Juana Molina
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Family name hatnote
Template:Infobox person Juana Rosario Molina Villafañe (Template:IPA; born 1 October 1961) is an Argentine singer, songwriter and former actress, based in Buenos Aires. She is known for her distinctive sound, considered an exponent of folktronica,<ref name="guardianreviewlive"/> although it has also been described as ambient,<ref name="tmt">Template:Cite web</ref> experimental,<ref name="guardianreviewlive">Template:Cite news</ref> neofolk,<ref name="rs">Template:Cite web</ref> chill-out,<ref name="baherald">Template:Cite web</ref> indietronica,<ref name="bbc">Template:Cite news</ref> psychedelic,<ref name="popmatters">Template:Cite web</ref> indie pop,<ref name="allmusicbio">Template:Cite web</ref> and progressive folk.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The daughter of tango singer Template:Ill and actress Chunchuna Villafañe, she achieved fame as a sketch comedy actress in the 1990s, first as a guest in various shows and in 1991 with her show, Juana y sus hermanas. At the height of her popularity, she quit her job as an actress to pursue a music career. Her debut album, Rara, was subsequently released in 1996, and panned by local critics who resented her departure from television. Discouraged by the criticism, she moved to Los Angeles, where her music had been better received, and she familiarized herself with electronic instruments. She then returned to Buenos Aires to produce her second album, Segundo, incorporating the sonic elements she had learned. Each one of her following albums has added a new complexity to her music, which is characterized by layered loops of acoustic and electronic sounds.
Despite the initial negative reaction to her music in her home country, music critics have consistently acclaimed Molina's work, praising her music and experimentation. In 2013, El País wrote, "she established herself as the star of the avant-garde sound of her country in the world."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Writing for The Guardian, Robin Denselow called her the "one-time Queen of Latin chill" and wrote: "[she] has built up a global cult following as one of the most experimental musicians in Argentina."<ref name="denselow">Template:Cite news</ref>
Early life
Juana Rosario Molina Villafañe<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was born to a family of artists in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 1, 1961.<ref name="telegrafo">Template:Cite web</ref> She is the eldest daughter of Horacio Molina, a tango singer, and Chunchuna Villafañe, an actress and model. She has a younger sister who has also worked as an actress and musician. The family lived in the central Buenos Aires barrio of Caballito.<ref name="telegrafo" /> Her mother was a record collector, exposing her to various types of music.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She began to learn to play the guitar at age 5.<ref name="sapo">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1967, Juana recorded her first song with her father, "Te regalo esta canción" ("I gift you this song"), as a gift to her mother for Mother's Day.<ref name="tvpublica">Template:Cite web</ref> Horacio Molina released the song as a single —without his young daughter knowing—which sold 45 thousand copies.<ref name="telegrafo" /> She also performed the song live with her father on national television.<ref name="radar2">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1976, the family left for Paris, France, due to the military dictatorship that overthrew President Isabel Perón.<ref name="radar">Template:Cite web</ref> While in Paris, she listened to what is now known as "world music" on French radio stations.<ref name="enchantress">Template:Cite web</ref> In various interviews, Molina has recalled a visit to a Spanish hippie family friend who introduced her to Indian classical music, whose drones have had an enduring influence on her music.<ref name="telegrafo" /><ref name="tvpublica" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1981, Molina returned to Buenos Aires. To finance her architecture studies, she had various small jobs, including an unsuccessful experience as a backing vocalist in small bands.<ref name="telegrafo" /><ref name="sapo" />
Career
As she could not make a living through music, Molina decided to find a job that paid well and did not consume much time.<ref name="radar" /> She decided on a career in television as the means to this end and spent some months looking for a show that could use her services.<ref name="enchantress" /> She recorded a homemade audition tape for the studio and was offered a contract the same day.<ref name="enchantress" /> Molina began her television career in 1988 with the ATC show La noticia rebelde ("Rebel News", a wordplay on La novicia rebelde), where she would record one day a week and get paid for five.<ref name="radar" /> Her popular sketches parodied porteño women of various social classes.<ref name="telegrafo" /> In October of the same year, Molina joined the cast of El mundo de Antonio Gasalla ("Antonio Gasalla's World"), led by comedy actor Antonio Gasalla.<ref name="biografia">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The show, which ran until 1990, further cemented her popularity as a sketch comedy actress and writer. The show was also performed live at the Teatro Gran Rex and in Mar del Plata.
