When one thinks of Latinx singers/musicians who are also mothers, thoughts of Jennifer Lopez and Cardi B instantly come to mind. These empowering mamas create music that resonates and have shattered the internet more than once. But if you look beyond the mainstream, there are many unique and talented Latinx music artists who also happen to be mamas. These rockstar mamis make incredible music that satiate all the senses, while delivering conscious lyrics that go beyond the digestible pop musings. In honor of National Hispanic American Heritage Month, hit play on these five music Latina moms.
Ana Tijoux
Chilean hip hop queen, and Grammy-award winner, Ana Tijoux has been releasing music as a solo artist since 2006. With four albums to her name, and popular global songs, such as "1977," "Antipatriarca," and "Shock," the renowned artist has toured extensively around the world and has been the voice of a woke generation before "woke" was even a term. Whether through her delicate vocals or her rapid-fire politically charged flows, Tijoux takes social justice head on. Born in France to a French mother and a Chilean father in political exile during Pinochet's dictatorship, the activist roots run deep.
After the birth of her second child, Tijoux recorded her 2014 album Vengo (she wrote the lyrics while pregnant). While touring for the release, this rockstar mama traveled with her newborn daughter and toddler son. In various interviews, Tijoux has openly talked about motherhood; the non-stop labor of love and the constant need for coffee, something many us can relate to.
Jarina De Marco
Making vibrant music that is all things sultry, playful, and empowering, Dominican and Brazilian music artist Jarina De Marco is a creative force whose music breaks boundaries and welcomes a multi-ethnic future. Mixing all the delightful elements of global rhythms such as hip hop, r&b, pop, ancestral sounds, and more, De Marco celebrates her cultures through singing in four languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French).
Now the musical visionary has joined the magical realm of motherhood with 9-month-old son Achilles. De Marco openly shares her journey through motherhood detailing all, from the struggles with breastfeeding to hilariously heartwarming videos featuring Achilles.
A boss mama through and through, De Marco takes the reigns on all the creative facets of her work—from songwriting and production, to artistic design and video direction. Most recently, De Marco shared her latest offering "Vacio," an illustrious collaboration with fellow Latina Empress Of.
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Li Saumet
Li Saumet, the well-known singer of Colombian alt-dance group Bomba Estéreo, creates music that makes you want to dance! A force in the alternative/Caribbeat/dance scene since the band’s 2009 song “Fuego,” the Grammy-nominated band released its first album in four years in September 2021 and it delivers all the dance vibes your dancing heart desires. With conscious lyrics, Saumet sings with intention. Past hits like “Soy Yo” (which has an absolutely adorable video, btw) serve as an empowerment anthem for self-love, especially for young Brown Latinas.
In April 2016, Saumet gave birth to her first child, a baby boy. Her vibrant Instagram account has adorable photos of her son and the little family that she and her partner have created. In her native Spanish language, the robust singer opens up about how her son gave her the greatest gift, but she also playfully shares her challenges; like how hard it is to get a family a photo with a toddler.
Lido Pimienta
Never afraid to confront the powers that be, Lido Pimienta creates consciously poetic music touching on love, life, and loss, as well as social and political topics of oppression and justice. With a dulcet voice, the Grammy-nominated artist sings in both Spanish and English, and lets her Afro-Colombian and Indigenous roots shine. Seamlessly blending ethereal electronica and cumbia to create her own style of global beats, Pimienta's music is a soothing journey of the soul.
After the 2018 birth of her daughter, Martina Felipe Valdivia Pimienta, Pimienta wrote a lullaby to her baby titled “Nada.” The magical track reflects on postpartum and perseverance. In a past press release, Pimienta shares: “‘Nada’ was written a few days after I gave birth to my daughter… After giving birth, my body had a hole in it. I felt empty yet heavy at the same time. That kind of pain, trauma, and shock to the body is hard to explain. It’s ‘pungent’ pain, inside of you.”
She continued, "I wrote a lullaby to my baby, but I feel as though my daughter gifted me this song, to protect her and tell her, 'Don't be afraid of death, it is the least of your worries, you are a woman in the world. If death comes to your door, it wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen to you.'"
Snow Tha Product
Spittin' rhymes, Snow Tha Product, born Claudia Alexandra Madriz Meza, is as fierce as they come. The independent Mexican-American hip hop artist has been cutting her teeth for over a decade delivering razor-sharp lyricisms covering women's rights, immigration, and other political issues. Well-known in the underground hip hop world with cosigns from Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent to name a few, it wasn't until her recent collab with Bizarrap on "BZRP Music Sessions #39" that took the rap artist to next level stardom.
Daughter of Mexican immigrant parents that endured the struggles of being undocumented and raising children born in the U.S., Snow Tha Product drops her flows with a bilingual buoyancy that has the keen ability to bring out the badass mama in us all. With an 11-year-old son, Snow Tha Product has shared her journey of being a single mom (she was married for 10 years) to now finding new love with a woman. Beyond her rap game, the talented mama has built quite the entrepreneurial empire. From a hit YouTube show and podcast, to her acting career (Queen of the South) and an online store, Snow Tha Product is a true inspiration to all women, but especially Latinx women.
Sandra Burciaga Olinger is a mama, blogger, and video producer. She is the founder of Grimy Goods—an L.A.-based independent music media platform. You can connect with her via her Instagram where she shares her L.A. things to do, travel experiences, and love for the outdoors.
