GRAMMYs

Alejandra Guzman

News

Alejandra Guzman On Her 30+ Year Career, Live Album At The Roxy And Writing Hits | Up Close And Personal

Facebook Twitter Email
The Mexican rock icon talks empowering women, working with Sebastian Krys and Desmond Child, career highlights and more...
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Nov 7, 2019 - 5:50 pm

Alejandra Guzman, one of Mexico's greatest living rock voices, continues her more than 30-year musical career with her latest release, Alejandra Guzman: Live At The Roxy, in which she pays homage to Spanish rock classics from Maná to Gustavo Cerati in Los Angeles, one of the unofficial Laitn captials of the country. 

The "Mirala Miralo" singer and showstopping performer, who was exposed to  music thanks to her father, Enrique Guzman, a rock and roll trailblazer in Mexico and an actor, chose the Roxy on the West Hollywood Sunset strip for its rock history. "The Roxy has a lot of stories," she tells the Recording Academy.

Up Close And Personal With Alejandra Guzman

The energetic Latin GRAMMY winner and GRAMMY nominee, known for her distinct voice, her rebellious allure, and unconventional fashion, has penned many of her own stories and has become one of the most iconic songwriters in Latin America, says she likes to write about what feels real to her, including her most challenging experiences. 

"I take the lessons of life and make them songs," she said. "I know it's a hit because I always cry."

Guzman got Up Close And Personal with the Recording Academy about why she chose Los Angeles to record her latest album, songwriting during some of the greatest and most challenging moments in her life, including her breast cancer diagnosis, empowering other women in the music industry, her rock influences and more. 

Your latest album, you recorded live at the Roxy. Why record your album in Los Angeles?
The Roxy has a lot of stories and I think that it's very intimate to play in. It was crazy because I had just had surgery and [producer] Sebastian Krys, called me [to ask,] "Do you want to do this? It's all rock and roll. We can pick whatever you like and we can do an album and a DVD and everything." It sounded so good that I just jumped from the bed and came. We rehearsed like one week, it was crazy. But I knew these songs before, so it was really crazy to leave Alejandra Guzmán on a side and be me, the one that started listening to music and was always in the mosh pit. I was always crazy, but I was 14 when this music was all over. So I love this album because I know some of the artists, I know Maná, I knew Charly García and I love him, Miguel Ríos, I saw [Gustavo] Cerati once, but I never meet him like a person. So I admire them and I think it's a good moment. I need rock and roll in my life.
 

You've been in this industry for more than 30 years. Tell me about when you've felt like a fan. 
I [was lucky] to open a concert for the Rolling Stones and I sang with James Brown once in a Hard Rock, and [also with] Rita Coolidge [and] Huey Lewis. I have had several moments in music with very special people. I used to [listen to] Eurythmics, Police, that kind of music ... Cyndi Lauper in the '80s. I think that those [artists you listen to when you're younger] stay in you as an influence. My father is also a rock and roll pioneer, he did "Hound Dog" in Spanish. So I always liked to play being the rockstar in front of the mirror and it became true. I mean, it was a dream. A dream come true. And I still get nervous before I go on stage. I like to do my makeup, I like to make my outfits sometimes ... it's part of what I have always wanted

You mention your dad, Enrique Guzman, a famous singer in Latin America. Was your first musical memory with him? 
Yeah, it was with him. Because I went to the theater and I learned the whole choreography, the songs, and they did a lot of musicals. Then I started doing theater with my mom, and all my sisters are actresses so I decided not to be another actress because I [would forget the script] and [would get] really nervous.
 
When you look back 30 years, what is one moment or something that you are most proud of?
That I did it. That I showed my mom and my dad that I was myself and that I didn't copy anybody. I'm a performer, not just a singer. And that's what I like. Every concert that I do, I like to sweat a lot because I give myself, all my soul to [the audience,] So I am proud of that. I'm proud of who I've [become], like a character, like I can [do anything.] You know, sometimes it's hard. Sometimes it's not easy because of social media, it's changing everything. Also the industry has been changing. When I started it was ... vinyl, and then the CD, and then now there's no CDs anymore. So it's crazy.
 
