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El Paso, Texas + Cuidad Juarez, Mexico bordertown pop quartet, The Chamanas, will release an updated version of their 2017 album NEA, featuring five new songs, including their first English language tracks, entitled NEA II on July 20. Today they share a video for one of the original standout tracks from NEA, “Saltar” – watch it + share.
The Chamanas announced NEA II last month with a standalone single, the anti-Trump border wall protest song, “If You Build It, We Will Break It”, featuring Jim Ward (Sparta/At The Drive In) & Kiko Rodriguez, featuring a video which premiered via NPR Music.
Fronted by vocalist Paulina Reza, with keyboardist/producer Manuel Calderon, guitarist/producer Hectro Carreon and drummer Alejandro Bustillos, the band performed in New York this spring at the BRIC Open Borders Festival with Lido Pimienta, along with dates in Chicago and Denver. Summer dates are in the works, to be announced with the first proper single from NEA II later in June.
Discussing the decision to single in English, the band stated:
To live on the border is to be full of Mexican and American inspiration. Working with the people of El Paso, TX and Cd. Juárez has always been a priority, we see it as an opportunity to grow as a community, many of our music videos are made by local producers and we also work with border photographers.
We want to reach as many people as possible with our music, we try it in Spanish and we have been successful. Singing in English for us is a challenge that we must achieve. We want Americans and the world to understand our vision of life on the border through our music and to bring our culture to all possible people.
Para nosotros vivir en la frontera es estar llenos de inspiración mexicana y estadounidense. Trabajar con la gente de El Paso, Tx y Cd. Juárez siempre ha sido una prioridad, lo vemos como una oportunidad de crecer como comunidad, muchos de nuestros videos musicales son hechos por productoras locales y también trabajamos con fotógrafos de la frontera.
Nosotros queremos llegar a toda la gente posible con nuestra música, lo intentamos en español y hemos tenido éxito. Cantar en ingles para nosotros es un reto que tenemos que lograr. Queremos que los estadounidenses y el mundo comprendan nuestra visión de la vida en la frontera a través de nuestra música y poder llevar nuestra cultura a todas las personas posibles.
NEA II track listing:
01. La Verdad
02. Wedding Cake
03. Un Tulipán
04. Primera Vez
05. Descansar
06. Feel It Still
07. El Farol
08. Saltar
09. Alma Ciega
10. Desprender