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.
Río Abajo
Ana Tijoux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Soy la madre de la fuente cristalina
Soy un canto musical de claves
Soy la llave de este mundo y su brebaje
Soy la lluvia que te brinda el aguacero
El chubasco permanente de amor verdadero
Soy el volcán del cielo
La lava creciente que recorre los campos de hielo
Soy la hija de la tierra
Soy la amante que cultiva los frutos y su siembra
Soy el rocío que salpica fulminante
Los rayos de sol un arco iris penetrante
Soy dulce, soy salada
Soy la pluma de la flecha andina con su danza
Soy la esperanza de mi pueblo
Soy la promesa intacta y soy la sangre de este suelo
Soy el consuelo, soy la cura
Soy la figura más pura, soy la nieve, soy la bruma
Soy la cascada que salta por cataratas
La súbita regata de vida que nos retrata
Yo soy la piel de todos
Soy el copo de nieve que llora por tus ojos
Soy esa fuerza que se precipita
En el centro del capullo donde nace la semilla
Tú no me puedes poner nombre
No me puedes apresar, mi amor es demasiado enorme
No me sujetan tus cadenas
No quepo en tus embalses ni me atrapan tus sorpresas
Y aunque quieras controlarme
Yo fluyo río abajo sin que puedas dominarme
No me encierran tus botellas
Yo regalo agua desde la cordillera
No hay minera que pueda sustraerme
No hay manera que tu regadío pueda ni robarme
La fértil abundancia, aquí yo traigo mi equipaje
Yo vengo a compartir vida en este viaje
No hay fuerza que supere mi naturaleza
Ni máquina alguna que tenga mi destreza
Le cantaba así la abuela brilla
Susurrándote dulce en el oído
Soy el agua, soy la vida
Soy la madre de la fuente cristalina
Soy un canto musical de claves
Soy la llave de este mundo y su brebaje
Soy la lluvia que te brinda el aguacero
El chubasco permanente, el amor verdadero
Soy el volcán del cielo
La lava creciente que recorre los campos de hielo
Quiero andar hacia el mar donde el sol si se esconde
Hacia el horizonte donde cae el hombre
Quiero ver la estrella titánica donde, soporta la lluvia de las ilusiones
Quiero andar hacia el mar donde el sol si se esconde
Hacia el horizonte donde cae el hombre
Quiero ver la estrella titánica donde, soporta la lluvia de las ilusiones
Quiero andar hacia el mar donde el sol si se esconde
Hacia el horizonte donde cae el hombre
Quiero ver la estrella titánica donde, soporta la lluvia de las ilusiones
The lyrics of Ana Tijoux's song "Río Abajo" celebrate the power and importance of water and nature. In the song, Tijoux identifies herself as water, the source of life and the mother of crystal-clear springs. She describes herself as a musical chant with keys and the key to this world and its brew. Tijoux portrays herself as the rain that provides a downpour of true love and the rising lava from the sky, flowing through icy fields like a volcano.
She also identifies herself as the daughter of the earth, the lover who cultivates fruits and their harvest. Tijoux refers to herself as the swift dew that splashes and the penetrating rainbow of sunlight. She expresses her duality, being both sweet and salty, and compares herself to the feather of the Andean arrow with its dance. Tijoux proclaims herself as the hope of her people, the untarnished promise, and the blood of the land. She portrays herself as solace, cure, the purest figure, snow, and mist. She compares herself to a waterfall leaping through waterfalls and a sudden regatta that portrays life. Tijoux finally declares herself as the skin of everyone, the snowflake that sheds tears through their eyes. She is the force that precipitates in the center of the bud where the seed is born.
The second part of the song addresses the power of water and nature against human attempts to control it. Tijoux dismisses the idea of being named or captured, stating that her love is too enormous. She refuses to be restrained by chains or trapped by surprises. Tijoux asserts that she flows downstream without being controlled and cannot be confined in bottles. She gifts water from the mountains and asserts that no mining company can take her away or irrigate her. She brings forth fertile abundance and shares life on this journey. Tijoux emphasizes that there is no force that can overcome her nature or machine that can match her skills. She recalls the words of her grandmother, singing softly in her ear, reminding her of her power and purpose.
