wx2026-0430 POSTSHOW Julieta-Venegas-songs-ENGLISH.mxf-podcast

In this episode of Democracy Now!, host Amy Goodman interviews Grammy-winning Mexican artist Julieta Venegas about her new album and memoir, both titled 'Nortenia,' released in May 2026. Venegas reflects on her upbringing in Tijuana, a border city that shaped her identity as a 'Norteña'—someone from the north of Mexico—while exploring the cultural and emotional legacy of música norteña, Juan Gabriel, and her family’s musical influences. The centerpiece of the conversation is her new single, 'La Lina,' a poignant ballad about separation due to deportation, co-created with the U.S.-based Mexican group Yaritza y su Esencia. The song, which translates to 'the line,' serves as both a personal and political meditation on the human cost of U.S. immigration policy under President Trump, particularly family separations. Venegas emphasizes music as an emotional and intimate form of protest, not necessarily a tool for structural change, but a vital way to express what words alone cannot. She also discusses the interplay between language, identity, and emotion, noting her deep emotional connection to Spanish, and how her work—spanning music, writing, and performance—represents a return to her roots and a reclamation of belonging. The episode concludes with a reflective performance of 'Me Voy,' a song about self-love and leaving for the right reasons. Venegas’ multifaceted artistry—spanning decades, continents, and languages—underscores her role as a global cultural voice. Her work bridges personal memory and collective struggle, using music and memoir to humanize the border experience and honor the resilience of displaced families. The episode highlights how art can serve as both sanctuary and solidarity in times of political cruelty.