why
I love producers because they help. So that's how it came.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
And the producer on your newest record, the last Florist,
is Adan Horoski. That's right, his son.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
How did you become friends with him?
Speaker 2 (31:21):
When I was working the tribute to Augustine Larra years ago,
I was asking Nadan to come and sing one of
the songs on the album, and then we became friends,
very close, very close to each other. We love each
other a lot, and then for many years we were
saying like, let's collaborate, let's do something together. And twenty
(31:45):
twenty I realized I really needed to go into the
studio and record my music. And I was asking him
would you be okay to be the producer?
Speaker 1 (31:55):
And he was like, of course, what made you think
he was the one for this record?
Speaker 2 (31:58):
You know? It was just a feeling in my belly.
I don't know. Sometimes I moved from my belly feelings.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
From your belly to your mouth.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Yeah, So I just felt that because actually my managers
were saying like why Adan, and I was like, I mean,
he's my friend. I had other albums that we were
working on, Canto Mexico, Mussas. Those were albums that made
me connect a lot with traditional music from Mexico and
(32:30):
Latin America. There were many people around those and it
was good and I really enjoyed the process of those records.
But I felt like I just went to stay with
my friend and hang out with him and used to
be silenced in the studio. Nobody else. I asked everyone
(32:51):
not to come like the label, my husband, my managers,
I was with Rossio only the two of us and
the band with the producer Adan and also the beautiful
band that I that I had this brand.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
It's incredible Mark Rebow with everyone including Tom Waite, and
just incredible.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
We love him, yeah or huge fans, right, amazing, especially
if we play guitar.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
Yeah, especially we play I mean guitarist.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Just he's He's crazy.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
What was it like meeting him and playing with him?
Speaker 2 (33:24):
It was amazing. I mean I just want my life
to be like that all the time.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Like you guys look in Texas too, write like some
where were you.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
In Sonic Ranch which is in the middle of the
desert and Ranch of the Nest. It's beautiful there and
Tony Ranch has this amazing studio, many studios, sir. And
then the producer was listening to the songs. It was
(33:53):
one year and also because of the pandemic, we were
taking it very slow, no pressure, and I was sending
the music and the one day he was like, I
think Mark, we would come and record on your album.
And I was like, that's really far from us, Like
how how are we going to make this true? But
(34:16):
Adan is really magic. He's like, let's call him. Let's
just give a call.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
I can only imagine what a dance like based on
his dad's films, you know, like I can only imagine
that lineage.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Yeah, yeah, people, I know you know when I was
I was mixing the album in parties with Adan. Then
he invited me to Alejandro's house to just have a coffee.
And I didn't want to ask for anything else but that,
you know, like it was your normal Sunday, just let's
have a coffee and cookies and talk. But then he
(34:50):
was telling me like I'm going to read you tat
to you and like okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
So it was so he's got to be out of control.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Right, yes, and the best way they they are the best.
It's really inspiring to be close to them. And there
was the reason I also wanted to work with that,
you know. I wanted to be close to him and
his magic and mystic I wanted.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
To have that.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
And then we have beautiful people in the band, like Mark,
not just Mark Ribbot, I mean Cyril on the drums,
Sebastian on the base.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
From your it was like your dad's piano student or
harpsichord student.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Yeah, not really like that close. They became friends. Really.
The funniest thing is that. Emiliano Dorantez is my neighbor. Right,
he lives very close from where I live, but I
mean in the middle of nowhere. And then during the pandemic,
there was a moment we oh everywhere right, like place
(35:58):
I want to see another human being. And we were
doing this Wednesday of the week movies in the forest
in the jungle, you know, in the Yeah, so we
put like a blanket or something like that, and we
were doing the movie theater there and then Emiliana was
coming and we became friends because of that because we
(36:20):
were chatting. And then I was like, hey, would you
come to the house and give me some piano lessons
maybe because I am free, I have time, And then
he was coming, and then one day I was showing
him some of the songs that I was writing, and
then he was trying to play those and on the
piano he plays so beautiful, incredible, He's genius and he's
(36:43):
just sensitive. Yeah, it's really amazing and yeah, so he
ended up recording the music and on the album. And
I remember Mark Rieb was the first day they had
like this moment of musicians, you know, like make was
saying like, oh, you're playing those classical, beautiful piece and that,
(37:06):
and then Emiliana was saying like, no, I'm just writing
this at the moment, I'm just playing this. I am improvising.
And Mark was like everyone were like, wow, this kid
has something special. And then he's like, give me a
note and I'm going to play a card and then
you give me another note. And they were just giving
(37:28):
crazy notes that will crash between each other so to
make it really difficult for him. But then he was
doing like a whole area or something like that, like
peace out of that. He was playing ten minutes non
stop from what the notes that they were giving to him.