You are an iconic songwriter. You have some of the most iconic songs in Mexico. When you're writing, how do you know when you're done with a song?
Well, I've always written with [other] people because I don't know how to play instruments, but I'm good at lyrics. So I like to listen to the melody or make some melody in my mind and talk about it with [who I'm working with.] For example, with Mario Domm, Camila, we did a great song "Volverte a Amar." He started playing the piano and I started crying. And that's how I know it's a hit because I always cry. And there are some moments in my life not, not as happy, you know? So I take the lessons of life and make them songs. That's a love song, but it's [also about] faith. Like maybe I'm going to love you again. You're the worst, but I'll call you again. It's [about] love and hate and really, you know, it's amor apache, [a destructive kind of love.] But it makes me feel something and most of my songs are real. "Hacer El Amor Con Otro," is a real song that happened to me ... And there's another one that I wrote because I am a breast cancer survivor. So in that moment when I knew that I had cancer, I wrote "Hasta El Final," which talks about how life is like a paper and that I was really afraid of it in that moment. But [that] was just the beginning, not the last part of my life. And there's another one that [I wrote when] I was pregnant and [called] "Yo Te Esperaba." So I wrote a letter to my baby, like, "I want to see your eyes and I'm waiting for the ring of your tone. And this is the best part of my life. I'm happy." Because I stopped ... Well, I tried to stop the big famous ... Craziness about fame. And it was the biggest moment in my career, so I decided to have my baby and [wrote] a song [about it.]
 
Then I did two albums with Desmond Child. Desmond Child, for me, is Desmond Child. You know, I love KISS and I love Aerosmith, and so I came and I said, "I want the world, please give it to me." (laughs) And we won the first Latin GRAMMY. I'm really grateful for him and he's my friend and I love him because he always told me, "Don't be a cookie, go for it." But he's a great producer ... He liked my lyrics so he gave me the [Latin] Songwriter Hall of Fame Award that I'm proud of having. And I did the [another called] "Suerte," and it talks about the love of the fans. I love them, but I love [they] love me back. And it's amazing when I sing it because everybody starts with the lights on their phone and it becomes a sky, you know? And I still rock. I have two hip replacements and I still go and dance and jump. My doctor hates me because of that, but I don't care.
 
 
What keeps you going?
Music. My passion for dancing. I'm happy when I dance, I think is better than a therapeutic thing. For me it's therapeutic because it helps me. And [when] I dance and I'm free, I can do anything. I can eat anything. I'm thin. I work with my brain, with two parts of my brain, and it's artistic. So I keep on doing it.
 
I saw a little bit of your Roxy performance and I noticed that you feature a lot of women musicians. Is that on purpose?
Of course. We need woman power. We need to embrace ourselves and I think this is the moment. And Sebastian Krys, that is a producer, also Juan de Dios, that is the guy that helped us to put it together, and I think it's amazing because it's like a band. I didn't feel like Alejandra Guzmán, like always that I'm just in the front. But [on] stage ... Whomever wants to have fun with me, I'm happy because that's for them. You know, I want everybody to have fun with me.
 
But you think it's important for women to give other women opportunities in the business?
Yes. Also from [Mexico's] The Voice, I picked the girl. She didn't win, but I gave her the opportunity to [sing] with me. It's crazy, but I would like somebody to [have done] that for me if possible. So I do it because I can. I like to help young people and the opportunities are less now. There's a lot of computers and things, but I think we need more artists, real artists, [well-rounded artists.] Because I've always seen in musicals that they know how to act and sing and dance. So for me, a good performer, can do all of them together.

GRAMMY Museum Reveals Flor de Toloache, Angela Aguilar & More As Special Guests For Opening Of Latin Music Gallery

GRAMMYs

Photo: Harmony Gerber/Getty Images

News

Los Angeles' First Permanent Latin Music Gallery Launches At GRAMMY Museum

Facebook Twitter Email
"This is a momentous occasion for the GRAMMY Museum and for Los Angeles," said ribbon-cutting ceremony host Giselle Fernandez
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Nov 19, 2019 - 1:15 pm

A new voice representing Latin culture's impact on music history opened its doors Tues., Nov. 18, at the GRAMMY Museum right in the heart of Los Angeles. 

