Julieta Venegas: ‘Men must also drive change, not just women. Start by questioning what we consider normal in our mindset’

The crowd’s voices resonate loudly as Julieta Venegas, elegantly dressed in red, performs before a sea of people in the Zócalo, Mexico City’s historic central plaza. Earlier in the day, the young singer-songwriter Laura Itandehui graced the stage alone with her guitar, marking the beginning of this year’s “Tiempo de Mujeres” festival. This annual free event hosted for the sixth year by the government of Mexico City brought Venegas and other performers to fill the expansive plaza with three hours of music on March 16.

“It’s the first time I’ve played at the Zócalo and wow — it’s huge in every sense,” said Julieta Venegas a few hours before the concert. We met the American-born Mexican singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and producer in her hotel, just after doing her final sound check. The city burned hot under the midday sun and the air was stifling even in the shade. “I really wanted to perform this show, because it feels like I’m wrapping up a long cycle since I released my last album (Tú historia, 2022). When the opportunity came up, I thought, ‘How powerful it would be to play it here.’ People ask me, ‘Why are you like this?’ and I just smile. I’m feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. Lots of emotions going on inside me.” Her eyes are smiling even though her face is serious. Venegas’ voice pitches up when she says “Zócalo,” “play” and “Mexico City.”

“I visit Mexico pretty often. In January, I came here on vacation with my daughter. It’s always nice to visit, you know, but there’s an extra bit of excitement to come and play music.” Venegas has lived with her daughter in Buenos Aires for six years. Her twin sister, Yvonne, told us in 2020 that the singer was ill and depressed while living in Mexico. “She wasn’t happy. So she went to Argentina and now she’s great.” Julieta Venegas has since released two albums — La enamorada (2019) and Tu historia (2022). Settling in Buenos Aires reignited her desire to perform live after a year away from the stage.

Her songs are timeless. Venegas released her debut album Aquí (1997) when she was 27 years old. An eclectic mix of reggae, rock and trip-hop defined her third studio album, Sí (2003), propelling her to global stardom. Back then, social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube didn’t exist, emails were the main form of messaging, iPods had just come out and the BlackBerry was starting to eclipse Nokia flip phones.

If you want a little bit of me/ You should wait/ And walk slowly. That’s how Lento — the first track on Sí — begins. The message is the same, no matter when you listen to the song. “I talk a lot about human relationships. When I write, I think about something that’s happened to me, my sister, or someone I know,” Venegas told journalist Cristina Pacheco in 1998. Ten albums later, her approach to writing songs hasn’t changed. “I’ve tried experimenting with different writing styles over the years, but I always end up circling back to a point where I really have to feel what I’m saying, you know? Maybe I’m a bit immature as a writer because I struggle to detach myself and be more objective, or tell a story from a third-person perspective... The lyrics I write need to hit me a certain way.”

Venegas’s self-expression in writing and speech reveals her deep immersion in books. According to her father, José Luis Venegas, she reads 10 hours a day. “My dad tends to exaggerate a lot,” she said with a smile. But reading is an essential part of her life. “When I can, I read for about three hours. Lately, with all the traveling and other stuff going on, I just don’t have the mind for it. But, honestly, I do need that routine.”

Conversations in Mexico these days tend to turn to politics. In 11 weeks, the Mexican people will elect their first female president unless something dramatic happens. “Doesn’t matter if you’re on the right or left, everyone’s going to vote for a woman. I really hope it’s not just symbolic — I want this to rattle the systems that keep us stuck. This society doesn’t take women into account, whether it’s in the justice system, families or everyday life.” Her words echo those of many Mexican women hopeful for what a female president can do. “It’s amazing to see it symbolically and poetically, but let’s face it — we’re still a very sexist country with lots of issues we haven’t even begun to tackle. Hopefully, this will shake things up a bit!”

In March 2020, Julieta Venegas released Mujeres, a single about what it means to be a woman in Mexico. Statistics on gender violence often underestimate its severity. Presently, 10-11 women are killed daily, with a 95%+ impunity rate. Only 1 in 10 victims report their attackers due to fear and distrust in authorities. Women are revealing themselves / Men don’t know what to do goes the chorus of her song. What can men do to support women? “Men must also drive change, not just women. I say this in my songs. Start by questioning what we consider normal in our mindset. It’s not right to dismiss behaviors by saying ‘That’s just me.’ To improve how we’re seen and treated, we must first address relationships and intimacy in daily life.”

The girl in Tijuana who fell in love with music, seated at a piano engrossed in classical compositions, has now emerged as one of the world’s eminent artists. Venegas has won 10 Latin Grammys and performs all over the world. She has shared the spotlight with iconic bands like Soda Stereo, opening for them in 1997 and 2020. Even when she started back in the 1990s, her music always exudes profoundness in both composition and arrangements. It transcends rock and pop — it’s simply Julieta Venegas.

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