Sonic Sundays | Ana Tijoux
Ana Tijoux
Image | Andrés Ibarra, Wikimedia Commons
Ana Tijoux is a Chilean rapper, singer, and artist. Born in 1977 in France to parents who fled the Pinochet regime in Chile, Ana Tijoux often raps about her own life experiences, interweaving them with themes like global feminism, anti-colonialism, and indigenous resistance. She was part of various musical groups before pursuing a solo career after moving back to Chile, performing first in French and then in Spanish. Formerly known as Anita Tijoux, she released her second solo album, 1977, in 2009. 1977 paid homage to the “golden age” of hip hop music and emphasized her rapping skills. In her third album, La Bala (the bullet), Ana raps more about the current events in Chile and around the world, such as student protests in Chile and the Occupy movement. In 2014, she released Vengo, which means “I come.” The songs on this album heavily feature Andean and other traditional instruments mixed with hip hop and jazz, and a prominent theme on the album is indigenous pride.
The title “Antipatriarca” speaks for itself; enjoy the video that celebrates the power and beauty of women and intersectional feminism. “Somos Sur” means “We are the south,” and in this collaboration with Palestinian rapper Shadia Mansour, Ana Tijoux raps about global resistance movements and unity between peoples of the Global South and formerly or currently colonized lands. Listen to the chorus: “all the silenced / all the neglected / all the invisible.” In “Shock,” one of the hit tracks from Grammy-nominated La Bala, Ana critiques capitalism and the conditions that create poverty. The first song on the Tiny Desk is “1977,” the single from the 1977 album, which was featured on the show Breaking Bad.
“Antipatriarca”
”Somos Sur” (we are the south) feat. Shadia Mansour
“Shock”
Bonus video: NPR Tiny Desk Concert, 2010
