Mexicans love a good sapfest! That drippy, cheesy, sugar-sweet romantic music, turned into a huge overproduced spectacle, one is not sure whether to love or to hate. In my case it has certainly been something that had to grow on me over time. But occasionally there is that one tune I just could not ignore...
Even though I kept recognizing it on the radio or when a neighbor put it on, it actually took me a while to find out the title and the interpreter's name. (And no, it's not Julieta Venegas, though it could be...) In fact, it sounded very 1950-esque, if it was not actually from that time period. After all, big hits rarely disappear in Mexico. However, this one was in fact more recent.
A Lot Like Doo-Wop
As it turned out, the song Tu Falta de Querer by Mon Laferte is just about ten years old. But from the sound of it, don't you also picture a Marylin-like girl with bee-hive and polka dots singing into a big microphone? But no, in this case the song merely goes back to 2014, when the singer-songwriter made an improvised recording of it in her living room, which she then posted on her social media. Contrary to her expectation, that no one would even look at it, the song became an instant sensation, and a year later she included a polished studio recording of it on her third album.
Kinda Like José José
When it comes to great spectacles, there is one singer who can't be topped: José José, the "Prince of Song" dominated the Mexican - and subsequently Latin American - musical scene during the 70's and 80's, exemplifying overproduced shows that were so much in style at that time. I'm not a big fan of José José (which may be the reason I haven't written a post about him), but I can't deny his exceptional vocal talent. Not something one can easily imitate.
Mon Laferte tried it anyway, and I must say, quite successfully. Her style and appearance was certainly immaculate, giving her an awesome stage presence. As for her singing... I know, some of you purists are going to point out her throatiness. Like that she should stick to singing Heavy Metal, or that she is resorting to screaming because she can't possibly repeat what the Prince of Song has created. I can see your point, which my wife, a huge José José fan, keeps pointing out tirelessly. Still, I can't help myself: I simply prefer the Mon Laferte version of La Nave del Olvido.
Just Like A Woman
As the third selection for today's #ThreeTuneTuesday I'd like to add the song La Mujer, which Mon Laferte performed with Gloria Trevi. The latter is another Mexican singer-songwriter who reached the high-point of her career in the 1990's, before she became more known for the human trafficking scandal she had been involved in. These days she's regained some of her popularity, particularly since the LGBT+ community adopted her as their icon. Again, I have not posted about her, since her music has never struck a chord within me. But this particular song I do kinda like, perhaps because of Mon Laferte.
Join the TTT Challenge
This post is my entry to this week's ThreeTuneTuesday challenge created by 