Pahua – a Mexico City-based electronic artist – performed at Flushing Town Hall on Thursday, Sept. 24.
Held right in time for Hispanic Heritage Month, her music is diverse, mixing together genres such as Cumbia, Dembow and Afrobeats. The event brought everyone on their feet as they danced along to her songs, where she combined her vocals with cultural beats.
Photo by Alice Moreno
Pahua has a long history with music, starting at six years old when she joined a Mariachi band. Spanning 10 years with the group, the music she played with the Mariachi band is vastly different from what she does currently, focusing more on wind instruments such as trumpets and trombones. By 16, she began playing the percussion, and by 24, she began diving into the world of electronica.
“It was really cool, also, to start going through an instrument, because it was more melodic,” Pahua said. “And this was very beautiful for my development.”
Her music combines not only electronic, but also folk music, appropriately calling it “folktronica.” She is inspired by various artists such as Nicola Cruz, Nicolas Jar and El Buho.
Photo by Alice Moreno
“They are really cool references of musicians that are linked into the Folktronica scene,” Pahua said. “And I remember that was something that really connects with my heart and with my soul because it’s music that talks about nature [and] about how your soul and your reference [to] humans is connected to these parts [of the] world.”
Photo by Alice Moreno
Starting at 7:30, the floor at Flushing Town Hall was open to guests to dance along to Pahua’s music, which is reminiscent of the culture she was brought up in. At 6:30, before the show, a pre-show artist talk was held, where guests could learn more about Pahua and her rise into Electronic music. Hundreds of guests came together, dancing the night away.
Photo by Alice Moreno
As part of her USA tour, Pahua had future shows at Lotus Festival in Bloomington, Indiana, on Thursday, Oct. 1, and the Star Theater in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday, Oct. 3. Afterwards, she arrived back in Mexico to finish her newest album.
“I really want to invite all the people to hear my music,” Pahua said. “Because I have a lot of music now. There’s a really cool catalog on all platforms that you can hear and watch. And for people to know that you have a friend in Mexico. If you want to come here and [learn] about Mexican culture, it can be really nice.”
For more information on Flushing Town Hall, including future performances, visit flushingtownhall.org.