VIP No.1/2022 Interview with Briela Ojeda

Briela Ojeda is a resident artist, the magician of magicians, who has joined us this 2022 at the Estéreo Picnic Festival, the Cordillera Festival, and in a solo concert at The Bonfire, gifting us her musical ritual in multiple formats and brimming with love. We spoke with one of the biggest revelations in Colombian music in recent years about this whole process.

1. This year you've been to Mexico, conquered Estéreo Picnic and Cordillera, and also accompanied a legend like Jorge Drexler. What have those experiences been like for you and the band?

Everything has been very organic, very intuitive, very diligent, very disciplined. When you realize you need help and that people have a lot of talent, a lot of love, and a lot of desire to do things, they simply start to come together. The project has always been Briela Ojeda, the project has always been independent with the guitar, but I think it's also important to continue performing with larger groups, where everyone can grow within this team, where everyone can count on everyone else.

2. After delivering the magic of Templo Komodo, you've been giving us glimpses of Las Mijas, a project with La Muchacha. What has that synergy been like with her?

Las Mijas has a lot of energy with Isa (La Muchacha). She's like a sister to me, and the affection, love, and respect I have for her is very deep. And I think she feels the same way about me. That's why I believe we can both prioritize each other, knowing that we each have such a heavy, demanding project. Because we know what Las Mijas is capable of, but we're giving life time, looking for ways for both of us to align. There are also many songs in the works, ideas brewing; there's a whole universe we've been exploring little by little.

3. And speaking of Templo Komodo, could you tell us more about the symbols behind your work?

Oh! Little Temple! Stepping back from Templo Komodo and seeing it with a more seasoned perspective has been a powerful process, because you're constantly singing songs, and things begin to reveal themselves. My understanding of Templo Komodo has matured considerably: the Galeras volcano is there, the fumarole, the heart with tears, the Komodo dragons, the cups, the altar, the four elements are always present, and with them you can perform a ritual, a place of balance. Everything is very mortal and lethal, a way of representing my own darker aspects. But also, Templo Komodo is becoming contagious; people feel a connection because they experience the same things.

4. Your songs convey a feminine, mystical, ancestral wisdom. What are your thoughts on this perspective?

It's still there, it keeps surfacing, I'm still discovering it, and yes, I feel it. I look back at Templo Komodo, and I'm still detaching myself from the plane I entered by creating that universe. There are more songs coming out that don't necessarily fit into that universe. And I say, how beautiful! Truly, because it's also been very good for me. I've been able to discover aspects of feminism, I've been able to relate to men from my femininity and awaken that femininity in the men around me. It's been a firm stand, and my friends are starting to see it, understanding it with love. It's about being able to balance that with the people around us and starting to address what, like you men, is also your responsibility.

5. Let's talk a little about the Cordillera Festival. We heard that people from other countries came just to see you. How have you received the energy that people transmit to you here and elsewhere?

With love, love, love… I think that the people who connect, connect from a very transparent place, they connect from a place of vulnerability, and I love that, because it makes them give their all. There's an ABBA song called “Thank You for the Music,” and that's how I feel, very grateful for the space that music gave me to be able to create and channel it. There's so much openness; I feel that people have done some very beautiful things.

6. We're slowly approaching Templo Komodo's second anniversary. What can we expect from Briela Ojeda in the coming months and looking ahead to next year?

You can expect vinyl records, Templo Komodo CDs, and more surprises, including a concert planned for next year. Regarding new music, we're recording everything that happened at the Cordillera Festival at Mambo Negro Records. So, I'll probably release the whole album, which includes both new and old songs: "Liviana" with cello, "Ronca," the instrumental version of "Ébano" with N. Hardem, and others I've composed. I want to release another EP, but so many things are flowing that it could become an LP. There are collaborations, and I want to focus. There's a lot to do until March.

7. To finish up, recommend one Latin American artist and one Colombian artist, and why?

I want to recommend an artist from Pasto named MING. She opened for me at the Teatro Imperial in Pasto—I love her! And, a Latin American artist, Son Rompe Pera. I think the energy they evoke is amazing. I played with them in Mexico; it's pure cumbia-punk. I also recommend La Perla, La Boa, and Mestizo. And my friends, N. Hardem & United Fruit Co., Lalo Cortés, Delfina Dib, Lianna, La Muchacha, and Mismo Perro—there's a lot of great music out there.

Interview by Jaime Cortés