A lifelong artist who began her work in photography and music before she began releasing music, Andrekza pays tribute to the people — especially women — who helped make her who she is in "Sangre Poderosa," a song from her 2022 release Cassette.
In this episode of Press Play at Home, Andrekza takes fans inside the studio for her intimate performance, accompanied only by one backing instrumentalist. Andrekza's delivery of the song is empowering and joyful — despite the fact that its subject spotlights a dark moment in U.S. history: The 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.
As an immigrant from Venezuela, Andrekza wanted to pay tribute to the lives lost in that tragedy, which remains the deadliest industrial disaster in New York City's history. 146 factory workers — the bulk of them women and young girls — died in the blaze, which prompted legislation calling for new factory safety standards and inspired a fight for better working conditions for sweatshop laborers.
"I found it so important to pay homage to that situation because so many immigrant women lost their lives in that tragic event and that is why we now have International Women's Day," Andrezka explained to Lady Gunn. "I think it's important to pay attention to those moments so that we can learn where we come from."
In her own upbringing, Andrezka remembers being raised by tough, independent women. "That's why today I raise my voice in honor of them," she explains. To supplement the lyrical concepts, her performance of "Sangre Poderosa" features a strong musical influence honoring her heritage, too.
"I wanted to mix traditional sounds and new rhythms," she adds. To make this mixture was an adventure and it was very enriching for me to blend Latin and Afro-Latin melodies with this new genre of trap to create this fusion."
Press play on the video above to behold the empowering, infectious results, and keep checking GRAMMY.com for future episodes of Press Play at Home.