Las Mexicana

Cual Mexicana? 

The Mexicanas we were exposed to this week were great, with my favorite one being Lola Beltran. I'm not sure if it's due to her ranchera style, but I very much enjoy the emotion she transmits in the songs. However, it's to the point that she almost attempts to replicate the male style of singing with her deep voice. It's as if the only way to be taken seriously is to become a male or as close to it as possible.

Women within music have been pushed to the side, especially within earlier generations. The male singers have been the ones to represent the genera, and set the expectations for the musical style. Even within this course, the artists we learned about were primarily male artists. All throughout we discussed various artists and their influence in the musical genera. However, if you stop and think, the only female ever heavily discussed, other than during this week, is Chavela. Even then, Chavela does not represent the "traditional" female. Other than that, all female artists were lumped into one group, merged, and thus classified as "las mexicanas." No individual title, just simply a unit.

As in my drawing, las mexicanas are present, influencing the spaces they touch, changing the way things are done. However, never fully integrated. They're recognized, their presence and influence acknowledged. At the same time they're fragile, easily erased and partially removed. Only their outline, the sensation that they were once there, lingers.