Electronic / Électronique

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique – Pahua : A Latina Tornado

by Michel Labrecque

Pahua, real name Paulina Sotomayor, is a Mexican DJ, producer and songwriter. She plays folktronica, this new genre that mixes traditional sounds and electronic music. 

Her concert began late, which made me miss a large part of the recital by the Brazilian Luis Salgado, at Balattou, which was otherwise very good, in a very different register. 

As soon as she arrives on stage, Pahua envelops the audience with her disarming smile, her enthusiasm to be among us. She is surrounded by computers, but also by percussion and two musicians, an electric guitarist and a percussionist, both wearing enormous white glasses. 

Palhua composes, sings and is also a percussionist. Which gives a more percussive version in concert than that of his first album, Habita, released at the end of 2023. Groove quickly took hold and a majority of the audience started dancing. A mixture of cumbia and other Latin American rhythms stirred up Le Ministère. 

The electronic arrangements, mixed with traditional recorded instruments, notably accordion, flutes and trumpet, add musical material to the rhythm. There are also more meditative, more folk moments. 

Paulina Sotomayor also knows how to sing and clearly enjoys it. In addition, behind the stage, a video constantly shows images of both the urbanity and the nature of Mexico and Latin America. 

Because, if Pahua is Mexican and proud of it, we sense in her a desire to embrace all Latin American cultures. She will also, in a future project, be interested in Brazilian baile-funk, she told us in an interview. 

On her album Habita, she multiplied collaborations with musicians from across the continent, from Costa Rica to Chile. It is part of a larger ecosystem of folktronica, which would benefit from being better known here. 

Pahua is undoubtedly a Mexican artist to follow. And Le Ministère public seemed to enjoy it to the fullest.

Publicité panam

Latest 360 Content

FIJM | Saxophonist and vocalist Camille Thurman, New Montreal Hidden Treasure

FIJM | Saxophonist and vocalist Camille Thurman, New Montreal Hidden Treasure

Festival de Lanaudière | Bruckner and Payare: cathedral builders

Festival de Lanaudière | Bruckner and Payare: cathedral builders

FIJM | Marcus Strickland and The Black Fusion Following

FIJM | Marcus Strickland and The Black Fusion Following

FIJM | Jean Michel Blais & Lara Somogyi: Fruits of The Desert

FIJM | Jean Michel Blais & Lara Somogyi: Fruits of The Desert

FIJM | Fievel is Glauque For Dessert… Dessert loaded!

FIJM | Fievel is Glauque For Dessert… Dessert loaded!

FIJM | Thursday Ends With Suuns

FIJM | Thursday Ends With Suuns

FIJM | Misc: Beat Bouquet Well Garnished!

FIJM | Misc: Beat Bouquet Well Garnished!

FIJM | Alexis Lombre and the Holy Spirit in the South Side of Chicago

FIJM | Alexis Lombre and the Holy Spirit in the South Side of Chicago

FIJM | Allison Russel’s Apotheosis Concert in Her Hometown

FIJM | Allison Russel’s Apotheosis Concert in Her Hometown

FIJM I Best Dressed, Most Possessed: Fantastic Negrito Stupefies Rogers Stage

FIJM I Best Dressed, Most Possessed: Fantastic Negrito Stupefies Rogers Stage

FIJM 2025 | Beth McKenna : raising her Momentum

FIJM 2025 | Beth McKenna : raising her Momentum

Nuits d’Afrique | Immersion In The World of Stogie T

Nuits d’Afrique | Immersion In The World of Stogie T

FIJM | Julius Rodriguez, Jazz Groove Ace

FIJM | Julius Rodriguez, Jazz Groove Ace

FIJM | Men I Trust Shines Brightly on The Place des Festivals

FIJM | Men I Trust Shines Brightly on The Place des Festivals

FIJM | Anomalie and Lettieri: A New Musical Friendship, Developing in Real Time

FIJM | Anomalie and Lettieri: A New Musical Friendship, Developing in Real Time

FIJM | Linda May Han Oh, A Role Model for Female Double-Bass Players

FIJM | Linda May Han Oh, A Role Model for Female Double-Bass Players

Nuits d’Afrique | La Chiva Gantiva As Seen by Rafael Espinel

Nuits d’Afrique | La Chiva Gantiva As Seen by Rafael Espinel

Suoni | The Spiritual Quest, The End in Transcendence

Suoni | The Spiritual Quest, The End in Transcendence

FIJM | Thundercat, A Feline on The Loose

FIJM | Thundercat, A Feline on The Loose

FIJM | Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston Exposed

FIJM | Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston Exposed

FIJM | Branford Marsalis Among Four MF’s Playin’ Tunes… Live!

FIJM | Branford Marsalis Among Four MF’s Playin’ Tunes… Live!

FIJM | About Derrick Hodge’s Idea of the Color of Noize

FIJM | About Derrick Hodge’s Idea of the Color of Noize

FIJM | Queen of Afrobeats, Ayra confirms her status as a Global… Starr

FIJM | Queen of Afrobeats, Ayra confirms her status as a Global… Starr

FIJM | Black Jazz by Marquis Hill

FIJM | Black Jazz by Marquis Hill

Subscribe to our newsletter