Biography
Emerging during the initial years of the 2000s as one of Mexico’s most vibrant and magnetic pop figures, Natalia Lafourcade introduced her work in 2003 via an intriguing individual recording before adopting a rock-band configuration called Natalia y la Forquetina and establishing her merit under either approach. Born Natalia Lafourcade Silva on February 26, 1984, in Mexico City to musician parents, she displayed an early fascination with music. Throughout childhood she pursued formal training in painting, theater, and multiple instruments—flute, guitar, piano, and saxophone—alongside vocal study. Although she attended the Catholic middle school Instituto Anglo Español, she passed several years residing with her mother in Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico, where both continued musical education. Among the contemporary artists she has named as influences are Fiona Apple, Björk, Café Tacuba, and Zuco 103.
She subsequently came under the guidance of Loris Ceroni, the respected Italian producer recognized especially for his contributions to albums by Alejandra Guzman. At Le Dune Estudios in Italy, Ceroni oversaw the majority of the sessions that Sony Norte later issued as the 2003 album Natalia Lafourcade, while Aureo Baqueiro handled the remaining tracks in Mexico. The resulting eclectic and spontaneous collection, which moved freely between gentle bossa-nova acoustic passages and forceful dance rhythms sometimes within a single track, stood out for its well-crafted material and engaging vocal delivery. The record connected strongly with Mexican listeners, yielding four hit singles—“En el 2000,” “Busca un Problema,” “Elefantes,” and “Te Quiero Dar”—reaching the top of the album chart and attaining triple-platinum status. Critics and industry voters also responded favorably, granting Lafourcade four Latin Grammy nominations for the debut: Song of the Year and Best Rock Song for “En el 2000,” plus Best New Artist and Best Rock Solo Vocal Album, in addition to a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Pop Album.
The next year, 2004, she formed the four-piece rock outfit Natalia y la Forquetina, whose members included Alonso on drums and programming, Chanona on guitar and bass guitar, and Yuno on accordion and keyboards. Filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke, who had directed the video for “En el 2000,” asked Lafourcade and the new group to contribute a track to the soundtrack of his film Temporada de Patos (2004). That song, “Un Pato,” reworks the traditional bossa nova “O Pato” and served as the band’s first release. The musicians then prepared a full-length project with producer Emmanuel del Real, known as Meme of Café Tacuba, and once more with Baqueiro.
Issued in 2005 as Casa, the album reflected the sound of an actual rock band, propelled by prominent electric guitars across many tracks. Although more uniform in character than the earlier solo effort and somewhat less commercially dominant, Casa nevertheless produced several hits, topped the album chart, earned platinum certification in Mexico, and received a Latin Grammy for Best Rock Album by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The band setting also helped Lafourcade develop as a live performer; she toured extensively with Natalia y la Forquetina across Mexico for roughly a year. Their final concert took place on August 18, 2006, after which Lafourcade dissolved the group in order to return to solo work.
She subsequently came under the guidance of Loris Ceroni, the respected Italian producer recognized especially for his contributions to albums by Alejandra Guzman. At Le Dune Estudios in Italy, Ceroni oversaw the majority of the sessions that Sony Norte later issued as the 2003 album Natalia Lafourcade, while Aureo Baqueiro handled the remaining tracks in Mexico. The resulting eclectic and spontaneous collection, which moved freely between gentle bossa-nova acoustic passages and forceful dance rhythms sometimes within a single track, stood out for its well-crafted material and engaging vocal delivery. The record connected strongly with Mexican listeners, yielding four hit singles—“En el 2000,” “Busca un Problema,” “Elefantes,” and “Te Quiero Dar”—reaching the top of the album chart and attaining triple-platinum status. Critics and industry voters also responded favorably, granting Lafourcade four Latin Grammy nominations for the debut: Song of the Year and Best Rock Song for “En el 2000,” plus Best New Artist and Best Rock Solo Vocal Album, in addition to a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Pop Album.
The next year, 2004, she formed the four-piece rock outfit Natalia y la Forquetina, whose members included Alonso on drums and programming, Chanona on guitar and bass guitar, and Yuno on accordion and keyboards. Filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke, who had directed the video for “En el 2000,” asked Lafourcade and the new group to contribute a track to the soundtrack of his film Temporada de Patos (2004). That song, “Un Pato,” reworks the traditional bossa nova “O Pato” and served as the band’s first release. The musicians then prepared a full-length project with producer Emmanuel del Real, known as Meme of Café Tacuba, and once more with Baqueiro.
Issued in 2005 as Casa, the album reflected the sound of an actual rock band, propelled by prominent electric guitars across many tracks. Although more uniform in character than the earlier solo effort and somewhat less commercially dominant, Casa nevertheless produced several hits, topped the album chart, earned platinum certification in Mexico, and received a Latin Grammy for Best Rock Album by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The band setting also helped Lafourcade develop as a live performer; she toured extensively with Natalia y la Forquetina across Mexico for roughly a year. Their final concert took place on August 18, 2006, after which Lafourcade dissolved the group in order to return to solo work.
Albums
