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Digital Cover Exclusive Día de Muertos
Angela Aguilar and the legacy of a family dynasty rich in tradition
The young singer celebrates with HOLA! Día de Muertos and shows us that she always keeps her connection with Mexican culture alive through music
One of the most important characteristics of many young people born in the United States and of Latino descent is the fact that they don’t turn their backs on their roots. In that sense, Angela Aguilar loves her Mexican heritage and although she was born in Los Angeles, California, the third and youngest of the Aguilar dynasty proudly boasts her strong cultural and musical bond. At only 17 years old, she is already one of the Mexican music singers with the greatest projection at the moment in the United States.
From the passivity of her ranch in Mexico and surrounded by her family, the young woman explains to us what she has learned from her parents about Día de Muertos, one of the most popular traditional celebrations in the Aztec country. Always under the advice and tutelage of her beloved mother, Angela reveals to us in an exclusive chat with HOLA! USA as she keeps alive the tradition that their grandparents Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre started to take Mexican music and its culture to cross borders in this globalized world. For Pepe Aguilar‘s youngest daughter, it is important that as a public figure she inspires new generations to keep our values in force since they are part of our identity and serve as a guide to know where we come from and where we are going.
In addition, we asked about her new musical projects such as her most recent virtual installment entitled “Que no se apague la música”, which was recorded at her home and where she explores different genres with total musical control and knowledge of the different decades. In this regard, the Grammy and twice Latin Grammy nominee offers an unforgettable show in support of the MusicCares foundation, which is part of the prestigious Recording Academy, in which she makes it clear that she is an artist with overwhelming vocal power and a promising future.
“I am proud to be a Mexican-American. I have been studying in the United States all my life. At the end of the day, I am also a citizen of the world. I would never take my traditions for granted because they are years of effort and work. “
“My parents from a very young age taught me that I have to appreciate where I come from, I have to see what is happening in the world, what our grandparents and our ancestors left us.”
How is your transit through this pandemic?
The truth is I cannot complain, I have been with my family. We are all fine, we are healthy, together, we are taking great care of ourselves. On a professional level we are working a lot and we have several projects and on my new album. Right now the whole family is in Mexico, we‘ve been here for six months. We have been here since the pandemic began and I don’t think we will return to Los Angeles until this is over. We also like a lot to be in Mexico, here is our whole team and because we already missed a lot. If we have time to spend with my grandmother in this pandemic, then what better time to do it than now.
Would you change something?
No. The truth is that I love being able to come to the table and talk with my mom and dad. I feel like I‘ve never spent more time with my family, to get to know myself, grow as a person, focus on what is most important because I think what this pandemic is doing is that it is teaching us what is real and that is something very important.
Tell us about your recent virtual work called “Que no se apague la música”…
That it didn‘t turn off was like my quarantine playlist that I was listening to at the time. My mom came up with the idea of doing a concert and then we started creating based on that idea of how we can make a nice concert. We have Music Cares which is a Grammy organization that I have worked with for a long time and is a foundation to help children with their artistic careers. I think it was a great idea, I loved performing those songs because the truth is I don’t sing those things, I loved being able to sing what I listen to.
What does it mean to you to be able to maintain and celebrate the Mexican traditions that you have inherited from your parents?
My parents from a very young age taught me that I have to appreciate where I come from, I have to see what is happening in the world, what our grandparents and our ancestors left us. Since I was a little girl, my mother used to make me make dead people‘s altars and she would tell me the typical stories. Also, every time we went to a concert, we tried to learn as much as possible about the place where we were going to sing. We would go to Guanajuato and they would tell us the stories of the mummies. They took us to see and investigate. They planted the seed for us and we were already growing with our love for Mexico.
Responsibility in traditions ...
I feel that I have a little big responsibility because the little girls are looking to me for an example to follow and I want to convey to them that the traditions are very beautiful. It is our duty as Mexicans and as people to know where we come from. How can you expect to know who you are if you don‘t know where you come from. I really like researching and I have a lot to learn.
Where have you been recently that has linked you to your Mexican roots?
Recently, we went to La Quemada, in Zacatecas and to the Island of the Dolls, in Xochimilco and the pyramid of Teotihuacán where I almost fainted ... It was terrible… I just didn‘t expect it to be so high and I climbed it fast, almost running. On the way down I was very dizzy. I was, I think, 14 years old (laughs).
