Milena Warthon makes her GTN debut: Why isn’t “Agua de mar” on her album? The sad story of her family and more

Milena Warthon He is clear about his future: “I want to be a pop star”, he tells us. She, who began her musical career professionally with the song “Agua de mar”, will consolidate her proposal to mix urban rhythms with Andean sounds on Saturday June 17 at the Gran Teatro Nacional.

The artist, who identifies as an Andean woman by family heritage, is aware of the importance of this presentation. For this reason, she will make this show, made up of guest artists and many surprises, truly unforgettable. Regardless of the fact that her preparation keeps her working every day to give a show that lives up to expectations.

“We are looking for a show as if it were Tini’s, within my possibilities, obviously. I always say: ‘In my music I express my culture, but I also want to be a popstar’”, comments the singer who plans to continue her musical career on a trip to the north of Chile and Argentina to always be able to take her music to a new level.

“I’ve had to work hard to make this show a reality. The good thing is that people are excited, as am I”

—How was your path until you reached the Gran Teatro Nacional?

I call this “Milena’s journey out of the box”. That is, it is me accepting my cultural identity, embracing my history and my family. Everything changed since I came out of the pandemic in 2021 and discovered that my life was different. Then I went to the casting for “La Voz”, where they told me: “You are the little girl from TikTok who sings ‘Agua de mar’”. A few years later, I was in Viña, which was an experience that marked another stage in my life, since I began to mature more quickly. I feel that if I had applied to Viña a few years earlier, I might not have been able to stand it. I had to work hard to make this show come true. The good thing is that people are excited, just like me. We are about to reach the sold out [hasta el cierre de este artículo, todavía hay entradas].

—Since you started, you did well with singles. Why release a record?

This is the way in which I present myself and start a new stage as an artist. I think albums are out of fashion anymore, but for me it’s a milestone. I don’t want to say that I’m not going to release singles anymore, but the idea is that it’s an album that has an order to listen to the songs. It is not the same to listen to “Warmisitay” individually than to listen to it on the album, since it has another meaning. In this way, we finished conceptualizing the universe of Milena Warthon in the different facets of her and the things she has learned in those years.

—How does “Warmisitay” change?

After the song “Daughters of the Sun” with Eva Ayllón and Renata Flores, there is “Teresita xoxoxo”, an audio of my grandmother telling me a little about her story, which reflects the story of many women in Peru and Latin America. Also, it works as the introduction for “Warmisitay”, giving it another context or completing the idea of ​​the song. This is a very nice and catchy song that people like, but it means so much more to me. It is a demonstration of the love I have for my grandmother and a way in which I identify myself as an Andean woman, embracing me through the affection I have for her.

—What other tracks have a different story on this new album?

There is “Azúcar”, which is also a very intimate song that acquires another meaning by integrating a small audio of me when I was little as an introduction. “Ojos negros” is a song that strays from the theme of empowerment, but it has a particular story. It is inspired by the legend of Huascarán and Huandoy. I still remember listening to the final master and realizing that it really has another meaning. Part of my family suffered from the avalanche in 1970, when half of my mother’s family died. Talking about the suffering of the snow-capped people and their impossible love is a way in which I forgive them for having caused so much pain to the people I love. Then there is “Milagros”, the most intimate song on the album that allows me to heal the little girl Milena who dedicated that song to a person who passed away a long time ago. That’s why I say goodbye to the album like this, with small pieces of all the songs that conclude the musical.

—What ideas were left out of the record?

I would have liked to have some more featuring, but due to lack of time we couldn’t make it happen. However, the idea is there. I want to make a deluxe album in a few months where I can include some collaborations and things that we couldn’t get on the album. After that, I want to release more music, just like one of my greatest references does, Rosalía, who released her album [Motomami] and after a month he was already releasing “Despech”.

—Many wonder why you didn’t include “Seawater”

That will always be my first own song and the one that many people knew me for. But within the universe of “Andean Pop”, it didn’t quite fit because all the songs, in one way or another, talk about empowerment, be it personal, cultural or feminine, in addition to the sound aspect.

—About your musical career, what is the future of Milena Warthon?

I do not know what will be the next material that I am going to present to you. Maybe it’s an LP or an EP, but it has to be a totally different concept and with a different sound. Because the idea of ​​my project as an artist is always innovation. About the songs, I always joke about if they are going to break my heart and then I want to do songs cut veins. Anything can happen, actually. I recently traveled to Bolivia where I had a great time, but I also want to travel to the north of Argentina, to the provinces where I can feel that connection with the Andean, just like in Chile, where I already have some experience.

—Where does Franjo Antich enter in this new stage?

Franjo will continue to be my producer, although more than a music producer, he is my partner, a great friend who considers this project something very important for both of us. Sometimes I say that this is my album, but it is also Franjo’s album, since he wrote almost all the songs with me. He knows my entire universe and I think we still have many projects ahead of us. I don’t limit myself, I want to keep exploring new sounds. So, I think that Franjo will always be there for me and I for him because I admire him a lot. He has given me a lot and I learn from someone who is a genius.

—Regarding the show, what can your audience expect?

We are finishing fine-tuning everything that will appear in the show. The following week will be dress rehearsals, but for now I’m just with the band. This show that I will show to the public will have, in addition to the energy that always characterizes me, dance shows directed by Raúl Romero and spectacular choreography. I hope it will be a unique experience and that we can replicate this show in the provinces, since we will be 17 people on stage, including special artists. We are looking for a show similar to Tini’s, but within my possibilities, obviously. I always say: “In my music I express my culture, but I also want to be a popstar”.