Jefa. je·fa Feminine - Noun – Singular. Plural: jefas. Spanish term: woman in charge, boss, headwoman

 

March is Women's Month!  Join us at Joe's Pub for an evening of tropical and empowering woman-fronted music on the Eve of International Women's day!  These trailblazing Latina songwriters are making waves in the Latin alternative scene with a fresh approach to their Latin American roots. Discover new sounds with essences from Mexico to Panama to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Join us for performances by Jessica Medina, Renee Goust, and Mai Elka plus surprise special guests. Hear their hits "La Cumbia Feminazi" and "Libre" as well the premiere of their new singles "A una mujer" and "Cuidao," and be part of this movement  seeking to empower women through song.

 

With Spanish and English as her native tongues, and New York City as her home, Jessica Medina was recently referenced by NPR's Alt Latino music roundup as a "super talented vocalist that effortlessly bridges jazz, soul and even bits of Afro Caribbean music”. Blending a World Music vibe with espresso shots of Afro-Peruvian and Caribbean flavor, her sound is an aromatic blend of life and love.

 

Through her music, she hopes to inspire others, especially girls and women, to believe that they too can pursue their dreams, and transform their own lives.

 

Latinx neo-folk artist Renee Goust, who grew up on the US/Mexico border, writes bilingual songs about gender equality, the LGBTQIA+ experience, immigration, and other social justice issues.

 

Renee’s mission is to be a proud voice for the queer and gender non-conforming Latinx community that is typically under-represented in the folk music traditions of Latin America. She has performed in Mexico, Argentina, Italy, France, and the US, appearing in renowned stages such as New York’s Lincoln Center and Mexico City’s El Cantoral, and has shared the stage with artists such as Flor de Toloache’s Mireya Ramos, Jorge Glem, Erin McKeown, Torreblanca, Diana Gameros, and Ampersan to name a few. 

 

After a 19-date tour in Mexico, Renee is back in New York City to present her upcoming single “A una mujer” (“To a Woman”), a queer ranchera tracked, mixed, mastered and performed by an all-woman team featuring a collaboration with acclaimed Mexican songwriters Edna Vázquez and Grammy-nominated Sonia de los Santos.

 

Mai-Elka Prado Gil is a singer- songwriter born in Panamá City, Panamá 1986.

She is the founder of the Afro-Latino Festival of New York. She is a New York-based bilingual singer-songwriter. She has done many music collaboration such as vocal tracks for acclaimed Afro- Colombian artists Petrona Martinez and Magin Diaz. As an artist, her work has been focused on the exposure of Afrodescendant music sounds from Latin America in the city of New York.