Lido Pimienta Wrestles with Relationship to Colombia On New Single

Lido Pimienta is a Colombian-born, Toronto-based musician, singer and songwriter whose mystical, dark avante-garde sounds are bound to cast a spell on you. After garnering a name for herself as the winner of the prestigious Canadian Polaris Prize for her album La Papessa in 2017 [though the album was officially released in 2016], she’s back after a three year break with a new track “No Pude”, accompanied by a beautiful, vibrant video. 

Electrifying, captivating and visually stimulating, to define Lido’s unique twinkling sound is no easy task. In the past she has collaborated with cumbia big-dogs such as Chancha via Circuito, Quantic and Nicola Cruz, but her own music has always followed a different path. Incorporating diverse styles and influences in her work, such as indigenous motifs and Afro-Colombian beats, what remains constant in her music and variety of song choices is that they remain in non-stop motion, and are never the same. 

“No Pude” is as ambitious and original as ever, fusing elements of traditional Afro-Colombian percussion with the sounds of global bass and with an explosive harmonic voice, she takes listeners and viewers on a journey to an unknown realm. No stranger to uncharted territory, with an Afro-Colombian and Wayuu heritage, she has always grappled with feelings of displacement: claiming she feels neither Colombian nor Canadian. This sense of uncertainty and anxiety has definitely made an impact on “No Pude”, where “No pude means: I could not. In the context of the song it means something to the effect of, “I am tired of trying”, Pimienta explains. 

Known for her visual work, curation and fierce political stance (she uses music as a weapon to tackle issues relating to gender, race, motherhood and identity): her music always leaves a message to take home. This time, “No Pude” reflects the love/hate relationship she has with Colombia and her choice of lyrics, potent voice and costumes reflect this. In the video, she begins her performance in vibrant, indigenous costumes before dropping into a black hole of anxiety and dread, caused by her torturous relationship with her home country.

Pimenta will be performing at SXSW in Austin, Texas in March next year. And hopefully more new music will drop soon.

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