Lido Pimienta Speaks Out on Politics and Music
Colombian Canadian musician Lido Pimienta, known for winning Canada's Polaris prize over Leonard Cohen, is worried about Colombia's new president. Abelardo de la Espriella, who won a narrow victory praised by Donald Trump, has made threats against leftwing artists. Pimienta fears she and others like her would be target number one under his administration.
Despite potential risks, Pimienta has never shied away from speaking her mind. Since her breakthrough second album La Papessa in 2016, she has made genre-defying records addressing racism, colonialism, misogyny, and music industry expectations. She says, 'People tell me I have the best voice but that I'm ruining my career by always singing about politics. What is the point of having a voice, though, if I can't speak freely and resist how my country and our people are being exploited?'
New Album Caribenya and Enya Inspiration
Pimienta's new album Caribenya turns to the dancefloor, capturing the joy and resistance of Colombians in the face of exploitation. She cites Enya as an inspiration: 'I've always admired the I-don't-give-a-fuck-about-none-of-you-ness of Enya. She lives in her castle, she got no kids, she pops out every decade with a soundtrack that makes her even more rich, and she doesn't sell perfume or shoes.' Caribenya imagines what would happen if Enya went to the Caribbean and partied with her Black and brown friends.
Growing up in Barranquilla during Colombia's civil war, Pimienta experienced racism as a Black girl with Indigenous Wayuu roots. She says, 'White Colombians are the majority and I was the exception at school. Everyone would go on holiday to Miami and I would spend my holiday learning how to butcher a goat. I felt foreign in my own country.' She found freedom in the DIY punk and hardcore music scene, where she could resist racism and power.
Anti-Establishment Energy and Toxica
Pimienta's anti-establishment energy shines on Toxica, a highlight of Caribenya. Over a shaker beat, she laments a toxic friendship informed by warped priorities. She says, 'It's about my best friend in the industry telling me to stop talking politics and saying I won't go far because I'm fat. I don't make music to be seen, I make music to feel. I'm an artist, not an entertainer – I don't want to rely on looks or appealing to the male gaze.'
Caribenya was created on her laptop using Ableton software, made in her kitchen while taking her kids to school or baking. It is more earthy and rough-hewn than its predecessor, La Belleza, which featured a 60-person orchestra. Pimienta says, 'I'm a mum of three, and I want to sew tapestries and bake. My mission is to give beauty to the world but I'm always asking if it's worth it.'
Future Plans and Tour
Pimienta's contract with Anti- expires after Caribenya, and she has no plans for future releases yet. She will tour the US and Europe from September to November, spreading the joyous resistance of Caribenya. She says, 'We need to keep our culture and our languages alive. I want people to play the songs so loud in their car; I want them to dance so hard, cry and laugh and get angry. Because we're not mad enough.'
