Lila Downs
Lila Downs | |
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Latin | |
Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 1990–present |
Labels | |
Website | liladowns |
Ana Lila Downs Sánchez (born 9 September 1968
Her first (independent) album, Ofrenda, was released in 1994. In 1999, Downs came to prominence with her debut studio album, La sandunga, which was a critical and commercial success. She achieved international success in 2001 with the album Border which emerged in the music scene of Mexico and Latin America in the early 2000s (decade). Downs's seventh album, Pecados y milagros (2011), topped album charts in most major markets and generated chart-topping world music albums. Her eighth album, "Balas y Chocolate", was released in 2015. "Salón Lágrimas y Deseo", her ninth album, came out in 2017.
Downs began performing in school, demonstrating her vocal ability with
Influenced by
Besides her musical career, she involves herself with humanitarian causes and political activism, especially dealing with issues of Latin America's indigenous population.
Biography
Lila Downs was born on 9 September 1968, in
One day while she was working in a store in the Mixtec mountains, a man came in to ask her to translate his son's death certificate. She read that he had drowned trying to cross the border into the United States. This deeply affected her and has continued to influence her work. She talked about this in an NPR interview about her 2001 release entitled Border.[5]
Although today Downs is proud of her origins there was a time when she felt shame regarding her Native American roots. "I was embarrassed to have Indian blood. I was embarrassed that my mother spoke her language in public." This led her on a path to find herself, which included dropping out of college, dyeing her hair blonde and following the band The Grateful Dead. After some time Downs found herself back in Oaxaca, a city in southern Mexico, working at her mother's auto parts store, where she met her future husband and musical collaborator, tenor saxophonist Paul Cohen.[6]
Downs studied Anthropology at the University of Minnesota and voice in New York. Later she attended the Institute of Science and Arts of Oaxaca in Mexico to complete her studies.
At 25, after completing academic and music studies, Downs decided to return to Tlaxiaco. Paul Cohen always encouraged her musical ventures, and she joined a
During her stay in Minnesota, Downs formed a group called La Trova Serrana which achieved great popularity among the Latin community within the United States, singing songs about the
Career
1994–1996: First albums
In 1994 Lila Downs independently made her first album, entitled
In 1996 Downs recorded a live session at a renowned café-bar of the
1997–1999: La Sandunga
In 1997 Lila Downs made a second recording, called "Traces", on which she performed material that was to be included in later albums such as La Sandunga, Tree of Life and Border. It is an extensive compilation of items in her traditional repertoire but, like its predecessor, had no commercial distribution, so this disc is also currently out of print.
It was not until 1999, when Downs signed with the label
1999–2000: Tree of Life/Yutu Tata
Downs's next album, and ended in Spain.
2001–2003: Border/La Linea (The Line)
The album's first single was released in
2004–2006: Una Sangre/One Blood
One Blood, one of Lila Downs's most successful albums, was released in April 2004, simultaneously in the United States, Spain, and
2006–2008: La Cantina, entre copa y copa ...
Lila Downs took approximately one and a half years to prepare this project, which was released in April 2006. This CD draws on Mexican ranchero songs and merges sounds such as pop, rock, norteño, cumbia and hip-hop. This CD contains fifteen tracks, of which twelve are traditional Mexican repertoire authored by Lila Downs, and includes a version in English of "La cumbia del mole", the song that to date is the most well-known work by the artist.[18] "La cumbia del mole" refers to the preparation of Mexican dish and tradition in Oaxaca. This single managed to position itself among the top of the charts in Mexico, United States, Canada and United Kingdom.[19]
In 2007, Downs published a CD with the greatest success in Spanish to date, containing songs from her previous albums
2008–2009: Shake Away/Ojo de Culebra
Two years after the release of
The single "
2010–present: Lila Downs y la Misteriosa, Pecados y Milagros
Lila Downs y la Misteriosa en Paris – Live à FIP is the second live album by Downs, released on April 13, 2010, in Spain and France, the album was recorded in 2009 in Radio France studio 105 in Paris, France. It was released in May 2010 in the United States and in July in most other countries. It received positive feedback from critics. Lila Downs y la Misteriosa en Paris was released in
The album debuted at number fifty two on the Billboard 200 becoming her fourth-highest peak on the chart. It also debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums Chart and stayed there for over 3 consecutive weeks. This album has sold over 60.000 copies in the US and over 290.000 copies worldwide.[29] The album was recorded in the Mexico City, and New York. Downs describes the album musically as having "a strong rock side" along with "traditional" and "Latino" songs. Celso Duarte is one of several collaborators to appear on the album, featuring on the first single "Palomo del comalito".
