Daring Chilena reveals what is wrong in Chile and more. Mon Laferte gave a clear message with her stance on the red carpet at the Latin Grammys last week.

The Chilean singer songwriter Norma Monserrat Bustamante Laferte began her music career early, winning a guitar prize for her singing at nine years old. She grew up in Viña del Mar, Chile. When she was 20, she entered the TV Talent Show Contest called Rojo, and her team won. Norma earned the chance to make a record at Warner Music. Her album was very popular in Chile.

She moved to Mexico and began singing in clubs in Veracruz. At 26, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. After successful treatment, she returned to her music career and chose the stage name, Mon Laferte.

At the recent 2019 Latin Grammys she won Best Alternative Music Album for her release called Norma. In 2017, she had won Best Alternative Song at the Latin Grammys.

Her creative protest on the red carpet as she entered the 2019 Grammys was to expose the words, “En Chile, torturan, violan y matan” she’d written in all capital letters on her chest. In Chile, they torture, rape and kill. Mon Laferte unveiled herself to her midriff knowing the media would be recording this event in Las Vegas and her message would reach a large audience. It did. She was willing to put herself on the line for her country and denounce violence there. I admire her bravery.

For her acceptance speech, she wore a black fitted coat with a green scarf at her neck. She read a poem by Fabiola González, another Chilean singer songwriter.

Chile, me dueles por dentro
me sangras por cada vena
me pesa cada cadena
que te aprisiona hasta el centro
Chile afuera, Chile adentro
Chile al son de la injusticia
la bota de la milicia
la bala del que no escucha
no detendrá nuestra lucha
hasta que se haga justicia.

Chile, I feel your pain inside me
you course through every vein
every lock that imprisons you
weighs on me to my core
Chile outside, Chile inside
Chile the sound of injustice
the boot of the military
the bullet of the one that doesn’t listen
will not halt our struggle
until justice is done. [my translation]

Chilean singer Álex Anwandter held up a sign on the red carpet: ¿Sabía Ud. que en Chile se violan los derechos humanos? Did you know that in Chile they violate human rights? Several artists from South America carried flags or messages about their countries; Robert Vogu from Venezuela, Vanessa Añez from Bolivia and Juan Pablo Vega from Colombia. However, Chilena Mon Laferte was the winner in terms of exposure.

What creative protests have you admired?

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