Early album sketch by Mexican singer Karina Sofia Queen Carnien In her mind: she knew she wanted it to be a crisscrossing narrative of strength and independence, reflecting the journey of liberation and self-love she experienced after a toxic relationship. She had put some demos together and played for a music industry friend who listened and immediately said, “Gustavo Santaolalla has to produce this.”
Karina's gamble on who Santaolalla was, and it wasn't until later that she realized that he had produced some of the most groundbreaking albums in Latin pop and rock history, including classic albums by artists like Juanes, Juanes, Julieta Venegas and Cafe Tacvba, which she listened to since childhood. (Santalalla is also the soundtrack of the movie Babel, Love dogs, and Bankruptcy Mountain. ) "I don't know him, but I know his job," Karina said. "But it's a good thing in the end because it's almost like I don't fully understand how serious it is, and I'm not nervous."
Today, Santaolalla is immersed in a million different projects, including the soundtrack work of HBO Show Our last one (He makes music for video games, which are largely reused in the series). But once he heard about Karina’s new work, he was stunned - he decided he wanted to be part of the project. “It attracted me from the first moment,” Argentine polymorphine told Rolling stones In Spanish. "I think it's totally original, with such a strong female perspective, and it's very, very personal. Everything Karina does is very real and original, and she also searches for new sound landscapes."
It's been a bit new to Karina, who has blended Mexican roots and rock the album for a few years now, the idea of lying down in the studio and shaking the album. "I only work where you recorded (a song)." Her experience of recording the entire album with Santaolalla is a beginners boot camp. "I'll walk out of the stall and be covered in sweat," she said with a smile. "But it's like a master class: the process of writing, recording everything."
She had a clear idea of where the story was going. "It's about a woman who loves someone more than she does and has to find her way to herself again. That's why there is the idea of 'la reina' ('Queen'). When you're the queen, no one can take that from you. Self-worth is something that brings within us." The message comes from the album's amazing 11-song arc, starting with the palate-rich "Diamante." On the track, Karina sings to find her inner perseverance and keep moving forward.
The album ends with the outstanding “Mas Alto”, and Santaolalla helps write and perform. The song ends the song with the LP's protagonist reaching a deal on everything she's going through. "That song was the biggest lesson," Karina said. "It took a lot of time to write, the subject matter was more slurry, and it was really exciting. Gustavo taught me a lot through his letters without knowing it because I resonated with a lot of what he wrote." He was there to help her get into the more vulnerable side. Karina’s partner directed the video of the song, which was recorded in Puebla for 7 days to capture the ritual of Voladoras, an ancient Central American festival held in the region. “We have to get their permission and feel very honored to include them in this story,” Karina said.
Santaolalla said that for him, working with artists like Karina was a rich experience. “Most of this project is expressed in a completely honest way because it’s what people demand from artists,” he said. “For me, it’s a very brave album.”
“It’s about power,” Karina added. "Anyone in the world who needs a little inspiration or some empowerment to get rid of something, this is for you. It doesn't necessarily apply only to women or such people - it can be anyone who needs to draw that ability from it."