So then Mark Rivet and Sebastian they were just like, Okay,
(37:51):
we're ready to go. Like there's not gonna be any
problems with this kid because he's like twenty right or
something one right now. I think, Yeah, there's a lot
of like those magic moments in the process of the album,
which I love. I think it's important to have that
kind of connections.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
It's beautiful that you cut it to tape too and
not digital.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Yeah, and also Adan came with that idea. I always
wanted to record that way. Then I found out that
for producers or engineers. Sometimes it was like, Okay, this
is going to be more difficult, and then I just
didn't dream about it anymore. But with that Dan were like, yes,
(38:36):
let's do it, let's try.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
Yeah, and no metronomes too, write like no click, no metronome.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
No metronomo, no click, no bait. But the hardbat It
was the first time I was doing it this way.
It was beautiful because Adan didn't want us to rehearsal
that much the music. Actually, he asked me not to
prepare any demo, which I didn't. I did like three
(39:02):
four demos of the songs. I wanted to have the
brass section because I just went to see it would
work or not. But the other songs, he was playing
that music from the message on my phone, which was
right the moment what I wrote the song, and then
from that we were saying like, okay, this could be
(39:25):
an intro, so you, Emiliana, can improvise something here that
would be like close to this, And then hear you
mark you're going to start here, and then.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
We were.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Ill say, like making the construction of the arrangement at
the moment while listening only my boys and the guitar,
trying to grab the feelings, you know. So there were
moments when we were really connecting, and there were moments
that were more like a mess, like no, this is
not the right way, no, no, no, please take that
(40:00):
distortion out of the guitar, we're saying to Margaret. But
they were like, wow, I like this. But then Alaan
was like, no, no, this is not the song for this.
And then you were like, okay, I'm gonna change. I mean,
he has so many instruments around and I don't know.
We were just trying things and playing. I love to
(40:22):
do that, and yeah, the songs and the music started
to come to show its own spirit and we were like, okay,
this was really beautiful, Like let's leave it like this.
And the good thing was that Emiliano has a really
good memory. He was the only one maybe that really
(40:43):
know the chords and the harmonies of the song. So
he was ready to be there for the other ones
saying like no, it's not this cord, it's just one,
or let's go from this place to this place. But
he was the guy in the room that had all
that information because we were already playing the music in Bacruz.
Speaker 1 (41:05):
So he was more like a bit more. Yeah, all
those elements I think add up the record is so
it sounds like so free and beautiful, and it just
goes so many different directions. There's just some beautiful arrangements
and beautiful songs.
Speaker 2 (41:20):
Thank you, Thank you, really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Yeah, we have to pause for one last quick break
and then we'll be back with more from Natalia la Forcade.
We're back with the rest of my conversation with Natalia
la Forcade. There's not a lot of artists that if
you listen to the first record through the most recent
(41:44):
record and been doing it twenty four years about they
all get better, you know, and to where like this
one's like the best one. That's just an incredible feat.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
Yeah. I think it's really hard to reinvent. I don't
know if that's what exists in English, to explore what
is new for your universe some musician, songwriter or artists human.
I mean, it's a lot of search and for me,
(42:17):
this album is a master Like it has taught me
so many important things that I want to keep close,
you know, even ten years in the future, twenty years,
Like I don't want to forget the things that I've
learned through this process because I think it's very important
(42:38):
to keep trying to do this work. You know, like
this album made me sit down even on the stage,
Like I felt like this album was saying, I don't
want you to move during the concert. I just want
you to play and sing and you will sit down
andrics No, just bring it all from that point and
(43:03):
be very calm and everything. I was actually thinking about
this interview right now. I think like this could have
happened like one youg or two when I was releasing
the album, right, but things like this moment has happened,
Like this album has given to me beautiful moments. But
it's like in the time of this album, not the
(43:26):
time that I want your time, Yeah, not my time.
And I found that beautiful because I've learned that not
always you might have the control of what you're doing
and the music and the way it flows.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
I'm so glad, thank you so much for the for
the album. It's beautiful, all the music. And I'm glad
also it's been recognized. I mean, you're here because you're
for a Grammy Award. Yeah, it's beautiful that it's getting
the credit it deserves.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
Yeah. Yeah, I feel happy. I feel happy for that,
you know. I mean, you're not thinking about this recognition
while you're doing the thing, you know. But it was
hard moments when we took the machine to better a
cruise that was crazy, you know. We took the machine
to my studio once and then I got COVID. They
(44:16):
had to take it back to Mexico City and then
bring it back again to my studio. Yeah, tap machine machine. Yeah,
they were taking the machine to my house and everyone
were there, the cordo strings, everyone, but the machine wasn't good.
