1 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: From Fudu Media. It's Latin Usa. I'm Maria Hoosa and 2 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 1: today we bring you one of our How I Made 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:23,080 Speaker 1: It segments with singer songwriter Lidomienta. When you hear Lego 4 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: Pimienta's sound, you'll hear traces of traditional Colombian instruments like 5 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: the tambora and the maraca, mixed with synthpop and electronic music. 6 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: It's an experimental sound that earned her twenty sixteen album 7 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: La Pabsa one of Canada's most prestigious awards, the Polaris. 8 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: Prize A Slave. 9 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 3: Detu Mai a God Mussia U Dada p Slavish Detu 10 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 3: Ba la Mariana. 11 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: This year, Letho continues her tradition of weaving Colombian folk 12 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: music with electronic sounds in her latest release, Miss Colombia. 13 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: The album pays ode to Afro Columbian music like Buyerenge 14 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: and Bayinato that surrounded her as a child in Colombia. 15 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: Letho was born in the city of Brangia and grew 16 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: up spending her time between that city and the quieter 17 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 1: rural towns along the Colombian Caribbean coast, and while she's 18 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: made it a statement to incorporate Colombian musical traditions into 19 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: her new album. It wasn't always her music of choice. 20 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: As a kid, Lido was drawn to rock and heavy metal. 21 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: She even played in a metal band when she was 22 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: just eleven, But it was only after moving to Toronto, 23 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: Canada when she was nineteen that Letho reconnected with the 24 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 1: sounds of her home country. In miss Colombia, Leto tackles 25 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: the pain of womanhood and anti blackness through what she 26 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: describes as a series of cynical love letters to her 27 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: country of birth. One song is titled bellow Cuku, a 28 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: song written from the perspective of a young Afro Colombian 29 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: girl who gets her hair straightened for the first time. 30 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 3: Oh Bello. 31 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: The song is arranged in the Afro Colombian genre of uyarenge, 32 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: traditionally sung exclusively by women. This song is special to 33 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: Litho because it's a collaboration with the legendary Afro Colombian 34 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: group Sexteto Tabala, one of Lido's earliest musical influences. In 35 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: this segment of our How I Made It Series, Lido 36 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: Pimienta shares how her love for traditional Colombian music came 37 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: to be and how she created a song she would 38 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: have loved to have heard. 39 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:57,799 Speaker 2: As a kid. 40 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 3: Growing up, was a little bit of a rebel. I 41 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 3: was listening to electronic music and metal, Like I had 42 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 3: my headphones on and I will take them off and 43 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 3: then I'll have like themes ds blasting in my face 44 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 3: and I'll be like, I hate it. But then you 45 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 3: grow up and then you understand it and you appreciate 46 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 3: the culture and the music for what it is. There's 47 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 3: this song by yom Ds and it's called La Plata, 48 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 3: So there's a part of the song where he's saying 49 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 3: like everybody's fighting, everybody's fighting, everybody's fighting. 50 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: Fo. 51 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 3: When I heard that and when you when you see 52 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 3: that live, it's really punk. When I heard that song, 53 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 3: it really made me look at in a different way. 54 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 3: And because I was listening to all of the electronic 55 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 3: music and hardcore punk and all that stuff. The appreciation 56 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 3: and the love for Afro Columbia music came later in 57 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 3: my teenage years. 58 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 4: And then one of my. 59 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 3: Cousins he sat me down and he was like, so, 60 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 3: why are you always listening to this like depressing British music? 61 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 3: And I was like, what do you mean. It's like, 62 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 3: have you heard of sex and no, I haven't heard them. 63 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 3: So he played Sexeto for me and I remember just 64 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 3: listening to them for a whole week and I learned 65 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 3: their entire discography that week, like I couldn't believe it. 66 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 3: Are a legendary sexteto group from Sanbacino Plenke and they're 67 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 3: a beautiful Afric Colombian group. Their descendants of Benko Bojo, 68 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 3: who was the first live talor. He freed his people 69 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 3: from slavery. Samasio is the first free town from slavery 70 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 3: in all of the Americas. So their music speaks to 71 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:22,919 Speaker 3: resistance and love. It really it did something to me. 72 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 3: It broke me and then it sewed me back together. 73 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 3: You know. That's when I was like, I need to 74 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 3: give Portige head and told me or a break for 75 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 3: a little bit. And then I really delved into the 76 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 3: voices of Elbina Madonalilainish and it happened right at that 77 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,359 Speaker 3: transitional moment where I had to move to Canada, and 78 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 3: I'm very grateful for that because when I moved to 79 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 3: Canada and you don't have friends, you don't have your family, 80 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 3: you really need to stay grounded. And after Columbian music 81 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 3: really allowed me to survive, you know, my first winter. 82 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 3: A song that grounded me in my first winter in 83 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:24,559 Speaker 3: Canada was a song by Otelbina Malonado which is called 84 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 3: Jorando Telda. 85 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 4: Yaddo, and it really helped me calm myself down and 86 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 4: know that nothing is gonna. 