Pascuala Ilabaca at Rich Mix London (2)

By Kheira Tarif

The concert hall at Richmix had the nostalgic feel of a jazz café on Tuesday night; the small tables were arranged in front of the stage and the lights were dimmed. My eyes were instantly drawn to the whipala hanging behind the stage – a symbol of the unity of all Latin American indigenous peoples. This setting certainly describes Pascuala Ilabaca’s phenomenal combination of styles. The singer emerged onto the stage with her band, all dressed in the bohemian style that reflects the culture of Valparaiso, in northern Chile. With a winning smile that instantly charmed the audience, Pascuala began to sing a solo introduction with a clear and powerfully emotive voice. The sound of Pascuala’s accordion reminded this listener of other South American traditions including tango, prominent in Chile and Argentina. Her band members were on guitar, drums, bass guitar and a sensational saxophone-player, which brought other musical influences to the Latin American sounds of cumbia and cueca. Pascuala’s performance also drew on Indian musical traditions – as she explained to the audience that she lived in India with her parents at the age of 11. The results of these influences is very successful, the crowd at Richmix was dancing emphatically before very long!
Pascuala Ilabaca’s performance does not comprise such a variety of styles in sound by coincidence. This conscientious and talented young woman wants to bring Latin America to the rest of the world through her music, and cites personas like Frida Kahlo, the famous Mexican artist; Violeta Parra, the Chilean folk singer and Victor Jara, the Chilean folk singer, poet and activist. In her first European tour, she clearly wants to bring European audiences closer to the cultural history she is so clearly proud of.

Live at Rich Mix London. Photo by Kheira Tarif.