Lido Pimienta
Lido’s Lyrical Liaisons: We need to hear each other roar (and other ideas that go ding-ding! in the wee hours of the night); a homage, of sorts, to Lido Pimienta.
“En Colombia hay mucha diversidad, y no es justo que los medios ahí siguen promoviendo el estándar de belleza como en ese paquete mono ojos verdes. Lo bonito que tenemos en Colombia es nuestra mezcla, eso es belleza.”
—Lido Pimienta
Unless you’re prone to delight in delusion, it’s important to understand the yin yang of any situation. As example, it’s great to see women in music strengthen and wander the sometimes still-exclusive boys club industry within. On the other hand, we’re also unfortunate witnesses to the continued stifling of female correspondents, voces de mujeres, around the world. While some are able to put a spotlight on inhumanities through music, others subjugate it into silence and death. We ought not allow the voiceless to go unheard which brings to mind the work of artist Lido Pimienta.
Canadaian base – Colombian, Pimienta’s got a steady pulse on the sweet fiya music that beats to a tropical heartbeat core. While listening, you’re suddenly feeling ocean-side and the darling’s voice gently sways you back and forth in hammock dreams. It’s sultry and subdued and catches you off guard spinning you into a fragrant web of visions and sounds meant solely for momentary pleasure. She knows what’s good with catchy chant-worthy emo-pop or . . . whatever you wanna call it. It’s fizzy, electric and enchanting.
In her debut EP, “Color,” you’ll dance along impulsively to synthy happy-pop goodness in all its spectrum. Pimienta makes quirky use of bouncy loops and their infinite possibilities. She cascades you in vocal temper tantrums then seduces you with tropical chants. Her words are sincere. It’s all about human nature. Sounds are an escape and you feel safe inside her music maze.
She’s captivating on “Jardines” with Chancha via Circuito. I must confess it’s a favorite on any given #Ponderers night. She’s sly and slinky with El Remolón on the track “Boxeo”. There’s a lot of love and a lot of angst, the Yin Yang, ¿tú sabes? She’s collaborated with all sorts of cool like Rafi El, Javiera Mena, Atropolis and Mexicans With Guns, among others. She’s down with it and she has a got global appeal.
On a whole other non-musical aspect, Pimienta no tiene pelos en la lengua when it comes to defending someone’s rights or speaking out against any type of injustice. It’s all about humanism and a fist-pumping decree that “we’re-all-in-this-together-so-rise-up-mi-gente!” She’s a visual artist, a curator, workshop coordinator and an all-around badass. This isn’t about feminism. This is about about humanism.
After recently speaking out on injustices in her country, she received death threats and told to apologize or else. Where are we?
“NO ME DISCULPO POR DEFENDER LA CULTURA Y LOS DERECHOS DE AUTOR DE LAS PERSONAS QUE LO MERECEN.”
—Lido Pimienta
She speaks her truth openly. I have mad respect. I have mad anger. It continues to be a sad state of affairs when cowards hiding behind screens threaten people’s life. How can it be a human can’t speak their mind and comment on current social cultural facts because others are blinded by ignorance or simply because they’re benefiting from the lie? We should be ashamed for not batting an eye to the oppression that exists on so many levels. Carmen Aristegui, people. Esto es de telenovelas.
I’m sharing Lido’s music because she’s not afraid to inform and be informed, to listen and respond. She fuels my imagination and inspires what I do. I’m supportive of her efforts and hope you will be, too. There’s no better way for me to show gratitude than by sharing her work and hoping you’ll do the same. It’s important to surround yourself with what makes you better, stronger, more informed. Whether taking in Lido Pimienta’s next visual project or getting lost in the warmth of her music, I hope she brings you much happiness.
My protest comes through writing. This is my weapon of choice in an age of digital warfare. ¿Quién manda aquí? Whatever you choose to be passionate or outspoken about, give it all you’ve got. Inform and be informed. Listen and respond. Let’s hone in on our sense of Zen by working on our humanness to its maximum potential.
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Sandra Treviño is a Chicago based journalist. She is also a founder member of the female colective of DJs #Ponderers.
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