Vida

Vida is Ana Tijoux’s first album in a decade. That does not mean the Chilean rapper was hiding from the spotlight. In fact, Vengo (2014) brought her to the forefront of global hip-hop, spreading to the world music arena. In the meantime, singles like ‘Pa Que’ (2020) pointed to a more traditional exploration, ‘Rebelión de Octubre’ (2020) with MC Millaray hinted towards a poppier sound, ‘Antifa Dance’ was built over a compelling Latin electronic rhythm. But Tijoux was still testing waters, reflecting on what she wanted to put out as a whole album.

Neither of those aforementioned tracks made it to Vida. After grieving her sister’s 2019 death and focusing on raising her children, while also playing all over the world, Tijoux found the concept she wanted to explore in Vida (Life): known for her anti-capitalist and anti-patriarchal stance, she now chooses happiness over revolt, life over death, signalling that standing for life is in itself an act of resistance, as it upholds dignity and humanity.

Yet some of the musical paths Tijoux was experimenting with previously are definitely here: the opener ‘Millonaria’ is a catchy rap tune with pop sprinkles, the stunning rhythm-heavy ‘Niñx’ infuses us with the bravery to fight for a world where every life is worth the same, ‘Busco Mi Nombre’ slows down to a ballad in a duet with iLe. The apex, however, is the final track, which sums up Vida’s concept, delivering it in a soft electronic joyous wrapping. On ‘Fin del Mundo’, Tijoux sings about the end of the world and how we should celebrate it dancing naked together.

She doesn’t always get there, but when she hits the bullseye we truly believe revolution is just a song away.