Concert Review: Natalia Lafourcade is our Cancionera in Newark
Review & Photo by Tara Saraf
“Siempre me pierdo en el tiempo. Es uno de mis hobbies favoritos [I always get lost in time. It’s one of my favorite hobbies],” shares Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade, who is renowned in her home country of Mexico and a winner of seventeen Latin Grammys. The Cancionera Tour, which kicked off in Mexico and spans dates across North America and Europe, allows attendees to take a deep breath and enter the world of the songstress as she honors the ones who have inspired and come before her.
A dramatic voice gives instructions to maximize the experience before the red ambience disappears and Natalia is center stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. The sets are simple but effective, emphasizing the symbolism and tradition that threads the album together. De Todas Las Flores, the title track of Natalia’s last album, is sung passionately and was everything I had hoped for. “Cariñito de Acapulco,” the second song of the set, places us on a canoe drifting on smooth waters as Natalia sings romantically in the distance. The performance brings the concerts C. Tangana had for El Madrileño to mind, in which culture is similarly the backbone of the project. Natalia was able to fill the space using only her guitar and voice, with some help from the audience. However, she did not forget to thank her team that worked hard behind the scenes.
Beloved songs such as “Soledad y el Mar” and “Nunca es Suficiente” were stripped back but the passion from the crowd still shone through. Hearts, Mexican flags, and spontaneous gritos enlivened the show and made Natalia beam at a sold-out auditorium that was all for her. The song “Mi Tierra Veracruzana” was very special and particularly elicited excitement. We also took a moment to cheer Natalia on after she said she had recently entered her forties and is grateful to have such a rewarding job. As Natalia says, music “doesn’t care” about the things that divide us and can reach hearts across boundaries. Everyone who attended was sure to have experienced something unique, whether it was catharsis, joy, or something else entirely. All in all, Cancionera offers a beautiful addition to Lafourcade’s already exquisite discography.