In the chorus, Tijoux repeats her identification as water and life, the mother of the crystal-clear spring and a musical chant with keys. She reiterates that she is the key to this world and its brew, the rain that brings downpours of true love, and the volcano from the sky with its rising lava that travels through icy fields.
Overall, the lyrics of "Río Abajo" celebrate the beauty and power of water and nature, while also conveying a message of empowerment and resistance against attempts to control and restrict their essence.
Line by Line Meaning
Soy el agua, soy la vida
I am the essence of life, flowing and sustaining everything
Soy la madre de la fuente cristalina
I am the source of pure, clear waters
Soy un canto musical de claves
I am a rhythmic melody filled with meaning and importance
Soy la llave de este mundo y su brebaje
I am the key to unlocking the world's treasures and nourishment
Soy la lluvia que te brinda el aguacero
I am the rain that showers you with abundance and blessings
El chubasco permanente de amor verdadero
I am the constant downpour of true and genuine love
Soy el volcán del cielo
I am the powerful force that erupts from the heavens
La lava creciente que recorre los campos de hielo
I am the unstoppable heat that melts the icy fields
Soy la hija de la tierra
I am the daughter of the earth, deeply connected to its roots
Soy la amante que cultiva los frutos y su siembra
I am the lover who nurtures and grows the fruits of the land
Soy el rocío que salpica fulminante
I am the dew that sparkles and refreshes with intensity
Los rayos de sol un arco iris penetrante
I am the rays of the sun, creating a penetrating rainbow
Soy dulce, soy salada
I am both sweet and salty, embodying contrasting flavors
Soy la pluma de la flecha andina con su danza
I am the feather that guides the Andean arrow, dancing with grace
Soy la esperanza de mi pueblo
I am the hope of my people, a beacon of optimism
Soy la promesa intacta y soy la sangre de este suelo
I am the unbroken promise and the lifeblood of this land
Soy el consuelo, soy la cura
I am the comfort, I am the healing
Soy la figura más pura, soy la nieve, soy la bruma
I am the purest figure, I am the snow, I am the mist
Soy la cascada que salta por cataratas
I am the waterfall that leaps through cascades
La súbita regata de vida que nos retrata
I am the sudden river of life that portrays us
Yo soy la piel de todos
I am the skin of all, uniting and enveloping
Soy el copo de nieve que llora por tus ojos
I am the snowflake that sheds tears through your eyes
Soy esa fuerza que se precipita
I am that force that rushes forward
En el centro del capullo donde nace la semilla
In the center of the bud where the seed is born
Tú no me puedes poner nombre
You cannot label me, contain me, or define me
No me puedes apresar, mi amor es demasiado enorme
You cannot capture me, my love is too vast
No me sujetan tus cadenas
Your chains do not bind me
No quepo en tus embalses ni me atrapan tus sorpresas
I do not fit in your reservoirs, nor am I caught by your surprises
Y aunque quieras controlarme
And even if you want to control me
Yo fluyo río abajo sin que puedas dominarme
I flow downstream without you being able to dominate me
No me encierran tus botellas
Your bottles do not confine me
Yo regalo agua desde la cordillera
I give water from the mountain range as a gift
No hay minera que pueda sustraerme
No mining can extract me
No hay manera que tu regadío pueda ni robarme
There is no way for your irrigation to steal from me
La fértil abundancia, aquí yo traigo mi equipaje
The fertile abundance, I bring it here with my luggage
Yo vengo a compartir vida en este viaje
I come to share life on this journey
No hay fuerza que supere mi naturaleza
There is no force that surpasses my nature
Ni máquina alguna que tenga mi destreza
Nor any machine that has my skill
Le cantaba así la abuela brilla
The shining grandmother sang like this
Susurrándote dulce en el oído
Whispering sweetly in your ear
Quiero andar hacia el mar donde el sol si se esconde
I want to walk towards the sea where the sun hides
Hacia el horizonte donde cae el hombre
Towards the horizon where man falls
Quiero ver la estrella titánica donde, soporta la lluvia de las ilusiones
I want to see the titanic star where it endures the rain of illusions
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Ana Merino Tijoux, Andres Mujica
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind