Photo credit: Tayo Okyekan
“Jackie Mendoza backed herself for this show with her own laptop tracks. They were dense concoctions that changed radically from song to song, touching down at times in dance beats before drifting into more abstract zones, and then getting reeled back by her straightforward vocal lines, with lyrics in English and Spanish.” — The New York Times
“[Jackie Mendoza’s] radiant bilingual pop pulsates playfully, conjuring images of sandy beaches and hot pavement.” — NPR Music
Luminelle Recordings is pleased to announce new signing Jackie Mendoza, and present her new single, “De Lejos.” Born and raised in the San Diego area, just a mere 10 minutes away from the border, Jackie Mendoza’s equally influenced by the geography and personal experiences from her hometown, as well as the culture of her motherland, Tijuana, Mexico. She grew up listening to Latin pop songs at family parties, and as a result, sings in both Spanish and English, blending Latin-driven dance beats, electronic pop, and colorful soundscapes.
“De Lejos” is the perfect first taste of Mendoza’s eccentric sound. Written about the emotional difficulty she faced while being in a long distance relationship with her girlfriend, “De Lejos” originally had a ukulele, synth-pop backbone, but after working with producer Rusty Santos (Panda Bear’s upcoming Buoys), it eventually took the the form of a ballad with a minimal beat. “We transformed the sound of the ukulele and stripped down the instrumentation so the message would be the centerpiece of the song. It’s a big step out of my comfort zone, but I’m really excited about its final form.”
News of Mendoza’s debut release will be announced in the coming weeks. She will return to SXSW this year, following last year’s performance where she was highlighted in NPR Music’s The Austin 100 and featured in The New York Times’ “17 Acts That Stood Out.” She will also play at (le) poisson rouge and Baby’s All Right in New York, where she currently lives.
Jackie Mendoza Tour Dates:
Fri. Feb. 22 – New York, NY @ (le) poisson rouge
Fri. March 12 – 17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
Wed. March 27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
‘De Lejos’ artwork:
Links:
Buy/ Stream “De Lejos”
“De Lejos” on Soundcloud
Facebook
Instagram
Spotify
Soundcloud
Youtube
