Existing in this life is a Kamikaze experience.
With an unbreakable career and faithful to her principles and essence, the Mexican singer, actress and composer Ximena Sarinana presents his most recent studio album, Kamikaze Existence. This material brings together the songs from the EP Diamond Eyes and incorporates unreleased songs that include collaborations with Samantha Barron, Sensational Belafonte and Caloncho. In an interview, we spoke with Ximena Sarinana about the power of building music with friends and the excitement behind releasing a new album.
Indie Rocks! Magazine: Kamikaze Existence It just premiered. How do you feel?
Ximena Sarinana: Happy. It's always very exciting to release new music because you can finally share with everyone what you've been working on for the last two, three years. Since people connect with the message, with the concept, with the songs… it is always very exciting.
Indie Rocks! Magazine: It's an album that had been waiting for a long time to come out. I imagine its release is comforting.
Ximena Sarinana: It's very comforting, very exciting. It's also like the final part of the process, when you can finally let go. It is no longer yours, it is now the people's. People decide which songs they identify with, which ones remain as those must-see songs in your catalogue. It's up to you to see what's next, focus on other projects and ask yourself again: “OK, where am I going?”
Indie Rocks! Magazine: And in these first impressions, what messages have you received? How have people received it?
Ximena Sarinana: In general there are very good comments. I like to see that the fans have fully assimilated the type of artist I am and that they like my creative proposal: a sound that is not connected to trends, that does not seek to fit in. It's simply who I am, my way of making music, the genre I like. It's nice to see that they connect with that.
Indie Rocks! Magazine: Something curious happens with your album: it is a chain art. You were inspired by the documentary fire of love to create the concept of Kamikaze Existenceand now your music will inspire other works…
Ximena Sarinana: Yes. I really like to think that the contribution of artists to society is exactly how we connect ideas and present them in a different way. It's like philosophers, right? You build on what someone else thought or said; You either contradict it completely, or build on top of it. I like to think that art is like that.
Indie Rocks! Magazine: That premise nourishes your project and connects you with different collaborations. We recently saw you at Sports Palace accompanying Little Jesus. It seems that there is one Ximena making her music on her stage and another Ximena accompanying her friends on theirs. How do you experience these fusions?
Ximena Sarinana: Well, in the end music is a collaborative effort. You need other musicians to make an album — at least I do. I like this rethinking of roles with musicians, because I really do believe that among musicians we feel that we are all equal. We are here for the same reason: because we are passionate about music. And we admire each other regardless of success or fame; Everyone has their relationship with music and its processes.
For example, speaking about Little Jesussuddenly put myself at the service of the music of Saint It makes me learn a lot from him: how he constructs his songs, how he lives on stage, what he pays attention to. He is also very visual; He likes cinema, the visual within his project. And then having him captain my music and take it to different places… I love seeing those role changes. the same with Patricio Dávilawho has been my drummer for a long time and was now the producer of the album. I am interested in seeing how each musician, of different calibers, can contribute to your music and influence your speech.
Indie Rocks! Magazine: Clear. And I think that's the importance of finding musicians and producers with whom you can understand each other. When they participate in your creations, how much do you delegate to them? How much do you release your music?
Ximena Sarinana: I like to think I have a healthy relationship with letting go. I think it's part of being a good leader: remembering that when you add people to your team it is because you want to grow and because you are looking for collaboration. Just as it happens with the visual part of the projects; In that sense I usually let go almost completely because I trust my collaborators a lot.
In this process, all the video clips were directed Daniela Anelisse. She formed a very important part of the graphic identity of the project. And yes, I think I'm good at letting go when necessary.
Indie Rocks! Magazine: Yes, it is important to trust your collaborators. And I also think that when we don't let go too much, we can limit projects.
Ximena Sarinana: Yes. And there are moments and processes. I play with that a lot in each cycle, each album. There are albums where I have released more because it allows me to concentrate on other things and learn new things.
Then I also need to get back into control. There is a good balance on this album: many songs were written by myself and they are 100% my sound. But I also chose to record and produce with people I trust very much, with whom I have no qualms about saying “I don't like this.” Knowing them so well and having them be part of your story helps create something very true to you.
Indie Rocks! Magazine: Part of being true to yourself is also being true to the music. Someone told us that sometimes songs become bigger than oneself and it is worth collaborating with whoever can contribute to help them grow.
Ximena Sarinana: Yes. Adding someone you admire and who has a different way of doing things makes you grow as an artist and takes you to places where perhaps you wouldn't go alone. A clear example is “Fragile”which came out first on the EP and is now on the album. It is a collaboration with Samantha Barron. There was a part—the part where Sam— that I knew someone else should write, because I wasn't going to give it that depth. As soon as Sam He got on the role, gave it direction, vision, another dimension. That's why I think music is better when you collaborate; It is an enriching process. Music is to share.
Indie Rocks! Magazine: About the live presentation of Kamikaze ExistenceWhat can you share with us?
Ximena Sarinana: It is a show to which I have dedicated many years of conceptual work: visuals, scenery, lights, costumes. It requires a lot of work from many people. It's constant refinement, a lot of rehearsal, a lot of revision. For me it's always a creative extension of the album; is to give it another life. Think of it more as a show than a concert. A traveling show, that travels, that changes. Every role is different: the people are different, your energy is different. And since it is the presentation of the album, we are going all out. Musically and visually it is very interesting.
Don't miss the tour Kamikaze Existence of Ximena Sarinana and enjoy this new album here:
