75 (Spanglish) Vulnerable & Creating Music On Your Own Terms with Anaís Azul
Peruvian immigrant Anaís Azul (they/them) is a California based singer-songwriter, composer, and teaching artist. Described as “ stunningly honest and vulnerable,” their artistry engages with music as a tool for community building, cross-genre collaboration, and collective healing.
Azul writes music that is in conversation with looped vocal harmonies, classical melodies, and Latin American singer-songwriter traditions. Their songs are bilingual (Spanish and English) and about mental health, queerness, facing harsh realities and finding inner peace in spite of chaos.
Classically-trained with an experimental spirit, Azul received their B.M in Music Composition and Theory from Boston University with a concentration in piano and their MFA in Music, Performer-Composer from California Institute of the Arts. Having composed and arranged for theatre and orchestra, Azul composed the music for the award-winning Displaced: A Response to Qurban produced by the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
Last fall, Azul released their debut solo EP “ Vulnerable” thanks to the support of the Yerba Buena Garden’s Festival 2022 Seed Commission. Their past releases can be found on all major streaming platforms. One of their past releases, “ Mi Piel,” was featured on the Spotify editorial playlist “ Best Non-Binary+ Artists of 2020.”
Outside of their performance life, Anaís has been proud to serve as co-curator of the 2022 annual Día de los Muertos exhibition “ To Love and be Loved in Return” at SoMarts. Currently, they teach group and private music lessons in Spanish & English and trans inclusive Spanish classes virtually. In their spare time, they like to go thrifting and read tarot cards for their friends and family.
Press highlights include a feature on Remezcla, NPR, WBUR, and Berkeleyside for their work not only as a performer, but as a community arts organizer. They have also received grants from Commotion West Berkeley, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Arts|Lab@Med Campus, and the City of Boston's Mayor's Office to curate public, community art events.
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