Julieta Venegas

Julieta Venegas, a Mexican singer and songwriter, first made her mark in the closing years of the 1990s as an innovative presence within Latin alternative circles. Her path took a pronounced turn with the arrival of her third album, Sí (2003), a widely accessible pop/rock collection that yielded multiple chart successes, among them a pair of number-one singles. Following that breakthrough, Venegas maintained her commercial momentum without pause. The subsequent release Limón y Sal (2006) matched its predecessor in broad appeal while surpassing it in sales impact, generating several major singles and registering strong results across Western Europe alongside the Americas. Critical regard matched her popularity, with frequent praise and multiple Grammy victories underscoring her standing. Her instrumental skills often received less notice, yet she composed and performed her material while handling guitar, accordion, and keyboard duties. She further built her reputation through collaborations, contributing songs and performances alongside an array of Latin artists that ranged from Paulina Rubio and Mala Rodríguez to Miguel Bosé and Los Tigres del Norte.

Born Julieta Venegas Percevault on November 24, 1970, in Long Beach, California, she grew up as one of five siblings with parents who worked as photographers. Her sister Yvonne Venegas has earned recognition in photography, including work with Ely Guerra and RBD. Venegas began musical training early, taking up piano at eight. She pursued studies in musical theory, singing, cello, and violoncello at La Escuela de Música del Noroeste, crossing into San Diego for additional instruction at South Western College before completing high school. During those years she joined several groups, among them Grupo Chantaje and Tijuana No!, for which she composed one of its notable tracks, “Pobre de Ti.”

At twenty-two Venegas relocated to Mexico City to immerse herself in its active music community. Talent and presence quickly opened doors, bringing connections that included Fratta and Café Tacuba. Around this period she composed for theater productions such as Calígula Probablemente by Francisco Franco and adopted the accordion. She formed the band La Milagrosa with Fratta and Rafael González, yet upon receiving an offer from BMG she set the group idea aside and prepared her solo debut Aquí (1997), which she cut in Los Angeles under producer Gustavo Santaolalla, known for work with Café Tacuba, Juanes, and Molotov.

Beyond writing and singing the songs on Aquí, Venegas performed on accordion, piano, and guitar, with additional contributions from guests that included brothers Joselo and Enrique Rangel of Café Tacuba, Rafael González of Botellita de Jerez, and Patricio Iglesias of Santa Sabina. BMG issued the album in the United States and Spain as well as throughout Latin America, where it drew widespread critical approval. Venegas maintained an active touring schedule, joining the De Viva Voz tour with Ely Guerra and Aurora y la Academia across North America and the Calaveras y Diablitos tour with Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Aterciopelados through major Spanish cities. She also lent her efforts to recordings by other artists including Enrique Bunbury and Mastretta, contributed to soundtracks such as En el País de No Pasa Nada and Amores Perros, and appeared at prominent festivals during the late-nineties period.

Within roughly the same timeframe she prepared and recorded her second album, Bueninvento (2000). Marking a shift from her debut, the project emerged as a full rock en español statement supported by seasoned session players: Joe Gore on guitar, Fernando Saunders on bass, Joey Waronker on drums, and Rick Boston handling sax and flutes. Additional touring and soundtrack work followed, encompassing the Revolución tour alongside Jaguares, Jumbo, La Gusana Ciega, and Lisa Flores, the Fémina Rock tour with Aterciopelados, Maria Gabriela Epumer, and others, plus contributions to the films Demasiado Amor, El Sueño del Caimán, Asesino en Serio, María Llena Eres de Gracia, and Subterra. She earned her initial Latin Grammy nominations for Best Rock Song with “Hoy No Queiro” and Best Rock Album for Bueninvento.

Venegas next based herself in Madrid and Buenos Aires to track her third album, Sí (2003), alongside producers Coti Sorokin and Cachorro López. Six of its ten tracks were co-written with Sorokin, resulting in a distinct departure toward a vibrant pop/rock sound. Every song on Sí runs between three and four minutes, featuring memorable melodic hooks, generally upbeat and engaging arrangements, and an accessible tone that contrasted with the more challenging character of her earlier material. Commercially the album succeeded markedly, achieving triple-platinum status in Mexico, topping the local chart, entering the Top Five on the U.S. Latin albums chart, and producing four major singles—“Andar Conmigo,” “Lento,” “Algo Está Cambiando,” and “Oleada”—three of which reached number one in either Mexico or the United States. The project earned a Latin Grammy for Best Rock Solo Vocal Album in 2004 along with three MTV Music Video Awards for Best Solo Artist, Best Artist (Mexico), and Artist of the Year.

For the follow-up Limón y Sal (2006) she reunited with Coti Sorokin and Cachorro López, again delivering an accessible pop/rock set rich in hits. Lead single “Me Voy” held the top spot on the Mexican singles chart for twelve weeks, also reaching number one in Spain, Top Three in Italy, and Top Ten on the U.S. Latin chart. Subsequent releases including “Limón y Sal,” “Eres Para Mí,” and “Primer Día” continued climbing charts throughout Latin America and Europe, while the album itself led charts in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Central America and placed in the Top Five in Spain, Top Ten in Switzerland, and Top 200 in the United States. Strong radio presence for the Limón y Sal singles extended into late 2007, coinciding with the release of the best-of collection Realmente Lo Mejor. Accolades persisted with a 2007 Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album, a 2006 Latin Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, and a 2006 MTV Video Music Award for Best Solo Artist. In 2008 Venegas issued an MTV Unplugged album and launched her first international tour. In 2010 she released Otra Cosa, which attained Gold status in Mexico. That August she welcomed a daughter and began preparations for her sixth studio album, Momentos, which appeared in 2013 as the first release by a Latin artist issued exclusively via digital streaming in Latin America and Spain.

Venegas toured Europe, Latin America, and the United States with her daughter in support of Momentos. She then entered a hiatus exceeding a year. In January 2015 she commenced writing and recording a new album with co-producers Cachorro López and Yamil Rezc. Many of its songs address themes of childhood and adolescence, drawing inspiration from the autobiographical novels of Karl Ove Knausgård. The title track served as the initial pre-release single, its musical structure recalling the Cure. The second single, “Explosion,” responded to the “desparacidos”—the disappeared ones—of Mexico, encompassing thousands of women. The album reached stores in August 2015.