How do you feel about everything you have been achieving as a singer at 17?
I think it is a privilege, I am one of those people whose work is also their passion, I have around me the best people and the best guides to achieve all my goals. I have a brother who encourages me to improve myself musically, I have a father who demands of me, because he knows what I am capable of achieving, and I have a mother who guides me, takes care of me and always leads me on the right path.
You are 17 years old and 8 years into your career ...
I was just talking about it with my dad the other day and we came to the conclusion that in my life I have always been in contact with this topic of interviews since I started talking to the press when I was 9 years old. It made me crazy because I have more memories than life. I am 17 years old, I do not have that much life, but I have many things that will stay in my head forever.
“My goal is to create happiness, maintain it and plant that little seed that my parents taught me to instill in people to love their traditions.”
¿What advice from your father do you apply the most in your daily life?
I think that even a reminder of my father who has driven me a lot to be who I am has transformed me into the person I am is that he always tells me to do things honestly and that if I don‘t do them honestly and I’m not sincere, he will notice. When I have a clear objective and a clear perspective on why I want to do certain things, it is already like the light at the end of the tunnel and everything else is what surrounds you to reach that objective.
What image do you want to project as an artist?
My goal is to create happiness, maintain it and plant that little seed that my parents taught me to instill in people to love their traditions.
What responsibility do you feel you have as a Latinx?
I am proud to be a Mexican American. I have been studying in the United States all my life. I live six months in Mexico and six months in the United States. The two places are very beautiful and both have their charm; but, I feel more Mexican than American, even though I was born in Los Angeles, but it‘s worth being both. That is why it is very important for me to be very respectful of the traditions of other countries. At the end of the day, I am also a citizen of the world. I would never take my traditions for granted because they are years of effort and work. At the end of the day, I am also a citizen of the world. I would never take my traditions for granted because they are years of effort and work.
Would you like to do a musical duet with a particular artist?
They are going to tell me that I am crazy ... but the truth is, with nobody. Right now I just want to get my music out, feel it more mine. Right now, I‘m going to release an album of unreleased songs that I’m writing with some friends of mine, so I wouldn’t want to do duets at this point in my life. Anyway, I just did duets with my dad, with my brother, with my cousin and I’m going to put out a duet with Christian Nodal, he asked me to do the duet, he asked my dad and we already recorded the song and just recently we recorded the video.
“My mother has saved me from many and that is why I have never had a boyfriend because no one has reached my parents‘ standards (laughs). I have to write a song about this!”
You have had the luxury of saying no to various artists ...
Well, yes ... the truth is, it is an honor and a privilege that artists ... I will not tell you who, but artists of very large caliber ask me for collaborations. I feel like I have to grow more as a solo artist to later grow as an artist with other people. In this album that I am going to release, I have to do just that, show who I am.
How are you for love relationships, do you have a boyfriend?
I‘m going to answer as it is on my album: “No, right now I don’t want to be with people right now, I want to focus on myself and my career.” The other day I said this and there was a scandal, but I am going to say it again because I think it is true. At this point in my life it would be a terrible thing [to have a boyfriend] because I am working all day or sometimes I am just tired and I want to sleep, I am reading or I am with my family, composing, cooking, because I love to cook ... I mean, I would never have time for the poor boy. Sorry, that’s my life and they would have to put up with it so I prefer to calm down a little more to be able to give the best to a partner. When the time comes to have a partner, I will not share it, because I want to take care of my personal life.
Is your dad very jealous?
Well, I‘m his youngest daughter, I’m with him all day. We have always had a very strong connection, although the years have separated us a little because I am a little busier, we have a very strong bond. So I think it must be difficult for him to know that I have a link or connection with another person. My dad loves me and when the time comes for me to start loving someone else he will accept it too. But I do think he’s going to get very jealous… they both get very jealous! (laughs)
And your mom, does she support you with the issue of relationships and boyfriends?
My mom is very tough! She tells me: “I love you very much, but Angela, he’s really ugly!” She is demanding, but she wants the best for me. To be honest, he was really ugly… (laughs). My mother has saved me from many and that is why I have never had a boyfriend because no one has reached my parents‘ standards (laughs). I have to write a song about this!
Phots Credits: Erick Nieto / @ericknieto_
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