"Something I Once Heard on the Radio": Litzy Edition

Litzy
Transparente
[7.3]
We all look up to the sky and its stars...
As a fan of music for approximately fifteen years now (my first music memory comes from the Fey of 1995), some lessons have naturally been learned. I've learned that there are musicians and artists, relentless warriors that try to build new sonic landscapes with any and all sorts of instruments (be it their voice or one made of wood and strings), that there are popstars, idols and icons of the mainstream culture with differing skills and ambitions (...and lack of clothing) and a likability often bursting at the seams, and that -then- there are the rest, those with varying degrees of talent trying to reach that sky of luminaries.

In popular music, it is often hard to see where the lines separating these three sit. In Litzy's case (and in fact that of most of those in 90's Pop), many would argue both for and against her as a natural popstar or musician. She was part of the fantastically-plastic girl group Jeans, whose main claim to fame was singing about the Jeans they so desperately wanted to put on (Me Pongo Mis Jeans), and like many a girl-band-vocal-leader before her, decided to release her solo effort.

So, where does Litzy stand in this handy categorization of the Mexican pop circuit?

The Mexico City native demonstrated an above average vocal capacity for a tween star of the time (keeping in mind most voices were "pleasing" or "ok", at best), as well as a likability factor in her interviews and performances. She, like her teen rivals Fey, Lynda, and Anahi, danced with effervescence, and delivered dance tunes to match the energy on stage. Litzy began to build a brand for herself in 1999, with more than enough qualifications to be called a popstar.

She soon released her debut record (Transparente) and began to unleash her pop creations onto the Mexican pop circuit with a surprising amount of success. "Quisiera Ser Mayor" and "No Te Extraño" were instant radio hits and won her a solid fanbase which pushed the album to Gold sales level (100,000 copies sold) [1].

That first album is arguably her best. Though she tries to cover far too much territory (from Eurodance to American R&B to minimalistic techno to middle-of-the-road-balladry) and the songs often feel under-written (specifically: saccharine-sweet) and in need of more effective hooks and production, the record works because of the girl's charm. Litzy jumps from genre to genre, frequently obliviously, but the audience can follow that naive voice throughout the enterprise.

In "Donde Se Esconden Los Duendes", a straight-forward Dance Pop construction, she is either tripping on 'shrooms or playfully wondering whether goblins can tell her something about her lovelife. "Quiero Volver" and "Olvidame" find her (and the backing vocalists) confessing the angst of teenage love, with the former supported by a sturdy string loop. The lyrics are immediate and ostensibly superficial, but her skill for adapting to the needs of the song produces reasonably affecting tracks. Hit "Quisiera Ser Mayor" follows the same route, but the unaffected, serene way in which she chooses to release the lyrics allows for a more genuine feel; she sings about infatuation for an older guy (her brother's friend, she assures us), yet not in the form of a frustrated, over the top reclamation, but rather in a resigned, matter-of-fact statement. This track highlights the producer Eduardo Posada's cleverness in the conception of fine melodies.
"Volar" and "Dame Un Beso" chase after hooks with adequate success while in techno/trance cadence, and "Marchate" (in poor judgment) rehashes italodisco. For the album opener, "Camouflage" recalls the 80s glory of Soft Cell and Frankie Goes to Hollywood and that Argentinians Miranda would make so popular almost a decade later. The lyrics are smart and honest, the beats bouncy and inviting, and her voice demonstrates as much personality as conceivable for a tween pop album of the time.

Momentum in the initial part of the album continues in Track 3, Litzy's best song and signature single. As a debut single, a song has to captivate and hook, just what "No Te Extraño" does. It's Eurodance at its best: bubbly, sharp, jumpy and -most importantly- catchy. Kitchen sink production. The lyrics are childish (here she decided to teach her listeners the name of every single body part and molecule [neurons, brain, stomach, arteries, mouth, atoms (!) and o yeah...the "calcium of 219 bones"]), but the affair is simply so jovial that this is easily overlooked. Pop Gold.



Artists like Litzy will always spark debate. Can someone that breaks no boundaries and simply follows tendencies really be considered an artist? Should pop be anything worthy of praise from those not in the 4th grade?
The answer is that there really is no answer. Each one of us will value different elements of a musical act and his or her sonic landscapes.... and as long as the musical act succeeds in its goal (exploring vocal textures and piano layers or writing a sentence that will stick in an audience's head and will not let go), why not praise them for that?

Until everyone gets that idea and the debates end, I'll blast "No Te Extrano" every time it comes up on my playlist. It reminds me that this girl (like any guy or girl), who may lack the vocal histrionics of a child prodigy or musical gift of Joan Sebastian can still possess the joy and likability crucial to be a star, a popstar.

Download:
Mediafire [.rar/.zip]
Courtesy of eurodance209 @ The Happy House Forum