The albums of my life by Javiera Mena

Javiera Mena returns to our country on an international tour that celebrates two decades since his debut album “Youth Scheme”

Specifically, we are talking about one of the fundamental albums of Latin American electronic pop, which has managed to maintain its status throughout all these years. That is why we have taken advantage of the occasion of your visit to ask you about those albums that have left their mark on your life.

(See the dates of their performances at the end of this article).

Kraftwerk – Computer World (1981)
It’s a very important album because it was the first synth-pop album I heard. For me it is a complete work, which has a meaning, a story. There I met Kraftwerk and it influenced me a lot, both for the harmonies and for the use of drum machines. It seems to me to be a very complete work.

Hearts – The Prisoners (1990)
An album that I think marked all of Chile. The lyrics, the way Jorge González writes and also the influence of music with synthesizers and the beat are very present. I think it is very important for my generation of musicians and I highly recommend it.

Aphex Twin – Richard D. James Album (1996)
It marked me a lot. I discovered it by chance when I was little, I was about sixteen years old. I went to the record store looking for another The Chemical Brothers album, but it wasn’t there. The guy at the record store told me: “Look, this just arrived.”
At that time there was no streaming or anything, it was all on CD. I was recommended Richard D. James, and I listened to him and was like, “Wow, what is this?” I took him and there was a before and after for me, honestly.

The Prodigy – “Experience” (1992)
The first of The Prodigy. A schoolmate who lived in Canada lent it to me and who arrived with him. It made a big impression on me because it was music that seemed very energetic to me. I was also impressed with the sound mix and how they used samples. I didn’t understand how they did it and I think this album really pushed me to make electronic music. I remember even listening to it on cassette and to this day it is still very important to me. And not only that album, but also The Prodigy for what they represent in their live show format and for how the concerts work.

Quilapayún- “The Cantata Santa María de Iquique” (1970)
It’s an album that was in my house and that I listened to a lot because it was one of the albums that was there. It is very important because it narrates a historical event that happened in Chile: a massacre of some mine workers. It is a cantata written by Luis Advis. I listened to it and also felt the history of my country, social injustice and many things, but all of this accompanied by incredible music. It is a very important album for Chile and it also influenced me a lot.

Xuxa – “Xuxa in Spanish” (1990)
It is an album by the Brazilian singer Xuxa, who also had a television program. It influenced me a lot because it was a record that I listened to as a child and now I have come across it again and I have realized that it was very important for me, in terms of sound, harmony, melody and the sensations it provokes.
I think it’s very deep in my DNA. It is music for children, but it is also made with a lot of Brazilian sophistication, with its chords, and it has very beautiful messages for children. This album hit me very hard, I listened to it again and it’s beautiful. In my childhood it was a very important album.

Concert agenda:

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