Concert Review: Paloma Mami Brings her “Muñekas” to Life
Review & Photos by Tara Saraf
“For ya”, a single about being devoted to someone even if it could cause destruction, from New York raised Chilean artist Paloma Mami’s album, Sueños de Dalí, mesmerized me on my first listen and I loved the rest of the album’s versatility sonically and visually. Spiritual references also appear across her discography. Códigos de Muñeka (Doll Codes), the newest album from Paloma Mami, features eleven characters created in partnership with Crunchyroll that represent different aspects of her identity. The “códigos”, or codes of the muñekas that represent each song on the album is similar to how, to express themselves fully, bilingual people switch between languages in their daily lives. One of these characters in the various artworks is half human half scorpion; Paloma is a Scorpio herself, retreating back into her shell from time to time and bringing an enigmatic, multifaceted energy to her artistry.
The event/tour is titled “SORRY PAPI”, empowering women and femininity. There were multiple photo ops as well. The Brooklyn Paramount, a historical venue known for artists introducing new genres, fit the album’s aesthetics perfectly with its unique architecture. I felt like I was exploring an expensive dollhouse, each room giving off its own vibe. Paloma Mami’s fans (including myself) came decked out in stylish pink and black outfits with luxurious accessories. The two DJs who took the stage before Paloma performed played reggaeton classics and newer songs by artists like Bad Bunny, Rauw Alejandro and Karol G, adequately hyping us up.
Paloma kicked off the set with songs from the new album like the sensual, sentimental “Mi KAMA” and afrobeat inspired “iGO”. On the screens behind her, Paloma utilized well thought-out color combinations and her love of anime to build and accentuate the visual world of her music. Even though the performance was quite short, Paloma grew more and more confident throughout the show, giving shoutouts to Chile and playing songs like “Not Steady”, her first song that went viral and “ULTRA SOLO REMIX”, a collaboration with Chilean artists Polimá Westcoast and Pailita. Paloma made it a point to collaborate with more Chilean artists on this album, demonstrating her passion for being at the forefront of Chilean representation in the global music space. Although fans waited four years for another album, Paloma’s priorities have been on taking care of herself and taking her time. The overall quietly powerful essence of the project shows that Paloma’s fierceness and goddess energy is being displayed more than ever before.