Alt.Latino: Rawayana on their new album and a changing Venezuela

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• The opening line of Rawayana's album '¿Dónde Es El After?' was intended as a general expression of feeling and a desire for toxic people to leave, but it gained intense, real-time significance following the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro shortly after the album's release.  Copied to clipboard!
• The album '¿Dónde Es El After?' is conceptually structured around a house party, blending diverse Caribbean influences like Afro-Venezuelan drums, Puerto Rican reggaeton vibes, and Dominican merenhouse (like Proyecto Uno's sound) with Venezuelan folk music (tonada) to reflect the complex identity of modern Venezuelans.  Copied to clipboard!
• Rawayana members view dancing and musical celebration as a form of resistance against difficult political realities, balancing the album's party atmosphere with moments of philosophical reflection, such as the inclusion of the traditional Venezuelan 'tonada' genre.  Copied to clipboard!

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Album Opening Line Context

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(00:00:26)

• Key Takeaway: The album ‘¿Dónde Es El After?’ opens with a line interpreted as a wish for Venezuelan leadership to leave, which coincided with the ousting of President Maduro.
• Summary: The opening line of Rawayana’s album was created while wrapping up production in Puerto Rico, intended to kick off the party energy using Afro-Venezuelan drums. The lyric, wishing for ’expletives to leave,’ was immediately interpreted by Venezuelan listeners as a reference to President Nicolás Maduro. The band emphasized that the line was meant to be relatable and leave room for interpretation, though the subsequent real-world events felt surreal.

Reaction to Political Coincidence

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(00:04:02)

• Key Takeaway: Rawayana members reacted to the political prediction with shock and a sense of surrealism, prioritizing the major national news over their album’s perceived prophecy.
• Summary: The band confirmed they did not plan the timing of the lyric relative to the political events, stating it was an emotional release of feeling. Beto Montenegro expressed initial fear of legal repercussions after seeing videos of people dancing to the song following the news. Both members stressed that the focus was on the major national situation, not on themselves or their album’s perceived prediction.

Capturing Venezuelan Identity

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(00:06:26)

• Key Takeaway: The album successfully captures the complex, evolving sonic and lyrical experience of being Venezuelan in the current moment.
• Summary: The album is noted for successfully capturing the complex identity and feeling of being Venezuelan right now, an experience constantly evolving due to ongoing national situations. The hosts highlighted the song ‘Qué Rico, Puerto Rico’ as an example of reflecting the experience of Venezuelans now living in Puerto Rico.

Inspiration for ‘Qué Rico, Puerto Rico’

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(00:07:12)

• Key Takeaway: The song ‘Qué Rico, Puerto Rico’ was directly inspired by Latin urban music, aiming to blend reggaeton rhythm with Venezuelan cultural elements.
• Summary: The songwriting inspiration for the album leans heavily into Latin urban music, which the band felt they needed to embrace despite being labeled ‘alternative.’ Rawayana aimed to infuse the sexual energy characteristic of Puerto Rican music with their own Venezuelan cultural perspective in the track. Puerto Rico is significant to the band as a place where they lived and created much of their music.

Caribbean Sonic Influences

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(00:09:36)

• Key Takeaway: Rawayana naturally incorporates diverse Caribbean sounds, including Dominican merenhouse, because those genres were foundational to their childhood musical environment.
• Summary: The inclusion of Dominican merenhouse, exemplified by the song ‘Amor de Contrabando,’ stems from the close cultural ties between Venezuela and neighboring islands. Merengue house from the Dominican diaspora in New York was mainstream music played at Venezuelan parties when the band members were children. This integration of various sounds, including Anglo pop and Afrobeats, is seen as natural because Venezuela has historically been a musical melting pot.

Incorporating Tonada Folk Music

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(00:16:24)

• Key Takeaway: The song ‘Tonada Porrega’ serves as a necessary counterbalance to the album’s party theme, channeling traditional Venezuelan folk music to address serious, heartbroken feelings.
• Summary: The inclusion of the tonada genre was a deliberate choice to balance the album’s celebratory, party-centric concept with the reality of being heartbroken over the country’s situation. Tonada is described as a calming, freestyle singing tradition used for milking cows, akin to Venezuelan yodeling. This segment fits the pacing of a long party, representing the philosophical and nostalgic stage of the night.

Reflections on Venezuela’s Future

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(00:21:59)

• Key Takeaway: Venezuelans have developed a skeptical optimism and thick skin from navigating continuous historical change, leading to a focus on designing a better future by studying the past.
• Summary: Fofo Story noted that Venezuelans have developed a thick skin and skepticism from living through so many history-changing moments, making them prepared for various outcomes. Beto Montenegro feels that the band, having lived in the future by manifesting success, now needs to study the past to design a better future as a generation. The band remains optimistic about celebrating and thinking forward despite the current chaotic times.