Other collaborations include songs with rappers Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas, Celso Piña and Totó la Momposina. Downs ahas been touring through February 2017 in Mexico, the US and around the world, the Sins and Miracles Tour, which started in Mexico.[30]
Audience members at a concert of February 18, 2012, at New York City El Museo del Barrio[31] were informed that the concert was being recorded by HBO.[32]
In 2014, Soledad released Raíz, a collaborative album featuring Lila Downs and Spanish artist Niña Pastori, and received a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album and the Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year, winning the Latin Grammy for Best Folk Album.[33][34] The trio also collaborated with Santana on the track Una Noche en Nápoles for the 2014 album Corazón.
In 2015, Lila Downs joined the judging panel for The 14th Annual Independent Music Awards and by doing so, helped to assist the careers of upcoming independent artists.
On May 26, 2017, Downs released ". Her next international tour started at the end of March 2017 on the West Coast of the US, followed by a series of performances in Mexico, Europe and Latin America. The album was awarded the Latin Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal at the Latin Grammys in Las Vegas in November 2017. , under Sony Music Mexico/Latin. The first single of the album was "
In August 2021, she collaborated with Guatemalan singer-songwriter Sara Curruchich on the song "Pueblos", which was released on the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.[35]
Musical tours
2005–2006: One Blood Tour
Due to the success of the albums One Blood and Border (2001 and 2004), the One Blood Tour took place and Downs performed 30 international shows on three continents.[36] Countries such as the Philippines, Japan, China, Egypt and Afghanistan were included on the tour,[37] where Downs was well received by the public. In May 2007, Downs published a DVD collection as a document of that tour in a concert in Oaxaca and Mexico City; this DVD contained thirteen live tracks and a documentary as well as special features like interviews, short films by Allen Downs (Lila's father) and videos.
2008–2009: Shake Away Tour
In September 2008 the Ojo de Culebra World Tour started, which took place on four continents, and was the most successful tour for a Mexican artist.[38] In Latin America, Mexico was the country with the highest number of concerts (21 in total), the tour officially ended on October 30, 2009, giving a free concert in the Zocalo of Mexico City,[14] followed by Colombia and Costa Rica, with three concerts each.
Although not part of the tour, Lila Downs appeared in the Live Earth in Germany, where she played three songs, and in late 2008 sang at the Harmony Festival held in California, United States.[39]
2010: Black Magic Woman Tour
In March 2010, Lila Downs announced a world tour Black Magic Woman Tour which began in Buenos Aires, Argentina with three sold-out shows.[40] This tour included several countries in America Asia and Europe in many of which attendance records were broken. The tour officially ended on November 17, 2010, in Square Dance by Oaxaca City where she had an audience of approximately seven thousand people.[41]
2011–2014: Pecados y Milagros World Tour
Pecados y Milagros World Tour was Lila Downs' fourth musical tour in support of her seventh studio album, "
2015–2017: Balas y Chocolate World Tour
Balas y Chocolate World Tour is Lila Downs's fifth concert tour, and promoted her eighth studio album Balas y Chocolate ("Bullets and chocolate" in Spanish) It began on March 26 in Mexico City at the Plaza Condesa, presenting the repertoire of new music album of the same name tour. Canada in 2015, Spain has toured with great success (Cartagena, Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid etc. ), Paraguay, Chile, Argentina (Mendoza, Buenos Aires, Cordoba ), Bolivia, Ecuador, United States ( more than 20 cities, including New York City, Miami, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Step etc.) In 2016 she will be in London, Spain, Argentina and Peru. In August 2016, Lila Downs performed at the 21st Annual Santa Barbara Mariachi Festival alongside Aida Cuevas, Mariachi Sol de Mexico, Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán, and Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles in Santa Barbara, CA.
2019–2021: Al Chile Tour
Al Chile World Tour is Downs' sixth world tour. It was to see concerts in
2022
On July 4th, 2022, Lila Downs performed in Geneva, Switzerland at the festival Musiques en été.
2023 : European Tour
On the 5th of August 2023 Lila Downs and her band gave a wonderful concert at the Festival "Chant de Marins" (Songs of Sailors) in the port of Paimpol, Brittany, France in front of 45.000 people.
Acting
Downs has had small parts in such films as
Soundtracks
In 2001, Downs was invited to participate in the soundtrack of the Mexican film Piedras Verdes where she performed "
Personal life
Since the beginning of her career she has been involved with Paul Cohen who is her partner and artistic director. There has been much speculation in the media about the couple's personal life and that the couple could not have children.[44][45]
In June 2010, Downs announced on her website that, after several years of trying to be parents, she and Cohen had adopted a child, Benito Dxuladi.[46] They lived in Coyoacán in Mexico City and Oaxaca, although they spent most of the time traveling.
