Ana Tijoux: KCRW Live from HQ

Ana Tijoux’s roots as an artist and activist run deep. Born in Lille, France to Chilean parents living in exile from the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, Tijoux began expressing herself through rap and dance at age 11. The family returned to Chile in the early ‘90s as the country transitioned from military dictatorship to democracy, and it was there that Tijoux found her way into various musical groups, eventually landing with the hip-hop collective Mazika, which made her a household name throughout Latin America. 

More: Ana Tijoux: KCRW Live From The Basement (MBE, 2014)

Tijoux broke through to American audiences in 2009 on the strength of the title track to her sophomore solo album 1977. Named for the year she was born, “1977” cut a striking figure against the blog rock dominating indie spaces at the time, and the club-centric tendencies of mainstream hip-hop. Subtle-yet-polished production, dramatic brass and horns, and Tijoux’s lyrical, sophisticated flow announced “1977” as something the rest of the world needed to catch up with quick. The project subsequently picked up a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Rock, Alternative, or Urban Album and a co-sign from Thom Yorke.

Ten years after releasing her last full-length album, Tijoux returns with her fifth solo LP Vida. Along with her band — Frederico Rocha Casenave (keyboard, backing vocals), Raul Antonio Moya (bass, samples, backing vocals, Moog), Nicolas Castillo Villegas (drums, backing vocals) — Tijoux (lead vocals) delivers icy-hot takes on Vida cuts “Niñx,” “Millonaria,” “Oyeme,” and “Cora.” Plus, they give us an ultra-chilled out spin on “1977.” Tijoux’s growth as an artist shines through her decade spent between albums moving to Barcelona, keeping up her output of protest songs, and expanding her soundtrack work. 

Get into the video above to witness Vida’s lush pop balladry complimented by Tijoux’s lived-in delivery of her incisive, Spanish-language bars that transcend communication barriers. Watch below for her conversation with KCRW’s Francesca Harding, where she breaks down her recent move, owning her accomplishments, and finding self-care in #catsofinstagram.