“As a people we have made the first Political Constitution in the world written in gender parity, and also this proposal recognises us as an inclusive country, which is hope for all dissidents in our country. It is a new Constitution that recognises us as an ecological country, which is what we need to put an end to all this savage extractivism that we suffer from, and we also recognise ourselves as a plurination, which is also very necessary to begin to relate better with the native peoples, as this is a debt that Chile has historically had”.
In front of thousands of people, but especially in front of hundreds of Chileans present on the esplanade of the Place des Arts in the heart of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the Chilean singer and composer Pascuala Ilabaca, together with her ensemble, called to vote Apruebo in the exit plebiscite that this September 4 will condemn at the ballot box the proposal for a new constitution for Chile.
In this audiovisual interview, conducted during one of the artist’s performances at the 42nd edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival, Pascuala Ilabaca, acclaimed by a massive, diverse, multicultural and enthusiastic audience, recounts the emotion and the reasons that motivated her to bring to the stage a piece of the “social explosion of Chile”, generating in the midst of a musical performance as impeccable as vibrantly creative, a space of intense bonding with the hundreds of Chileans who attended her concert.
It is worth mentioning that after the breaks due to the pandemic, the live return of this famous festival was eagerly awaited by fans from all over the planet, which is why special attention was paid to its programme. In total, there were more than 350 concerts presented by artists from Canada and afar, 2/3 of which were free, and took place between 30 June and 9 July. In fact, Guinness World Records has named the Montreal International Jazz Festival the largest jazz festival on the planet. Every summer, in June and July, more than 3,000 musicians and artists from 30 countries give nearly 1,000 concerts.
Many jazz greats have graced the stage of the Place des Arts, including legends such as Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Paco de Lucia, Ray Charles, BB King, Diana Krall, Oliver Jones, Wynton Marsalis and Chick Corea, so being there and enjoying the talent of Pascuala Ilabaca and her ensemble of Chilean musicians was doubly exciting.
However, to hear the whole audience, people from all over the world, as well as Canadians, chanting “the people united will never be defeated!” together with the musicians led by this strong, beautiful, intense and creative artist, shook us Chilean men and women present to the core.
