To French-born Chilean rapper and activist Ana Tijoux, the role of artists is to be “companions to history,” to use their platform and publicly denounce injustices with their lyrics and performances.
“It’s very important to stand up and align yourself with all of humanity,” Tijoux said.
Through her music, Tijoux has shed light on Chile’s class conflicts, as well as feminism and unity across the globe. On Thursday, she’ll be among the special guests joining Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic for “Canto En Resistencia” (“Singing In Resistance”) at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
The announcement of Gustavo Dudamel’s 2026 move to New York prompts reflection on his work with the L.A. Philharmonic. A story gallery.
It’s part of the two-week California Festival celebrating new global music with statewide performances spearheaded by the music directors of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Diego Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony.
With “Canto En Resistencia,” the L.A. Phil is celebrating iconic protest music by Latina artists through Sunday. In addition to Tijoux, Thursday’s performance will feature Colombian singer and rapper Gloria “Goyo” Martínez, Mexican singer-songwriters Ely Guerra and Lila Downs, and Colombian singer and actress Catalina García.
Mexican indie star Silvana Estrada is performing Friday through Sunday, exploring themes of love, gender, and violence.
Latin American composers Roberto Sierra, Tania León, Gabriela Ortiz and Arturo Márquez are part of the series. They’ll be paying tributes to 18th century fandango and danzón’s legacy, as well as to Chilean folk singer and social activist Violeta Parra and women’s rights pioneer Susan B. Anthony.
Tijoux has often said that hip-hop is the land of those who have no land, and in recent days has remained defiant in her public support for the people of Palestine. Through social media, Tijoux has called for a cease-fire in Gaza as the Palestinian death toll has surpassed 10,000 in the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
“Whether you are a singer or a journalist, I know there are many people who fear losing a job or doors being closed, but I believe that the role of humanity is to justly open doors,” Tijoux said.
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On Thursday, Tijoux will perform “Cumbia Valiente” with García, the vocalist and writer for the Bogotá-based musical ensemble Monsieur Periné. García composed the song during the pandemic and invited Tijoux to take part in it to connect the struggles of South America. It will be the first time they perform it live together.
García said it’s a joy to play their music “through different formats” and doing so with Dudamel and the orchestra “is like a dream come true for me.”
To García, cumbia is like corn — “something we share in all of Latin America.”
“Cumbia is also a cultural space of resistance that has been able to resist all influences and forms of conquest,” García said. “It connects us.”
García recalls the mass demonstrations that erupted in Colombia in 2021 after former President Ivan Duque introduced a tax reform that protesters railed would disproportionately impact working-class Colombians already struggling during COVID-19.
The tax measure was withdrawn but protests continued amid reports of police violence and disappearances. Amnesty International documented cases of “public security forces using gender-based violence as a tool to repress and punish women, girls, and LGBTIQ+ people.”
Feeling anguished and hopeless, García said she was also inspired to write “Cumbia Valiente.” Artists, she said, had an opportunity to “propose other visions of society.”
“We couldn’t keep quiet,” García said.
“Although we were living almost with one hand forward and one behind, as my mother says, ‘We have the strength of our voice,’” she said.
For Estrada, who in 2022 earned a Latin Grammy for best new artist, it’s essential to sing songs that touch on denunciation and that are political in nature.
“Globally, it gives me pleasure to be able to sing for love, peace, universal fraternity — things that are so present in Latin American music and will now be reflected in ‘Canto En Resistencia,’” she said.
To play her music with Dudamel and the L.A. Phil, she said, “is one of the most incredible things that can happen to you.”
Estrada will perform “Si Me Matan,” a song in reaction to the femicides plaguing Mexico, where — according to the United Nations — government data show that about 10 women and girls are killed every day by intimate partners or other family members.
The video for “Si Me Matan,” shows women breaking down in tears as Estrada serenades them.
Estrada — who is known for singing about romantic love — envisions a world with more empathy between citizens, between countries.
“I think that’s one of the traits of love, the capacity to be able to love someone, to put yourself in their shoes, and want the best for that person,” she said.
Estrada’s focus on romantic love morphs.
“I try to encompass more of a more generous love with the world, and I think that love, as a political value, represents community, support, empathy, fraternity, solidarity,” she said.
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