Thalia is bringing her fans along for the nostalgic journey of her musical path and how the influence of rock allowed her to be free and authentic while growing up with the release of Thalia’s Mixtape, which dropped on April 28. Thalia is taking her fans back to a time when there was no Shazam, Spotify, Apple Music, or Tidal.
In the ‘80s and ‘90s, many relied on waiting for hours, days, weeks, or even months before they could hear their favorite song on the radio again to record it on a cassette tape, hoping the DJ wouldn’t talk throughout it. “I wanted to touch that vein of nostalgia for that generation that shaped me but also involve the new generation,” the Mexican legend tells Remezcla.
The idea of creating this mixtape came to Thalia in 2019 while driving, listening to one of her favorite classic rock songs. Latin Grammy winners Aureo Baqueiro y Rafael Arcaute produced the 11-track mixtape, which homages the golden era of rock en español. Thalia’s Mixtape features collaborations with music legends like David Summers from Hombres G, Aterciopelados, and Roco from La Maldita Vecindad. It also includes collaborations with up-and-coming artists like Kenia Os, Bruises, Ben Carrillo, and León Leiden, aiming to bridge the generational gap in the musical journey to the past.
Four years later, old and new fans are getting a taste of her nostalgic world with this project, but also a three-episode series. “Thalia’s Mixtape: El Soundtrack de mi Vida” combines interviews and modern interpretations of music classics, and also includes a special appearance by Soda Stereo’s Charly Alberti. The docu-series premieres on Paramount Plus on May 2.
Remezcla got a chance to catch up with Thalia to go through all the songs on the mixtape, in which she shares what those nostalgic songs mean to her and why she chose to add them.
“Devuélveme a Mi Chica”
“Devuélveme a Mi Chica” was the song that started this idea in my head of this plan to create the mixtape of my life of the songs that influenced my journey and gave me the strength to pursue my dreams. “Devuélveme a Mi Chica” was the song that I had been listening to on the road, and it was the moment when the whole idea came into my head of what I wanted to do. It is a song that has always been with me.
“Pachuco”
“Pachuco” is a song of rebellion, that song of acceptance of the youth, of dreams, but governed by the whole society where you are not allowed to be. Well, in that song, in that story, they don’t allow you to be you, to be authentic, to do the things you like. So that’s why I wanted to include this song that was always on all the mixtapes of my life, on all my cassettes.
“Florecita Rockera”
I love it for several reasons. I love it because I have always been a lover of flower power. I have always liked flowers. I always liked to put them in my wardrobe, on my microphone when I sang. Andrea from Aterciopelados, who has been an iconic woman in the music industry, because imagine showing up with those ovaries in the world of rock en español filled with all men? She arrived saying, “I am Andrea, I am from Aterciopelados, this is what I sing, this is who I am.” So for me, that’s a great example, and that’s why I love this song.
“Persiana Americana”
All of Soda Stereo’s songs are iconic, and they are one of those bands of music royalty. Being able to share it in this documentary with Charly Alberti and ask him firsthand about all those challenges they had to go through to find their place in that world. I love “Persiana Americana” because the rhythm and the lyrics fascinate me. I love them, and obviously being with Charly even more.
“Me Cuesta Tanto Olvidarte”
“Me Cuesta Tanto Olvidarte,” a song by Mecano. It’s that classic broken-hearted song where that person decides to end that relationship, but she regrets it for the rest of her life. It’s like a permanently broken heart, and that’s why I love that song; I love those lyrics. Great band and, once again, a woman who has planted her name and genre through music like Ana Torroja did.
“Rayando el Sol”
What can I say [about] Maná? Mexicans, friends, and, again, one of those nostalgic songs. When there are rainy days and you want to cry with a sad song, “Rayando el Sol” is the song I listen to. And it anguishes me, but then I feel good. That’s what the song is for me.
“Para No Verte Más”
“Para No Verte Más” by La Mosca Tsé – Tsé is a fun song just as are they. A song and anthem that is a form to embrace heartbreak, but fun, with rhythm, with a smile, with joy.
“Cuando Seas Grande”
One of the great songs by Miguel [Mateos], and this is one of them. I find the lyrics very interesting for these moments that we are living now. Kid, what are you going to do when someone presses the button? So you have to live life to the fullest.
“El Mixtape Medley”
“El Mixtape Medley” is spectacular. In it, there is the fusion of the entire ‘80s era because, at that time, we loved to make medleys. So we would run different songs into one long song. In this medley called Mixtape, I have Toreros Muertos, Los Amantes del Lola, Charly García, and Mateos. It is a super mix with a wonderful medley.
“La Muralla Verde”
“La Muralla Verde” by the iconic Los Enanitos Verdes is a great song. In this three-episode series that I have with Paramount Plus, “Thalia’s Mixtape: El Soundtrack De Mi Vida.” I talk about the evolution of music throughout the series. But in the third episode, I talk about the era of web3, the era of artificial intelligence, and the era of streaming. To interpret this song, I invited two emerging guys from TikTok, from YouTube, and from social networks, which makes total sense to me. To talk about this evolution of music and reinterpret a masterpiece like “Muralla.”
“Lucha de Gigantes”
“Lucha de Gigantes” is a total anthem of that generation and that moment in music. For me, it closes the DNA of the magic of that era. So I had to put this song on this record for fans of this project, like me. I am a fan doing this project for the fans of that time. I’m not Thalia making the album, but rather I’m a fan of a teenager connecting with all the fans to thank these heroes for everything they did for me, for us, giving us that strength. “Lucha de Gigantes” is that song that we all connect with.