(44:38):
It was damaged for a reason. And then it was
two days of like, let's find those little piece that
we needed to fix it. And I don't know, like
there were funny moments like that, and the recording process
of the album, it's very unknown secum cities in English
(45:01):
handmade when you try to record like that. I mean,
I am not like the Beatles. They had so much
money they could buy seventy tapes or even more to
record an album, but for us it was just like
fifteen or maybe less, just twenty minutes for every track,
twenty four tracks?
Speaker 1 (45:22):
Would you record like this again?
Speaker 2 (45:23):
Of course that's the way I want to record the most. Yeah,
I mean it's okay. It depends on the project, I think,
but I really loved it.
Speaker 1 (45:35):
Are you writing always?
Speaker 2 (45:38):
Not always? Recently I've been writing. Last week I was
doing some music for a TV show that somebody asked,
and I was writing a song that is called cancer.
But not always, you know, for I am not very
disciplined as a writer.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
Do you find myself say? I mean, I like you
take your time? No, you know.
Speaker 2 (46:07):
There's moments, yeah, months and I do nothing, and then
there's one day and I got inspired. I think this
moment in my life, I feel very inspired. But that
doesn't happen always for me.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
I hope we get more music than soon.
Speaker 2 (46:26):
Oh yeah, me too, me too, me too. I ask
for that. I asked the music it's too good.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
Could you play one more song?
Speaker 2 (46:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (46:34):
Yeah, maybe?
Speaker 2 (46:36):
Uh ah, okay, pause and lusias phusy open sound paso
melo brand stand up, so canstrom no off sent barasernos
(47:13):
ris basar la vida is silu bensanzuke daniamostovo, Parasernos, dantovin
(47:34):
kela this, Daciano, the Street Kills, Basi construi Le lucio,
the e man comgupara traspinal the sta mundo dam basil
(48:05):
me on the agla Allen God talk Allen contain treloso
telosup plico no lolvives fo Pazlosias is sigop and Sandu
(48:43):
and thing baslasonas nomlges Brandistan of Suru, Machina nustromo no
(49:03):
sufficient the parasernus tgri Santasalavia is sigupen santo ke Dan
almost all the parasstantovin gelais dance Yeah, no podriya the
(49:30):
street a girl sparso comes true even lush so locate cat.
You're soo look over a sa and you see who
Neiverso Loco Mirarte, Kriser yellows Dancia Marte so lo keero
(49:58):
get You're so Luke Obrasteste Universo Loco Mirarte crasser je
laddistance your man so lokro GeTe you're aso Loker obrasad
(50:21):
and stiverso local Mirrarte crass Jeerladistancia Marty so look ok.
You're also look obra side and stay woo versal Loco
Mirart crac jealis dancer am ahama and ladis Stancia.
Speaker 3 (50:57):
Amte I play it in a different tone. It's not.
Speaker 1 (51:10):
It was gorgeous.
Speaker 3 (51:11):
It was gorgeous.
Speaker 1 (51:12):
It was gorgeous, beautiful where it goes.
Speaker 2 (51:17):
Thank you so much, appreciate taking the time, Thank you,
thank you so much. It's my pleasure. Thank you for
having me.
Speaker 1 (51:23):
Of course, hope we do it again, maybe in Mexico.
Speaker 2 (51:25):
Yes, please, Imberra Gruz.
Speaker 1 (51:30):
Thanks to Natalia la Fricade for playing and singing for us.
You can hear her latest album They Told Us Us
Floored Us and all of our favorite songs from Natalia,
along with some of these songs mentioned in this conversation
on a playlist at broken Record podcast dot com. Subscribe
to our YouTube channel at YouTube dot com slash broken
Record Podcast, where you can find all of our new episodes.
(51:53):
You can follow us on Twitter at broken Record. Broken
Record is produced and edited by Leah Rose, with marketing
help from Eric Sandler and Jordan McMillan. Our engineer is
Ben Tolliney. Broken Record is a production of Pushkin Industries.
If you love this show and others from Pushkin, consider
subscribing to Pushkin Plus. Pushkin Plus is a podcast subscription
(52:14):
that offers bonus content and adflete listening for four ninety
nine a month. Look for Pushkin Plus on Apple podcast subscriptions,
and if you like this show, please remember to share, rate,
and review us on your podcast app Our theme music's
by Kenny Beats. I'm justin Richmond.
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