La Santa Cecilia
Courtesy of the Windish Agency
It took La Santa Cecilia eight years to get to the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall, but it was definitely worth the wait.
It was a sold-out concert on Saturday (March 26), starting with the audience patiently waiting for the Los Angeles band to take the stage lit in red, purple and pink. Spanish singer Buika appeared first on stage to open the concert. Her passionate and very intimate performance was the perfect set-up for a magical night. Wearing a red dress and a huge red flower on her head and accompanied by her band, Buika sang her heart out interpreting ballads like “Mi Niña Lola” and “Si Volveré”. “I don’t want to leave,” Buika said as she was ready to sing her last song. She received a standing ovation and left everyone chanting “otra otra (one more)” — they didn’t want her to leave either.
But it was La Santa Cecilia’s turn to take the stage. The band, lead by singer Marisol Hernández, known as “La Marisoul,” opened their musical act with their upbeat and cheerful song “Monedita.” Transitioning from cumbia and ska to pop and vice-versa, the Los Angeles band, which started busking at Plaza Olvera, included in their repertoire powerful tracks such as “La Morena,” which celebrates diversity, “Ice El Hielo,” a bossa nova single that denounces deportations taking place in the United States, and “Nunca Más,” a song they wrote in response to violence around the world.
Besides serenading the audience with their passionate lyrics, La Santa Cecilia had a special guest for the night. “We have a special surprise for you, a person that we admire a lot, someone who we love and for me he’s a Mexican idol, we’d like to present Mr. Pepe Aguilar.”
After singing the romantic duet “Como Dios Manda,” Aguilar thanked La Santa Cecilia for inviting him to sing with them. “I’m going to say something from the bottom of my heart. I’m definitely proud to see a band from Mexico with so much quality, so much honesty, opening doors now for the younger generation of musicians. You guys inspire with so much talent.”
As the concert came to an end, La Marisoul gave an emotional speech about their journey and the fact that one of their dreams came true that night. “Eight years ago we were playing at Olvera Street, we spent amazing, sweaty nights at La Cita and tonight we can be here at this beautiful stage. It’s been eight years of chasing our dreams, of living and fulfilling our dreams … One time when I was younger, I came to see Lila Downs and Buika sing here at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. I dreamed and dreamed of being like them and to be where they are. Thank you for all your support.”