Javiera Mena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Javiera Mena
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Javiera Mena in March 2023
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Javiera Alejandra Mena Carrasco |
| Born | June 3, 1983 Santiago, Chile |
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| Years active | 2001–present |
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Javiera Alejandra Mena Carrasco (born June 3, 1983) is a talented singer, songwriter, and musician from Chile. She is also a record producer. Javiera Mena now lives in Madrid, Spain.
She began her music journey in Chile in 2001. She became more widely known after her first album, Esquemas Juveniles, came out in 2006. Her music often has a cool, electronic sound. However, when she first started, she played more acoustic songs with just her guitar.
Contents
Javiera Mena's Life and Music Journey
Starting Out: 1983–2003
Javiera Mena started performing live when she was 17 years old. Her very first concert was in a classroom at the University of Chile.
In 2002, she began studying music at the ProJazz academy. She also performed at small parties and clubs. In 2003, she recorded some demo songs. These songs were shared online by her friends.
In 2004, she played her first concert outside Chile. She opened for an Argentine band called Entre Ríos in Buenos Aires. Between 2003 and 2006, she was also part of a music duo called Prissa.
First Albums: 2004–2009
Javiera's first song released officially was "Sol de Invierno". It was a duet with her friend, singer Gepe. This song was on a 2005 music collection called Panorama Neutral.
Another song, "Cámara Lenta", was used in the movie Se arrienda. Her first album, Esquemas Juveniles, was recorded from 2004 to 2005. Cristian Heyne produced the album.
It was first released in Argentina in 2006. Then it came out in Chile and Japan. Her music became popular around the world. This was mostly thanks to the internet, especially websites like MySpace.
Later, a music website called Club Fonograma named Esquemas Juveniles the second best album of the 2000s. The first song on the album, "Al Siguiente Nivel", was named the best song of that decade.
In 2009, Javiera Mena performed in Europe for the first time. A Norwegian music duo, Kings of Convenience, invited her to open their concerts in Spain and Portugal.
Growing Success: 2010–2013
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After four years of work, Javiera's second album, Mena, was released in October 2010. Cristian Heyne also produced this album.
This album had a more dance-focused style than her first one. The first song from the album, "Hasta la Verdad", was chosen as one of the "Singles of the Week" on iTunes Store in the US. iTunes Mexico called Mena the breakthrough album of the year.
Club Fonograma gave Mena a perfect score. They also named it their 2010 album of the year.
In April 2011, Javiera Mena played live at the Chilean version of Lollapalooza. In May, she toured Spain. She was one of the first Latin American artists to play at the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona. People praised her performance, and she got attention from the Spanish press.
In 2012, Mena was featured in a song called "Novias" by El Guincho. In March 2013, Mena and Gepe worked with Mexican singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas. They created a song called "Vuelve".
New Sounds: 2014–2016
In October 2014, Javiera Mena released her third album, Otra Era. This album explored a strong 1980s disco sound. It used more synthesizers and had more danceable beats than her earlier work.
This period also showed her interest in the visual side of her music. This included her music videos and live shows. The first song released was "Espada" ("Sword") in 2013. Its video became very popular. The video was directed by Luis Cerveró. It has been viewed millions of times on YouTube.
In 2015, she went on the Otra Era tour. She performed in Spain, Mexico, Peru, and Chile.
In 2016, Javiera was a judge at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. She also performed a show at the festival. This show was broadcast on TV in Chile and internationally. Javiera created a colorful and exciting show. It included bright visuals, fancy outfits, and many female dancers.
Her performance introduced her music to many new people in Latin America. At the end of her show, she shared a message. She said, "I'm very happy to be here. It's very difficult to be an independent artist in Chile. Besides the numbers and sales, I make music because it comes from my soul, from my heart."
The year 2016 marked 10 years since Javiera Mena released Esquemas juveniles. She celebrated this with a special show in Santiago in September.
New Chapters: 2017–Present
In 2017, Javiera signed a contract with Sony Music. She planned to release a new album with them. Her first song from this new deal, "Dentro de mi", was shown in Santiago in November.
Her fourth album, Espejo, was released in April 2018. In 2019, Javiera Mena performed at the famous Coachella Music Festival in California.
Javiera released her first digital EP, I. Entusiasmo, in 2021. It had five songs, and all of them became singles.
Since Javiera Mena has been living in Spain, she was invited to take part in the first Benidorm Fest in 2022. This festival is Spain's way of choosing its song for the well-known Eurovision Song Contest. She performed her song "Culpa" in the second semi-final. She placed 6th and did not make it to the final.
Her fifth album, Nocturna, came out in October 2022. She toured Spain, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico to promote it.
Javiera Mena's Music Style
Early in her career, Javiera was greatly influenced by Spanish singer Jeanette. Her first music was indie pop. Over the years, her sound changed to electropop. This electronic style is now what defines her music.
Discography
Studio albums
- Esquemas juveniles (2006)
- Mena (2010)
- Otra era (2014)
- Espejo (2018)
- Nocturna (2022)
EPs
- I. Entusiasmo (2021)
Awards and Nominations
Latin Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominated Work | Award | Result |
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| 2015 | "Otra Era" | Best Alternative Song | Nominated |
MTV Europe Music Awards
| Year | Nominated | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Javiera Mena | Best Latin America Central Act | Nominated |
| 2015 | Nominated |
See also
In Spanish: Javiera Mena para niños
