the queen of self-assured experimentation
Nathy Peluso is a genuine Latin Pop polymath in the modern Latina music world; a sort of Jekyll and Hyde figure battling between herself and her bold pop star persona. She opens her latest album Grasa (Eng: Fat) with a lyric suggesting her ambition is killing her, but the scope and execution of the whole album suggest an artist who is very much alive.
In the past she has drawn a lot of heat due to her snarling bombast, teeth gritted swagger and obscene lyrics on her infamous, but humorous rap songs such as Nasty Girl and Sana Sana which by the way are some of the most exemplary acts of ‘raw’ music delivery I have ever seen. But then there’s all these other sides to her music:
- Where she pays homage to her Spanish heritage with Cuplé music such as La Violetera;
- Acoustic yearning on El Día Que Perdí Mi Juventud
- Lavish salsa on Puro Veneno and La Presa, and
- her 50s Italo-balladry on Corleone.
The Argentine-Spanish singer-songwriter is no stranger to this blog, having been featured four times already. As a devoted admirer of her work, I can assure you there will be much more of her music to come. She has been nominated for 3 Latin Grammy awards which will be presented in 46 days (Best Rap/Hip Hop Song with Aprender a Amar, Best Alternative Song with El Día Que Perdí Mi Juventud and Best Long Form Music Video – Grasa).
The lyrics of today’s featured track Envidiosa (Eng: Envious) are abundantly transparent, potent and prophetic regarding her own personal philosophy and conception of ‘success’; reinforcing her dedication to artistry over fame. It dives deep into themes of envy and empowerment as an unapologetic, boundary-pushing artist. It suggests a confrontation with those who criticize or undermine her success, possibly driven by insecurity or resentment. It requires discipline and hard work to stay true to her craft and herself which is analogous to her message in the rap song from the same album Grasa – ‘Aprender a Amar‘ (Learn to Love) where she snarls – ‘Nothing good came from rushing, nothing is achieved without discipline.’
The performance of Envidiosa I have presented below is from the Tiny Desk concert where she delivered a versed ode to Latin American and Spanish rhythms. Peluso is a master of the unexpected, and from first note to last the concert represented what an artist can bring when they highlight the full breadth of their vision. Her soulful and wildly skilled vocal performance in Envidiosa is one for the ages. I hope you enjoy it.
An English translation of Envidiosa follows:
Where are you going?
I saw the way you looked at me
with such arrogance
If I tell you the truth
If I were you
I’d think about it
I like to hear him criticise me when I go out driving
my glamorous Mercedes on a Sunday
Be careful about what you’re going to say
They say being envious is usually contagious
I’d like to see how they would act
How curious I’d be to see
What they would do in my place
I’d bet they wouldn’t last
that it would take them very little time to bail out
They say God gives
one chance
to everyone who asks
But without working
and looking at everyone else
nobody achieves it
What do I care about people?
I was born to win
Let them speak to the winds
My mother gave me a talent
knowing how to ignore them
Let them say whatever they want
I was born to win
My mother gave me a talent (Mum, tell them)
Knowing how to ignore them
References:
1. Nathy Peluso: Grasa review – don’t overlook this Latin pop polymath – The Guardian
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
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