The pinnacle of her success came with her show, Juana y sus hermanas ("Juana and Her Sisters", a wordplay on Hannah and Her Sisters), which premiered in 1991. Molina became Argentina's most popular comedian,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> having her show syndicated to other Latin American countries.<ref name="enchantress" /> Molina was dubbed "the new Niní Marshall" by the press, and won two Martín Fierro Awards.<ref name="radar3">Template:Cite web</ref> A compilation album of songs by Molina featured in the show was released.<ref name="biografia" /> In 1993 Molina became pregnant with her only child, Francisca, and had to suspend her show.<ref name="radar3" /> Reflecting on her rapid rise to stardom and distance from the music career she had always wanted, the actress canceled the show in 1994.<ref name="enchantress" /> She recalls: "There was a moment when I imagined myself watching MTV as a decrepit old woman (like MTV would last a lifetime), thinking 'I could have done that.' I pictured myself feeling an infinite grudge, hatred, and envy."<ref name="soyloquesoy">Template:Cite web</ref>
Produced by Gustavo Santaolalla and recorded in 1995, Molina's debut album, Rara, was released in 1996. The album was poorly marketed; Micaela Ortelli of Página/12 wrote: "Never did an Argentine radio play a song from that album, – too pop to be folk and too folk, perhaps, to be radio material."<ref name="radar3"/> Live shows were also problematic, as audiences expected her to act like on television.<ref name="radar3"/> The album was better received in Los Angeles, where Molina settled in 1998.<ref name="segundopaso">Template:Cite web</ref> Having learned how to record her music, she began to self-produce new material at the request of DreamWorks Records. Although the company ultimately did not sign her, these recordings would become Segundo, her second studio album.<ref name="segundopaso"/> By 2000, she had finished recording the album and, back in Buenos Aires, she met Daniel Melero, who mixed the record.<ref name="segundopaso"/> The music of Segundo was the result of Molina's new insights into timbre and her meeting with Alejandro Franov, who taught her "the endless sound possibilities that keyboards allow."<ref name="radar3"/> Despite remaining virtually unknown in her native country, Molina's music found success in Japan, and, to a lesser extent, in Europe.<ref name="deque">Template:Cite web</ref> American musician David Byrne bought Segundo — intrigued by its artwork — and quickly became an admirer of the record.<ref name="deque"/> He contacted Molina, and she became the opening act of his American tour.<ref name="deque"/>
Appearances in other media
Molina gained wider exposure with North American public radio listeners when Jad Abumrad used her music to score a 2008 episode of Radiolab and produced a bonus podcast featuring an interview with Molina and a remix of her song "Un día." Molina's song, "Sin dones", from Halo, was used on the episode "Things Bad Begun" in Season 3 of the show Fear the Walking Dead in 2017.
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Indie <ref name="UK-Indie">Template:Cite web</ref> |
US Dance <ref name="US-Dance">Template:Cite magazine</ref> |
US Latin <ref name="US-Latin">Template:Cite magazine</ref> |
US Latin Pop <ref name="US-Latin-Pop">Template:Cite magazine</ref> | ||||
| Rara |
|
— | — | — | — | ||
| Segundo |
|
— | — | — | — | ||
| Tres cosas |
|
— | — | — | — | ||
| Son | Released: 23 May 2006
|
45 | — | — | — | ||
| Un día |
|
— | — | 59 | 14 | ||
| Wed 21 |
|
— | 21 | 22 | 7 | ||
| Halo |
|
— | — | — | 15 | ||
| Doga |
|
— | — | — | - | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||
Collaborative albums
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| A○○B |
|
Soundtrack albums
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Juana y sus hermanas |
|
Live albums
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Anrmal |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Forfun |
|
| Exhalo |
|
Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Te regalo esta canción" / "Eso eres mamá" Template:Small |
1967 | Template:Non-album single |
| "Sálvese quien pueda" | 2005 | Tres cosas |
| "Un día (Reboot remix)" | 2010 | Template:Non-album single |
| "Eras" | 2013 | Wed 21 |
| "Cosoco" | 2017 | Halo |
| "Las culpas II" | 2018 | Template:Non-album single |
| "Paraguaya Punk" | 2019 | Forfun |
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Slow Motion Detonation" Template:Small |
2017 | Mountain Moves |
| "Al sur" Template:Small |
2021 | Vertigo Days |