In the 1990's Anita formed a hip-hop band Los Gemelos (The Twins) with a fellow rapper Zaturno (later became famous as a member of Tiro de Gracia). In 1997 she gained first major attention after singing in a Los Tetas' hit single "La Medicina". Later she joined DJ Squat, Cenzi and Seo2, and Makiza was formed.
After Makiza went on hiatus in 2001, Anita returned to France and took a break from music until 2004. After coming back to Chile in 2004 she became singing with the funk/acid jazz band Aluzinati, and later in 2005 she reformed Makiza with Seo2 and two new members and released the band's final album to date, Casino Royale.
In 2007 Anita appeared on Julieta Venegas' hit single, "Eres Para Mí" and finally released her solo debut, Kaos. Thanks to the first single, "Despabílate", Anita was nominated for the Latin version of the MTV Video Music Awards 2007 under the categories Best New Artist and Best Urban Artist.
In October 2009, Tijoux released her second solo album, titled 1977 after the year she was born. The album was a return to her rap roots, an homage to the "golden age of hip-hop"; it was largely auto-biographical, exploring mature themes from her own life, from the death of a close friend to having a creative crises, from friendship to bad luck, amongst others. It was simple and straight to the point, as emphasized by her leaving behind a lot of the singing she had been doing of late in other more pop collaborations, and concentrating on rap, both in Spanish and French. After years of sharing the spotlight with her group, collaborating with other artists, and trying to find her way as a solo artist, she has finally arrived in her own right—a raw, direct, and mature MC.
Recorded between May and September 2009, the new album was produced by Hordatoj, Foex and Tee, of the label Potoco Discos, together with Habitación del Pánico. Guests on the record include the saxophonist Agustín Moya with whom she worked with in Aluzinati, Andrés Celis, Solo Di Medina, Bubaseta, Stailok from the group Movimiento Original, DJ Dacel, Quique Neira (formerly from Gondwana), Cómo Asesinar A Felipes, and the Detroit-based MC Invincible, whom she met over MySpace and did a virtual collaboration for the song "Sube".
The album and its first single 1977 were an immediate hit in the underground rap circles of Chile, where she was welcomed back after a bit of a stray. The record was amongst the top 10 of 2009 for the blog [worldhiphopmarket.com], and it was soon picked up by the U.S.-based Latin Alternative label Nacional Records, who released it in April 2010. She was invited to attend the prestigious South By South West Music Festival in Austin, Texas, in March 2010, and from there went on to her first ever North American tour. The song 1977 is featured in FIFA 11 soundtrack, and it also appears in episode five of the fourth season of Breaking Bad.
In 2011 Ana released her new solo album, La Bala. The album deals with many political and social issues in Chile, and the lead single, "Shock", was inspired by the strikes of the Chilean students which took part in 2011.
No Mas
Ana Tijoux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
En bloques de cementos altos y furiosos
Taparon la luz de nombres poderosos
Y nunca más se vio aquel sol que era luminoso
Lo llamaron desarrollo, crecimiento
Del barrio sólo quedaron los cimientos
Dejaron desechos, dejaron gente sin techo
El único hecho es que no tenemos ningún derecho
No más, no más, los monstruos en la ciudad
No más, no más, el globo va a reventar
No más, no más, los monstruos en la ciudad
No más, no más, el globo va a reventar
Taparon la cordillera, taparon con costanera
La orbe hierve como una caldera
Quema la ciudad de locura en histeria
En nuestros autos grandes, olvidamos nuestras piernas
Olvidamos saludarnos y sentarnos
Mientras la grúa con rabia iba podando
El último árbol que miraba sollozando
¿En qué nos convertimos y hacia dónde caminamos?
No más, no más, los monstruos en la ciudad
No más, no más, el globo va a reventar
No más, no más, los monstruos en la ciudad
No más, no más, el globo va a reventar
¿Cuántos pisos, pisos tendrás que hacer?
