Reyna Tropical’s Intersection of Pain, Grief, and Happiness

^{Article by Molly Maloney} 

The Empty Bottle venue was sold out this past warm Wednesday evening when Reyna Tropical, and her opener Vania Luna took the stage. 

The opening performance was a spoken word performance by Vania Luna.  They brought a calm energy to the venue, asking for everyone to have respect for themselves and each other.  On her Instagram page, it explains the artist values “collective and healing care, and understands poetry as a catalyst for transformation.” The artist also walked through when the crowd should feel inclined to snap, clap, or stomp, for those who have not attended a spoken word performance before.  There was one person on a keyboard, and another accompanying the performance with a drum and an instrument that perfectly imitated the sounds of rain in the background. 

The album is an “intersection of pain and grief and happiness,” Reyna Tropical said before playing songs from Malegria.  It combines the Spanish words “mal,” meaning bad, and “allegra,” or happiness.  This reflects the complicated emotions Reyna experienced throughout this albums conception. “Intersection” is a testament to the complexity of trauma, grief, and relationship. 

Throughout her set, Reyna spoke candidly to the audience about her own experience as a queer Latin woman in music. She touched on themes such as generational trauma, sexual exploration, and the recent death of her bandmate Nectali “Sumo” Diaz. 

Her music, combined with vibrant visuals and a dominant stage presence, conveyed a rich representation not just of Reyna’s latin heritage, but also her tumultuous journey as a musician. Multiple times, Reyna paused between songs to speak about her own life. She spoke about the pain she’s endured throughout her career, as an artist and as a human, and how creating “Intersection” allowed her to process the complexity of living in a world which so often stifles true creativity. 

She also talked about her Columbian heritage, and how her connection to her ancestors changed as she moved her life to the United States. She expressed gratitude to her mother, who was at her performance that night. The strong cultural influence in  her work was evident throughout the night as Rayna showcased traditional Latin dress, symbols and dance alongside her music. While Reyna performed, a projector played videos of tribal South American dancing and clothing. The bright colors and rhythms of the visuals added a slightly mysterious element to the set. Images of the traditional tribal dresses and dance providing a vibrant backdrop to an already powerful stage presence. 

Throughout the night DJ Antonia Estela, interacted with the crowd and even threw fresh leaves of basil into the audience. Estela’s DJ work was complimented by bongo drums and smooth guitar riffs from Reyna herself. 

Reyna Tropical’s tour continues in Los Angeles,California, and then will make its completion in major cities in Texas.