Juana Molina
 

With so many electronic/ambient bands using samples from all sorts of sources, it was SO refreshing to find a singer who uses her own samples to produce her music.

Juana Molina started out doing comedy sketches on a show called La Noticia Rebeldeand made the move to singing/producing in 1996 with the release of her album Rara. Since then she has put out 4 more records. I just love her unique, catchy and talented way of being literally a 1 woman band. When she plays live she brings 2 digital keyboards that have the ability to record and play back any part of a instrument that is being played. So she'll start with a simple drum beat, loop it, add a short guitar riff, loop that and add layers from there. The end result is a fun blending of sounds starting and stopping at her control. She sings along in her native Rioplantense Spanish, as well as a few songs in French and English.

Her style may not be for everyone, but I think she is definitely worth a listen!

I love her. Especially Segundo and Un Dia.

For anyone else, this is what we're talking about here:

I'm a big fan Juana Molina. If you don't understand her native tongue you miss a lot of the humor and political bite of her lyrics. The language barrier doesn't keep you from appreciating her unorthodox, left of center musical approach. She's a true original and hugely influential in her native Argentina and nearly every Spanish speaking nation in the world. She's done at least one small tour of the United States where she has a growing cult of fans.

Thanks for the video posts! I'd have done some, but alas, I am a newbie here. I also love her in-studio video performances. I love to see how she makes her music as she plays.

I do wish I could understand her lyrics! I know it would add even more enjoyment to listening to her music! I can only hope she does a few songs (or even just 1!) in English.

Welcome to MB, Zen Glen. It's always nice to bump heads and threads with another person that shares a few of your idiosyncratic musical tastes. You're always welcome to post your favorite music videos in the relevant threads. If there are no relevant threads, start one!

Nine Black Poppies- That last song you posted by Juana, Rio Seco stuck in my brain like a viral worm... so much that I purchased her album Son to get that song. I already own Un Dia, Tres Cosas & Segudo and each of those four albums has it's own unique creative identity. Juana rarely does the expected when she releases a new studio album.

It's too bad that the American music industry has a jingoistic aversion to non-English speaking music. As a result, American music fans miss out on most of the native language, indie pop from music from France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Central America and South America, most of which is far more adventurous than most of the alternative and indie pop being recorded in English in the USA and the UK.