The city's first permanent Latin music gallery brought together Latin music's biggest stars, industry professionals, political figures and community members for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration of the historic event.

In collaboration with the GRAMMY Museum, the Latin Recording Academy unveiled the Latin GRAMMY: 20 Years Of Excellence exhibit, showcasing pieces from Latin GRAMMY show performances and moments, on the museum's third floor. These include an outfit the late iconic Mexican singer/songwriter Juan Gabriel wore during a performance at the 10th Latin GRAMMYs and an outfit worn by "Despacito" singer Luis Fonsi during his performance at the 18th Latin GRAMMYs. 

The Latin Academy is donating more than half a million dollars to expand the museum's Latin-inspired exhibits, including the permanent gallery and the Latin GRAMMY show exhibit. "This is a momentous occasion for the GRAMMY Museum and for Los Angeles," said ribbon-cutting ceremony host, journalist Giselle Fernandez, a former Latin Recording Academy board member. 

GRAMMY Museum President Michael Sticka said the museum was proud to be the home of the first permanent Latin music gallery in the city. "We're very excited to play host to that," he said in his remarks.

In a statement prior to the opening, Sticka touched on how the exhibit would expand the ethos of the GRAMMY Museum. "Latin GRAMMY, 20 Years Of Excellence and our newly renovated third floor will greatly amplify the Museum's mission to educate, inspire, and share the significance of all forms of music," he said.  

It was not forgotten that the gallery opened in one of the country's cities most-inspired by Latin culture and populated by Latinos. According to 2011 Pew Research Center statistics, Hispanics made up 4.9 million of the Los Angeles County population or 9 percent of the country's Hispanic population.

Hilda Solis, First District Los Angeles County Supervisor and former President Barack Obama cabinet member, reminded the crowd of the significance of the gallery's location. "[This is a] long-time coming for us," she said. "We know the musica is our life, it's our culture, it's our livelihood and it brings us so many good things when things are sour and bad."

The expansion is something Latin Recording Academy President Gabriel Abaroa had been dreaming of for years. "This is a day of thank yous," he said. "I want to thank Michael, the board of trustees of the GRAMMY Museum and all the employees and staffers of the GRAMMY Museum because they have opened their hearts and their doors to us since the beginning."

The grand event came just a few days after the Latin Recording Academy celebrated its 20th Latin GRAMMY celebration at the MGM in Las Vegas and was a celebration continuing its 20th anniversary celebrations.



View this post on Instagram


Aire soy y al aire, el viento no.

A post shared by ngela Aguilar (@angela_aguilar_) on

Recent Latin GRAMMY Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album winner Christian Nodal and GRAMMY-nominated singer Angela Aguilar, were two stars invited to represent the next generation of Latin music and help cut the ribbon. 

The Office of L.A. City Council President Herb Abaroa also presented a certificate declaring Nov. 18 as the official Latin GRAMMY day. The night included performances from GRAMMY- and Latin GRAMMY-nominated Puerto Rican singer/songwriter Raquel Sofia and Latin GRAMMY winners Flor de Toloache and gave the public their first look at the exciting new exhibit and gallery. 

The Latin GRAMMY: 20 Years Of Excellence exhibit will be open Nov. 20 until spring 2020; visit the GRAMMY Museum's website to get tickets.

Bad Bunny, Rosalia, Juanes & More: 5 Unforgettable Moments From The 2019 Latin GRAMMYs

GRAMMYs

Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters)

Photo: Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images

News

New Orleans Jazz Fest 2020: Foo Fighters, Lizzo, The Who & More

Facebook Twitter Email
Other acts include Erykah Badu, Nicky Jam and the Beach Boys
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 17, 2020 - 5:19 pm

New Orleans Jazz Fest has announced it is bringing the Foo Fighters, Lizzo and The Who to the same stage as their 2020 headliners.

But it gets even better. The Big Easy's music fest will also feature Erykah Badu, Stevie Nicks, H.E.R., the Beach Boys, Dead & Company, Nicky Jam, PJ Morton, Maggie Rogers, Tank and the Bangas, Big Freedia, and the list goes on.

The fest celebrating New Orlean's eclectic music culture will take place at the Fair Grounds Race Course on April 23–May 3. Tickets on sale now.  

