At 29, Mexican singer/song-writer Ximena Sariñana, is a remarkably mature artist. With her debut album, “Mediocre” (2008), she not only became one of the most acclaimed and popular artists in Latin music, but crossed over into the mainstream U.S. market, garnering a Grammy Award nomination and praise from “Rolling Stone Magazine”, “Billboard”, “The New York Times”, “The Los Angeles Times”, and other publications.
Responding to the extraordinary embrace of Sariñana’s music by non-Spanish-speaking audiences, Warner Brothers released a mostly-in-English self-titled album to acclaim in 2011. This year, Ximena is bringing “No todo lo puedes dar” (Not All Can Be Given) to the audience, the fullest realization to date of Sariñana’s unique artistry. Warner Music Latina releases a deluxe edition of the album, which is mostly written and produced by Sariñana, April 21, 2015. This spring, she’ll headline her “Ain’t Gonna Say No/No Voy A Decir Que No” U.S. tour, and she’ll be opening for Juanes during his U.S. tour this summer.
We had the chance to talk to Ximena Sariñana about her upcoming tour, her new album, and her collaboration with Juanes.
LATIN TIMES: How do you feel about the welcoming that the American audience has given you thus far?
XIMENA SARIÑANA: I feel pretty great, it was totally different experience to me. I have never really had the change to play for them, and with my last album, which was super intense, I was playing mostly in the U.S. I was really surprised by them. I had the change to play for a lot of North-Americans, not so much people with a Latin American background. Most of them were 100% American. And what I realized with this, and it’s something that I’ve never thought before, is that they are surprisingly open to new material, and especially to listening to music in another language. They also enjoyed my Spanish songs, which made me happy.
LT: What can you tell us about your new album “No Todo Lo Puedes Dar”?
XS: Well, first of all, I am very proud of this production. It’s an album that I enjoyed working on because I was very involved with the whole process, absolutely everything about it. I loved it! I loved the whole experience, and I think that, in the end, we came out with an album that is closer to my sound, and musical style. That was very important to me. It made me feel more comfortable, and helped me trust myself more. Like, I felt like I know myself so well now.
LT: How would you describe your sound/musical style?
XS: Well, I think that my production style is a little more on the alternative side, which is more than I had expected. I love pop songs, and their structure. I grew up listening to pop music. But, I love having more complex sounds. I love experimenting, with guitars, drums, and atmospheres. I think that there are a lot of layers to my sound. It’s difficult to say if it’s pop, or rock, or electronic. I like grabbing whatever I like from each style and mix it all together.
LT: How did you end up joining forces with Juanes on his new tour?
XS: I think it was mostly luck. One of those things that happen because you are at the right place, at the right time. Juanes was looking for an opening act and I was putting my U.S. tour together. It sort of made sense, you know? Obviously, it was also possible because I have awesome managers who helped with everything. We all stayed positive and were hoping for it to happen. I feel like it will open the doors to an audience that perhaps wouldn’t normally listen to my music. I think that’s what we all aim for when we open for someone. Also, Juanes and I are very good friends. He is a very cool dude, and he is super generous. We have a lot of friends in common, and I think that’s like, very cool. To go on tour with someone you like, it’s good luck since the beginning.
LT: What can people expect from your tour “No Voy A Decir Que No”?
XS: I think people are going to see a much more developed Ximena on stage. We’ve gathered up really good material so I’m going to be able to perform songs from all my albums. I really want the audience to feel the album’s vibe and energy. It’s got a lot of “punch.” It’s like…I don’t even know how to explain it “Valemadres” (F*** it all). It’s an album that just wants to experiment, and have fun. I didn’t put it together thinking about anything specific. It was all very intuitive, and I want that to be reflected live, on stage.
Make sure you support this Mexican talent on her U.S. Tour:
Ain’t Gonna Say No Tour – No Voy A Decir Que No Tour
5/16 Austin, TX - Pachanga Festival
5/18 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
5/19 Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
5/22 Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater
5/23 Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar
5/24 El Paso, TX - Neon Desert Festival
5/26 Dallas, TX - Cambridge @ HOB
5/27 San Antonio, TX - Korova
5/28 Houston, TX - Bronze Peacock @ HOB
6/8 Birmingham, AL - Saturn
6/9 Nashville, TN - The High Watt
6/11 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo (Club Stage)
6/25 Chicago, IL - Schubas Tavern
6/26 Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest
6/27 Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe @ Old National Center
6/29 Detroit, MI - The Shelter
6/30 Columbus, OH - The Basement
7/1 Philadelphia, PA - World Café Live
7/2 Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall
7/10 Asbury Park, NJ - The Wonder Bar
7/11 New York, NY - Summerstage - LAMC
U.S. Tour with Juanes:
7/28 Bakersfield, CA - Rabobank Theater
7/30 Las Vegas, NV - The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
7/31 Los Angeles, CA - Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE
8/1 Los Angeles, CA - Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE
8/2 San Diego, CA - Civic Theatre
8/7 Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
8/8 Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery
8/12 Tucson, AZ - AVA Amphitheater
8/15 Chicago, IL - Rosemont Theatre
8/19 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
8/20 Reading, PA - Santander Arena
8/21 Mashantucket, CT - Grand Theater at Foxwoods
12/4 Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
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