What was the inspiration for the piece?

In 2021, the Mexican government was so worried about protesters in the lead up to International Women’s Day, that they erected three meter-high barriers to protect government buildings, and as a response to this, various feminist groups decided to write the names of femicide victims on the barriers. Ultimately, asking the question of the government what is more important, the buildings or the women and children of Mexico? 

I immediately wanted to respond to this, but initially I was unsure how to go about it. 

How did you link your musical ideas to political circumstances you were responding to?

It was a very long process. thing that really struck me seeing all these names was this sense of individuality. Some names were larger, some were smaller. But in the context, they just fell into a large wall of names and I wanted to represent that musically.

It was a long and emotional process. By the time I had gathered all the victims’ names, for the singer to record, I was already incredibly moved by this process. The choice of using one female voice, was very deliberate. I wanted the vibraphone to support the singer, and the singer’s range matched the vibraphone, meaning they fitted together nicely. 

The issue of femicide is a significant problem internationally, and for many this piece will be both a heartening and frustrating work. Did you envision how people, especially women, would react to this piece? 

I was initially scared, as an artist it is a tricky thing using other’s pain in your art. At the same time, it was my way of getting it out there. Showing my own pain and anger at this circumstance. 

I knew it was going to be a difficult piece to listen to. It is a piece that, if you listen without the context, can just a beautiful piece. 

I’ve received many comments, and I knew I was touching on a very personal and emotional point for women, but the piece provides some form of support. You are not alone. It is a collective thing, and that is the seed of it. 

I think in the end it is about opening up the discussion, and as someone who has more international reach than many in Mexico it’s a great chance to speak about it — especially as it is not just a Mexican problem, it is massive everywhere. People thinking this is a Mexican problem shows how little it is discussed. 

The finale breaks my heart, as it is a simple stating that “You”, the listener, are still here. How do you relate to that “Tu” is it an optimistic statement, a bitter note, or something else entirely?

Out of the three movements, it is the one I wrote most intuitively. It just fell out of me emotionally. I let myself go very much, and it was just an emotional response of having to deal with such density in the first two movements. 

We resist, we speak, we believe each other, we need to stick together, and continue discussing the problem, and resistance is just such a powerful word, hopefully things will get better. It’s not only about women, but also about all of us. 

What also strikes me with the work is the modesty, you don’t respond in bombastic and righteous anger, but instead a calm description of fact — was the aim to always make it so intimate and calm?

I don’t think it was a conscious decision. I sort of thought about the structure I would use, but it was mostly written intuitively. But ultimately, I was heartbroken. By the time I started writing the piece I was so sad, and you can hear it in the piece. I think you have enough anger, and adding more doesn’t necessarily help. 

It was also very much about simply getting the names out there. Give them space to just be, to recognise and remember they are women, or girls, who thought they were going to get home that night. 

When 10 women are killed every day, they are not thought about individually. You become a number, you have masses of forgotten names. It is the same as war, after a few months it just is and you become used to it, and it becomes a background sensation. This is what I wanted to capture in the piece.