Para cubrir todo, todo el cielo y el sol esconder
Será que el poder jamás podrá comprender
Que este modo de vida está condenada a desaparecer
Nadie se mira, nadie se pesca
Que triste tu vida moderna
Donde los pobres se expulsan porque dan vergüenza
Haciéndolos vivir en cajitas que llaman vivienda
Suben el suelo, suben el precio
Se especula y se infla todo el modelo
Que bello sería ver a aquellos dueños vivir en casitas de 35 metros
No más, no más
In Ana Tijoux's song No Mas, she addresses the issue of modern urban development which she argues is harmful to the environment and society. In the first verse, she describes how towering skyscrapers have obscured the sunlight, and the only remains of the neighborhood are the foundations. The development is portrayed as insensitive, and the people who were evicted from their homes are left without any rights. She sings, "The only fact is that we have no rights."
In the second verse, Tijoux describes how development has caused people to forget about their surroundings, and they are consumed with their cars and the city's madness. The construction has covered the mountains, and the city seems to boil like a cauldron. This image is particularly powerful, as it suggests that the development is creating a dangerous and unstable environment. Tijoux argues that the development has transformed society and asks, "what have we become, and where are we going?"
Tijoux's song highlights the dangers of uncontrolled urban development and the impact it has on people and the environment. The song is a call to action, urging people to consider the impact of their actions and prevent the earth from being destroyed.
Line by Line Meaning
Edificios cancerosos se apilaron numerosos
Numerous cancerous buildings piled up, blocking the sun and the view of powerful names. False development and growth destroyed the neighborhood, leaving only the buildings' foundations and people without homes. We have lost our rights.
Taparon la luz de nombres poderosos
They blocked the light of powerful names.
Y nunca más se vio aquel sol que era luminoso
The luminous sun disappeared forever.
Lo llamaron desarrollo, crecimiento
They called it development and growth.
Del barrio sólo quedaron los cimientos
Only the foundations of the neighborhood remained.
Dejaron desechos, dejaron gente sin techo
They left debris and people without homes.
El único hecho es que no tenemos ningún derecho
The only truth is that we have no rights.
Taparon la cordillera, taparon con costanera
They covered the mountain range and the coast with pavement.
La orbe hierve como una caldera
The world boils like a cauldron.
Quema la ciudad de locura en histeria
The city burns in madness and hysteria.
En nuestros autos grandes, olvidamos nuestras piernas
In our big cars, we forget our legs.
Olvidamos saludarnos y sentarnos
We forget to greet each other and to sit down together.
Mientras la grúa con rabia iba podando
While the crane raged on, cutting down the last tree that wept.
El último árbol que miraba sollozando
The last tree that looked on while crying.
¿En qué nos convertimos y hacia dónde caminamos?
What have we become, and where are we headed?
¿Cuántos pisos, pisos tendrás que hacer?
How many floors must you build to cover everything and hide the sun? Can't the powerful understand that this way of life is doomed to disappear?
Para cubrir todo, todo el cielo y el sol esconder
To cover everything and hide the sky and the sun.
Será que el poder jamás podrá comprender
Is it possible that the powerful will never understand?
Nadie se mira, nadie se pesca
No one looks at each other, no one notices each other.
Que triste tu vida moderna
How sad is your modern life!
Donde los pobres se expulsan porque dan vergüenza
Where the poor are expelled because they are shameful.
Haciéndolos vivir en cajitas que llaman vivienda
Making them live in tiny boxes called homes.
Suben el suelo, suben el precio
They raise the ground and the price.
Se especula y se infla todo el modelo
The model is speculated and inflated.
Que bello sería ver a aquellos dueños vivir en casitas de 35 metros
It would be beautiful to see those owners living in small 35-meter homes.
No más, no más, los monstruos en la ciudad
No more, no more, the monsters in the city.
No más, no más, el globo va a reventar
No more, no more, the globe is going to burst.
No más, no más, los monstruos en la ciudad
No more, no more, the monsters in the city.
No más, no más, el globo va a reventar
No more, no more, the globe is going to burst.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Ana Maria Merino Tijoux, Andres Celis Mujica, Cristobal Andres Perez Serrano
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind