GATICA (Chile / France)

Alejandra Gatica was born in Santiago, Chile, and raised in France. She studied theater and cinema before turning to music. Her 2017 self-titled EP won the Prix Georges Moustaki for that year’s best self-produced album. In 2019, health problems and pandemic restrictions forced her to slow down, reshaping the direction of her songwriting. Her debut solo album, Altamar (2024), which means “the high seas” in Spanish, features songs that blend Spanish and French lyrics with global rhythms and South American instruments like the charango.

Featured Song:

Gatica wrote “Embrassons-nous” (Let’s Embrace) during the period when COVID restrictions forbade getting physically close to loved ones. René Lacaille, a renowned folk musician from France’s Réunion Island, plays accordion on the song. Gatica met Lacaille through L’Ultrabal, an eclectic cross-cultural musical collective, and he offered to join her on a recording of the song after hearing her perform it with the group. The song blends elements of French chanson with Colombian cumbia and a festive Caribbean carnival feel. “I have three bags full of flower petals / I will lay them here / In the name of fleeting life / In the name of those who are gone / So let’s enjoy today.”

Artist Website

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