Chile is located in southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, bordering Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru.
Chilean Music
The traditional music of Chile is a combination of Spanish and indigenous influences. The cueca is the national dance of Chile.
Violeta Parra (1917-1967), a popular folk singer-songwriter and musicologist, played an essential role in Chilean music in the 20th century. She researched and recovered the poetry and songs of rural Chile.
The Nueva Canción Chilena introduced a resurgence of folk music in the 1970s, including Andean music. Leading acts included Víctor Jara, Patricio Manns, Violeta Parra and bands such as Illapu, Inti-Illimani, Los Jaivas (who combined Andean music with progressive rock) and Quilapayún (exiled in France for a few years).
Singer-songwriter Nano Stern has continued the Nueva Canción Chilena tradition. He performed at the influential EXIB showcase in 2016.
Chilean cumbia, derived from Colombian cumbia, has become popular throughout Chile. Leading cumbia artists include Noche De Brujas, Los Cóndor De La Cumbia y Los Rancheros De Río Maule. Some Chilean musicians combined cumbia with rock and other genres. Some of the best known ones are: Chico Trujillo, Juana Fe, La Mano Ajena, Villa Cariño, Cholomandinga, Combo Ginebra, La Sagrada, La Teruka and Guachupé.
In the 2010s, Chico Trujillo’s frontman, El Macha, experienced another change in musical direction. His fascination shifted towards vintage melodies, Peruvian dances, and ballads resonating in Valparaiso’s harbor; the cherished canciones de desamor or despecho (songs of heartbreak and bitterness), sung by all Chileans and sometimes performed at closing time in bars. Macha had always dreamed of performing these melodies onstage in his later years, but why delay?
During a European tour in 2012, Chico Trujillo began dedicating a portion of their performances to these songs, aptly titled El Bloque Depresivo, the melancholic set. This marked a significant departure from the usual festival atmosphere, yet it garnered popularity. Following suit, Macha embarked on another musical project, giving rise to Bloque Depresivo.
Chilean Musicians
Claudia Acuña
Inti-Illimani
Joe Vasconcellos
Los Jaivas
Mariana Montalvo
Matato’a
Quilapayún
Chilean Music Compilations
Chile: Hispano-Chilean Metisse Traditional Music (UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music, 1988)
Rough Guide to Music of the Andes (World Music Network, 1996)
Chilean Music Books
Chilean New Song: The Political Power of Music, 1960s – 1973 by J Patrice McSherry. Temple University Press, 2015. ISBN-10: 1439911525, ISBN-13: 978-1439911525.
Music, Politics, and Nationalism In Latin America: Chile During the Cold War Era by Jedrek Mularski. Cambria Press, 2017.
Styling Blackness in Chile: Music and Dance in the African Diaspora by Juan Eduardo Wolf. Indiana University Press, 2019. ISBN-10: 0253041147, ISBN-13: 978-0253041142.
