Natalia Lafourcade: Tiny Desk Concert

Natalia Lafourcade is a successful singer-songwriter whose voice and music live on the edge of pop, but maintain a distinct independence.

A few years ago, while Lafourcade was traveling Brazil, she felt a great nostalgia for her native Mexico and its folk music. When she finally returned home, she immediately called some friends for the kind of party that is ubiquitous in Latin America: lots of social drinking, lots of food and lots of guitars and singing. Classic folk songs were on the playlist and a good time was had by all.

Someone recorded the informal jam session and Lafourcade's management team heard the tapes. "This is your next record!" they told her.

That record, Musas: Un Homenaje al Folclore Latinoamericano en Manos de los Macorinos, Vol. 1,was a commercial and critical hit, and received a Latin Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. It only made sense for Lafourcade to bring her Musas tour to the Tiny Desk. The performances are an ode to a magical time in Mexican popular music, one that is revived with every note this singer and her band perform.

One important historical note: The two older gentlemen on the video are Juan Carlos Allende and Miguel Peña, two revered musicians who played with the iconic rancherasinger Chavela Vargas.

Set List

Musicians

Natalia Lafourcade (vocals), Ernesto Anaya (traditional Mexican guitar), Uriel Herrera (drums), Jorge Molina (double bass), Juan Carlos Allende [Los Macorinos] (acoustic guitar), Bernardo Ruiz (electric guitar)

Credits

Producers:Felix Contreras, Bronson Arcuri; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Bronson Arcuri, Morgan Noelle Smith, Tsering Bista, Maia Stern; Production Assistant: Jenna Li; Photo: Liam James Doyle/NPR

For more Tiny Desk concerts, subscribe to our podcast.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.