Maria Jose Montijo, known as \u201cMajo,\u201d embraces her identity as a \u201ccosmic, queer islander,\u201d weaving her experiences as a migrant, healer, and Puerto Rican woman into her debut album, Esot\u00e9rica Tropical. \u201cIt\u2019s all about protecting the Earth,\u201d said Majo of the title track. \u201cBut it\u2019s also a song of belonging \u2026 As a migrant living in California, I feel like this place loves me back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Majo\u2019s life and music are deeply intertwined with her spiritual practices. She\u2019s a trained acupuncturist, performs \u201cbiodynamic cranial, sacral work,\u201d and has studied Qigong and Tai Chi. \u201cI have this deep desire to heal, and my music is part of my healing journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Esot\u00e9rica Tropical, Majo said, describes the kind of music that she does: medicinal, political, and very earnest. Her group will perform in San Francisco on December 8 at The Chapel during the 43rd annual Encuentro del Canto Popular<\/a>, hosted by El Tecolote\u2019s <\/em>nonprofit publisher, Acci\u00f3n Latina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Blending ancestral traditions with modern sounds, Esot\u00e9rica Tropical\u2019s ensemble includes Majo as the lead vocalist, Denise Solis on the Afro-Puerto Rican barril drum, and lush harmonies from Karla Rivera and Grace Guerrero. Together, they create a sonic landscape that is both grounding and otherworldly, merging the earth\u2019s pulse with cosmic vibrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n