87 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 3: Change or improve if I if I'm just crying, I 88 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 3: should just take that energy and do something with it. 89 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 3: And then I started writing writing music. So the idea 90 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:54,119 Speaker 3: for Miss Columbia started in twenty fifteen at the infamous 91 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 3: Miss Universe. 92 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 2: Miss Universe two thousand. 93 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 3: Is Colombia, when Steve Harvey gave the crown to Miss Columbia. 94 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 2: Okay, popesh, I have to apologize. 95 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 3: When it was supposed to go to Miss Philippines. 96 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 2: The first runner up is Colombia, Miss Universe two thoy fifteen. 97 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 2: It's Philippines. 98 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 3: For Colombians. That was like war has been declared. I 99 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 3: had never seen Colombians, like Colombian diaspora and Colombians in 100 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 3: Colombia be so united for something so stupid. So I 101 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 3: started writing these songs, you know, as a way to 102 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 3: just like calm myself down, and they slowly but surely 103 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 3: became in these poems that became cynical love letters to 104 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 3: my country. Do I guess? And Oho Santus Balas Miss 105 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 3: Columbia speaks about Senorita Columbia, but also I miss Columbia. 106 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 3: I'll go back, and sometimes I feel like a complete stranger. 107 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 3: And I know that some of my family members also 108 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 3: see me as a complete stranger because the memories that 109 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 3: they had of this little girl are not there anymore. 110 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 3: That's what the album is about, is coming to terms 111 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 3: with who I am, coming to terms with the perceptions 112 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 3: of what those around me have about me, and how 113 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 3: no matter how much I try for it to not 114 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 3: affect me, it does affect me. This album is a 115 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:16,839 Speaker 3: lot about pain, pain of being a woman, but also 116 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 3: the pain of being black Indigenous. Pello Cuckoo means nappy hair. 117 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 3: Cuckoo is our word in Columbia for nappy. When I 118 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 3: had to do my first communion, I had to get 119 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 3: my hair straightened, and I never forgot that first feeling 120 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 3: of the chemicals and the smell and the pain. So 121 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 3: in Pello Cuckoo, I just wanted to sing from the 122 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 3: perspective of that little girl that gets her hair straightened 123 00:09:53,360 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 3: for the first time black, what does a man? No, 124 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 3: I needed to find the space for those little girls 125 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:15,559 Speaker 3: that don't understand why this is happening. Why is in 126 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 3: the natural texture that naturally comes out of my skull 127 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 3: accepted by this this thing in Colombia that it's still 128 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 3: being said today that you have to improve the race. 129 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 3: Those are the things that we grew up listening to it. 130 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:36,719 Speaker 3: And because these are my love letters or cynical love 131 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 3: letters to Columbia, you know I needed to say that. 132 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 3: So I try to bring my poetry forth and inspire 133 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 3: the conversation to move forward with more tenderness life. But no, 134 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 3: most of the things that I do or who I 135 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 3: am in my present life are the people that I 136 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,079 Speaker 3: needed when I was growing up that I didn't have 137 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:13,719 Speaker 3: by my side to guide me. So when I'm singing Pellou, 138 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 3: I'm singing to myself Mama. 139 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 5: Yay casa, the words of singer songwriter Ndo. 140 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: Her new album Miss Columbia is out now Jolo. This 141 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:48,439 Speaker 1: episode was produced by Julia Rocha and edited by Louis Trees, 142 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 1: with help from Jane Yamoka. The Latino USA team includes 143 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:57,439 Speaker 1: Miel Masias, Sophia Parisa ca Ueta, Martine, Alissa Escrce and 144 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: Alejandra Salasad with help from Rau Berees. Our engineers are 145 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,319 Speaker 1: Stephanie Lebou, Julia Caruso, and Leah Shaw. Our Director of 146 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: Programming and Operations is Natalia Fidel Hutz. Our digital editor 147 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: is Amandel Cantra. Our interns are Sophia Sanchez and Marie Mendosa. 148 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: This week, we say goodbye to our producer Jennis Yamoca. Jennis, 149 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 1: thank you for being such an essential and beautiful part 150 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:24,679 Speaker 1: of the Latino USA team and of Futuro Media. You 151 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,439 Speaker 1: started as a digital editor and then your dream of 152 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,199 Speaker 1: becoming a producer for Latino USA came true because of 153 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: your determination. Thank you for all of your beautiful stories 154 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 1: and for highlighting Peru and your indigenous roots and California. 155 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: We're going to miss you and good luck. Our theme 156 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 1: music was composed by Zangia Robinos. If you like the 157 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 1: music you heard on this episode, stop by Letinousa dot 158 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: org and check out our weekly Spotify playlist. I'm your 159 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 1: host and executive producer Maria Noojosa. Join us again on 160 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: our next episode and in the meantime, look for us 161 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: on all of your social media paste. La Proxima Chao. 162 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 2: Latino USA is made possible in part by the Ford Foundation, 163 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:12,199 Speaker 2: working with visionaries on the front lines of social change worldwide, 164 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:17,719 Speaker 2: the John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the 165 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 2: Heising Simons Foundation, unlocking knowledge, opportunity and possibilities more at 166 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 2: hsfoundation dot org. 167 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 3: It's like lament songs about the heart and the woman 168 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 3: not wanting my love, and we are all going to 169 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:43,439 Speaker 3: be very sad right now because my love is not 170 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:44,839 Speaker 3: being heard, you know.