With more than a month remaining on the TerraCeo Festival’s sold-out slate this year, Mexican singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas will head to Vigo next Saturday to delight fans. Her latest work, Your Story, continues to draw attention as the artist keeps evolving while sharing intimate moments through song.
With a career that speaks volumes, the question arises: how did the decision to revisit the past in the new album come about? Venegas explains that her recordings mirror a phase she is navigating in life. They capture little snapshots of different situations, and she is at a point where she is open to the past rather than pushing it away. She has long believed that both the good and the bad belong to her story, and rather than erasing experiences, she aims to weave them into the fabric of who she is. This approach, she says, is essential to the learning process.
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- Julieta Venegas (California, 1970) stands as a legendary figure in music, boasting a career supported by dozens of awards, including Grammys, Latin Grammys, MTV Music Awards, and Spanish Music Academy Awards, after debuting with the album Here in 1997.
In the track “Tu historia,” heartbreak and breakups appear to draw from this philosophy. Venegas confirms that the album is filled with heartbreak, yet it also blends elements of dancing alongside crying. The themes explore love’s beginnings and endings as well as friendship. She loves telling stories in all their forms, not limited to romantic love, but expanding to love within family, children, parents, friends, and the many dimensions that make relationships meaningful. For her, love acts as a force that binds people together and remains a vital part of life in every relationship.
And after a long period dedicated to this project, what fuels her drive to continue? The answer lies in daily work and expression rather than chasing past milestones. She considers the past neither a burden nor a badge of success; it is simply part of an ongoing process. Making music is an act of self-expression, a core aspect of who she is. If she ever silenced that part, she would lose a piece of herself, so continuing felt inevitable. A few years ago, especially before 2019, she paused at times to reconsider touring and recording. The pandemic slowed plans and brought a time of solitary creation, where she sat by the piano to compose without a clear destination. It was a period of exploration that eventually led to the birth of Your Story. Music, for Venegas, remains a personal language she cannot abandon—and one that she needs to keep in her life.
As a woman, Venegas acknowledges the responsibility of raising her voice, and she addresses the obstacles she has faced. She says that she has not felt hindered in her career, noting that from the start she negotiated contracts on her terms and showed she would not be easily molded. Today, she feels a strong connection with audiences and believes in the symbolic power women bring to music. She also speaks openly about fear that persists for many women walking home at night, a sentiment she encapsulates in the song Caminar sola on this latest album. The message is clear: this issue deserves conversation not only among women but with friends, family, partners, and male allies who can help shift the dynamic toward safety and equality.
When it comes to musical influences, Venegas highlights several contemporary acts. She admires Sílvia Pérez Cruz, whose recent album Toda la vida, un día, resonates deeply with her. Chilean artist Mala Mía has made a strong impression as well, particularly for blending urban sounds with experimental sensibilities. Argentine musician León Cordero also stands out for integrating urban elements with folklore, creating a modern, cinematic listening experience. For Venegas, listening to records feels like stepping into a story, much like watching a movie or completing a photograph, rather than simply hearing a collection of songs.
What is her guidance for emerging voices stepping into the music scene? Venegas emphasizes the practical route offered by modern technology, but she insists that learning to play an instrument remains foundational. Instrument mastery unlocks creative freedom, while technology provides tools to experiment with sound. Ultimately, performing live offers a crucial experience in communication with the audience, a timeless element of the songwriting process.