In December 2022, Downs announced on her social media that her lifetime partner and husband Paul Cohen, died at the age of 69 years old, as a result of heart disease.[47]
Social activism
Downs has been a social activist throughout her entire career and works to maintain her cultural identity and her roots in the eye of social distress. For example, she sings with passion, and admiration for her home in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her music draws out many socially significant issues particularly with issues pertaining to the Indigenous, such as the mistreatment and misunderstanding of indigenous peoples of Oaxaca, by celebrating her Mixtec heritage through song.[48] Her albums are socially significant, especially her album, One Blood, or Una Sangre, which includes songs such as "Dignificada", which is a song about Digna Ochoa's assassination. Digna Ochoa was a lawyer and social activist, and Downs featured her story on her album One Blood.[49]
When asked if she is a politician, Downs said that she does not want to be a politician because she is not interested in power, instead she wants to support and change society through music.[50] On October 9, 2009, Downs, along with actress Salma Hayek represented Mexico participated in an event for the worldwide campaign of the One Drop foundation, to preserve water. They performed together with the founder of Cirque du Soleil, Shakira, U2, former Vice President Al Gore and other "world-class" personalities.
Contributions
- In 2003 she was invited to the Ode to joyWith Tim Sheff. She also participated on the album "Spain in my heart: Songs of the Spanish Civil War" with the song "El quinto regimiento".
- In 2004 she collaborated with the Afghan singer Kulsoom Syed Ghulam on the album Lullabies from the Axis of Evil on the song "Lalolalo (Don't you Worry My Child)".
- In 2005 she collaborated with the Luar Na Lubre on the album Saudade on the song "Domingo Ferreiro" performed in Galician.
- In 2006 she collaborated on the Brian Lynch and Eddie Palmieri album Simpático on the song "Que sería la vida" with Brian Lynch.
- In 2007 she collaborated with the Argentinean band Los Calzones Rotos on the album Tanguito on the song "Loco". She also collaborated on the album "Homenaje a Pedro Infante: 50 aniversario" with the song "Amorcito corazón". And she collaborated with the Paraguayan musician Celso Duarte on the album "De sur a sur/From south to south" on the song "Petenera".
- In 2008, on the Los Cojolites album No Tiene Fin, she sang on the song "La Herlinda" and "El Pescador" of the album Sin Fecha de Caducidad by the Mexican singer Celso Piña. She also participated on the album "Songs of the siren: Irresistible voices" with the song "La cumbia del mole". She participated on the album "¡Nueva York!" from the American musician Dan Zanes with the song "La bruja".
- In 2009 she participated on the album of Basque singer Rocío Durcalon the song "Amor eterno".
- In 2010, Lila Downs sang a duet with the Mexican singer-songwriter Benny Ibarra ("Calaveras"), on his album The March of the Living. The song was the second single for the album. She also sang "Historia de un amor" on Roberto Alagna's album "Pasión". She sang a duet "Vámonos" with the Mexican singer Chavela Vargas on her album "¡Por mi culpa! Chavela Vargas y sus amigos". She also collaborated with the Irish band The Chieftains on the album "San Patricio" on the song "La iguana" with The Chieftains and Ry Cooder.
- In 2012 she collaborated on Kevin Johansen's album Bi with the song "Baja a la tierra", and on the album "Mujer Divina" from the Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade on the song "La fugitiva"
- In 2013 she collaborated on the album "Ciudadana del mundo vol. 1" on the songs "De que te cuidas" and "Latinoamerica" with Eugenia León, Moyenei, Betsy Pecanins, La Sonora Santaneraon the song "Tu voz".
Awards and recognition
Throughout her career Downs has received several awards, including a
Discography
Albums
- Ofrenda (1994)
- Azulao: En vivo con Lila Downs (1996)
- La Sandunga (Narada 1999)
- Tree of Life (Yutu tata) (Narada 2000)
- Border (La Línea) (Narada 2001)
- One Blood (Una sangre) (Narada 2004)
- La Cantina "Entre copa y copa..." (Narada 2006)
- The Very Best Of/El Alma de Lila Downs [CD] (EMI 2008)
- Shake Away (Ojo de Culebra) (Manhattan Records 2008)
- Lila Downs y La Misteriosa en Paris – Live a FIP [CD (Harmonia Mundi-Global Village Europe/US; various labels worldwide), (CD + DVD EMI Mexico) (2010)]
- Pecados y Milagros(2011)
- Balas y Chocolate (2015)
- Salón, Lágrimas y Deseo (2017)[52]
- Al Chile (2019)
- La Sánchez (2023)
With the Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project
- Simpático (artistShare, 2007)
with Niña Pastori and Soledad Pastorutti
- Raíz (2014)
DVD
- Lotería Cantada (2006)
- The Very Best Of/El Alma de Lila Downs [CD+DVD] (EMI 2008)
See also
References
- ^ a b
- "Lila Downs – "La Cultura Oaxaqueña Hecha Mujer"". Viveoaxaca.org. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
- "Universal Music France – Infos et exclus sur vos artistes préférés". Universalmusic.fr. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
- ^ Varga, George (16 April 2017). "Lila Downs traces her musical diversity and social activism to her days as a Deadhead". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^
- Bernard, Lori (18 March 2004). "Lila Downs". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- Collette, Mark (18 April 2008). "Lila Downs". NPR. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ [1] Archived January 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Downs, Lila (26 August 2001). "Lila Downs: 'Border'". Npr.org. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "the digital folklife lila downs". Thedigitalfolklife.org. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ a b "Los tres mundos de Lila Downs | .: ITESO | MAGIS | profesiones + innovación + cultura". Magis.iteso.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ [2] Archived May 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ [3] Archived October 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Xquenda Productions "La Sandunga" by Lila Downs.
