Today we’d like to introduce you to La Doña.
La Doña, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I began playing with my family band at seven years old on trumpet and percussion. We play regional Mexican music as well as other types of Latinx music. Over the last two decades, I have taught in countless programs, students as young as three years old and as old at 90 years old. I have been creating music as La Doña for the last couple of years because I felt like the new pop reggaeton was devoid of folkloric roots and instrumentation. I combine contemporary Latin dance beats and rhythms with acoustic instruments from the styles that I play like accordion, trumpet, jarana, guitar and Latin percussion. I have been lucky to sign with my distributor Human Re Sources and be supported as a Foundry Artist with Youtube. I am currently working on releasing my second single off of my upcoming EP.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have struggled with the insecure and mercurial nature of the music industry, especially during this era of COVID. My Ep release was canceled because it fell on the first day of shelter-in-place; my team has undergone complete de- and restructuring; tours have been canceled and the demand for content and livestreams demanded that I teach myself all sides of production to be able to make my art accessible to my people. This has not been a smooth road, lol.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I take pride in being a very outspoken, radical and ethical musician. I am a music educator and love to teach my kids about their city, about their cultural traditions and about their own personal strengths. Teaching Mariachi and Jazz gives me the opportunity to share culturally relevant knowledge with my brown and Black students while inverting the typical Eurocentric musical cannon of schools.
What are your plans for the future?
I am planning to release more music and continue my journey as an artist. I look forward to playing large events again soon but I also realize that musicianship will look different in the upcoming years and I plan on adjusting as needed.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @ladona415
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Interest/La-Do%C3%B1a-720422865006272/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrNmcKrH3dja0f9I1ChVTYA
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ladona415
Image Credits
All photos by Thalia Gochez