2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List

GRAMMYs
News

Poll: Who Would You Choose For Best Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album At The 2020 GRAMMYs?

Facebook Twitter Email
Would you choose Bad Bunny, J Balvin, ile, Rosalia or Flor de Toloache?
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 17, 2020 - 2:23 pm

The 2010s were a strong decade for Latin music. The decade gave birth to the Latin urban boom, which brought reggaeton and Latin trap to the top of the streaming charts but also saw artists pushing the Spanish-language music landscape to new boundaries outside of the subgenre. The 2020 GRAMMYs Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album nominees represent some of the artists who have not just earned the admiration of their colleagues but are a testament to the ever-evolving genre that continues to impact global audiences. Who would you choose as the best album?

Is it Bad Bunny's surprise Christmas drop X 100PRE? The full-length album is the Puerto Rican artist's much-awaited debut after releasing singles like "Chambea" and explosive song collaborations with the likes of Farruko, Nio Garcia, Jennifer Lopez, Jhay Cortez, J Balvin and more. His love-stricken raps, a bit of nostalgia, success flexes and tribute to emo music make for an album that is as fluid as his love of nail polish colors. 

Speaking of J Balvin, the Colombian artists and leader of reggaeton's new wave is also nominated for a collaboration album with Bunny himself (yes, Bad Bunny is up against himself in this category). If there's one thing J Balvin has, it's a good ear for collabs and OASIS is an album featuring chill reggaeton-influenced pop songs and ballads, with one even featuring legendary rock frontman Marciano Cantero of Enanitos Verdes, that get you in your feels while simultaneously wanting to dance. 

Polls

Who would you choose for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album?

Or is it Flor De Toloache's Indestructible? The Latin GRAMMY-winning band from New York City's album is a collection of remakes, including bachata master Juan Luis Guerra's "Quisiera" and original songs, but all with their touch of violins, trumpets and other traditional mariachi instruments. The band brings together spectacular duets, among them John Legend and Miguel, and reimagines mariachi music in a creative light that has left people wanting more. 

In a similar vein, Spanish singer Rosalia is pushing uncharted territory with her flamenco-influenced album El Mal Querer and has won many hearts and ears on the journey to her first GRAMMY nomination. Fusing R&B and pop with southern Spain's folkloric music and dance (which she has brought on tour with her), the album has taken the singer global and caught the attention of artists like Travis Scott, J Balvin and James Blake, all who have collabed with the "Malamente" singer. 

And we can't forget about ile, one of Puerto Rico's strongest voices who has created thoughtful, powerful music with GRAMMY winners Calle 13 and reigned victorious in the category at the 59th GRAMMY Awards with iLevitable. In Almadura. The singer's voice serves as a call to action on songs like "Contra Todo," while the album's title is a play on words of "armadura" and honors Puerto Rico's resilient culture and spirit, as well as women's. 

So, who would it be if you could vote? Show us above. 

2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List

GRAMMYs

Maren Morris 

Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

News

RodeoHouston 2020 To Feature Maren Morris, NCT 127, Becky G, Willie Nelson, Khalid & More

Facebook Twitter Email
The livestock show, rodeo and music fest will take place at Houston's NRG Stadium March 3–22
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 10, 2020 - 2:19 pm

Every year RodeoHouston puts on a show as big as Texas itself. This year is no different. The festival has announced its first 17 headliners, bringing together major names from the pop, country, Latin pop and Mexican regional world including Willie Nelson, Becky G, Maren Morris and Ramon Ayala.

Midland, Chris Young, k-pop group NCT 127, Kane Brown, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Gwen Stefani, Khalid, Chris Stapleton, Brad Paisley, and Luke Bryan will also performer at RodeoHouston 2020. The fest will take place at Houston's NRG Stadium March 3–22.

Another round of performance announcements is expected on Feb.4.

Last year, Cardi B set a new attendance record at the concert portion of the Texas livestock show and rodeo event. The rapper brought out 75, 580 people, according to the Houston Chronicle. 

Tickets for the 2020 concerts go on sale Jan. 16 at 10 a.m.

Zac Brown Band Releases 2020 Roar With The Lions Tour Dates