- ^ "Lile Downs : beyond the border". Highbeam.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2006. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ Lila Downs speaks in "The Line" about the killing of Acteal.
- ^ Castellanos, 2001; 74: "The interpretation of migration and marginalization by Lila Downs, of Oaxaca's "La Linea" cost her several instances of censorship."
- ^ a b "TATA la VIDA | Bajghera Road | Dwarka Expressway | Gurgaon". Archived from the original on 9 May 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ In "Dignify" Downs talks about the lawyer Digna Ochoa.
- ^ [4] Archived August 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ [5] Archived February 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Jacintario – La cantina de Lila Downs". Filmica.com. 22 February 1999. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ BBC. "Awards for World Music 2007 - Lila Downs". BBC.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ La Jornada (31 July 2008). "Reunidos, los mejores conciertos y temas en El alma de Lila Downs – La Jornada". Jornada.unam.mx. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- YouTube
- ^ "Lila Downs – BBC Music". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "Letra de Perro Negro (Lila Downs) de Café Tacuba". Musica.com. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ [6] Archived October 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ [7] Archived November 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Lila Downs arrasa en sondeo de Canal 22". Eluniversal.com.mx. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "News : Single and album announcement". Lila Downs.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- ^ "New album cover Pecados y Milagros / The Sun Comes Out". Lila Downs.com. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- ^
- "Lila downs recibe certificaciones por sus altas ventas". Twitter. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- Comunicación e Información, SA de CV (25 February 2014). "Toledo y Flores ilustran nuevo álbum de Lila Downs". Proceso.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ [8] Archived September 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ [9] Archived February 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Neighborhood Concert: Lila Downs - Saturday, February 18, 2012". Carnegie Hall. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "Grammys 2015 Preview: The Lowdown on the Best Latin Pop Album and Best Latin Rock, Urban, or Alternative Album Nominees". Billboard. 30 December 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
- ^ Wang, Andrea; Brown, Tracy (24 September 2014). "Latin Grammys 2014: Complete list of nominees and winners". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ Cavero, Natalia Puertas (4 August 2021). "Lila Downs and Sara Curruchich collaborate for the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples". AL DÍA News. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ "Lila Downs tickets – Lila Downs Tour Dates on StubHub!". Stubhub.com. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- YouTube
- ^ "UOL MÚSICA – Ojo de culebra – Lila Downs". Sion.com. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "Lila Downs – Ojo de Culebra on Vimeo". Vimeo.com. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "'El Alma de Lila Downs', de Lila Downs : Musica : Hispavista". Musica.hispavista.com. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "Cerrará Lila Downs en México su gira ´´Black magic woman´´ 2009 :: El Informador". Informador.com.mx. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "Lila Downs, nominada al Óscar por su música en 'Frida', estará el 12 de marzo en Bogotá – Archivo – Archivo Digital de Noticias de Colombia y el Mundo desde 1.990". Eltiempo.com. 8 March 2008. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- YouTube
- ^ "Lila Downs Woos Fans With 'Shake Away'". Npr.org. 18 September 2008. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ Downs, Lila. "Lila Downs' Cross-Border Musical Influences". Npr.org. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ [10] Archived September 2, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Paul R Cohen 1953 - 2022". Twitter. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ "Mexican-American Singer Lila Downs". Npr.org. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
- ^ "Lila Downs offers music to Mexicans as refuge from violence". Fox News. 7 October 2011. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011.
- ^ "Leading Ladies of Entertainment". Latin Recording Academy. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ "Salón Lágrimas y Deseo". Amazon.com. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
External links
- Official website
- Lila Downs at AllMusic
- Lila Downs Music Videos on CompulsiveTraveler.tv
- Lila Downs: beyond the border by Mary Armstrong, Sing Out! vol. 45 no. 4 – Winter 2002
- "Wise Latina", an interview with Guernica Magazine's Joel Whitney
- Lila Downs biography and discography at World Music Central
- [11][permanent dead link] Paste Magazine Article
- "Lila Downs on BBC Newsnight" Interview by Secunder Kermani 2016
- "Lila Downs: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert" Lila Downs Tiny Desk Concert 2016