Sarrah Danziger
Alynda Lee Segarra reaches back to her Puerto Rican roots in her latest album.
Hurray for the Riff Raff founder Alynda Lee Segarra has packed several lives into her 30 years. Her latest project, The Navigator, is a graphic-novel-like account of the emotional road she followed in her teens out of her native Bronx — the cradle of her Puerto Rican heritage — to California, and finally to New Orleans. On The Navigator, Segarra leaves her old-time music roots behind in favor of melodies that blend Latin, Caribbean and other world beat sounds. Lyrically, these are psalms of self-empowerment — ardent music that leaves the listener alternately soothed and white-knuckled. Segarra intends to turn this project into a stage musical to premiere in her adopted hometown of New Orleans. That’s where I caught her by phone, resting up before taking Hurray for the Riff Raff on the next leg of their tour, which includes a stop at the High Noon Saloon on April 29.
Music seems to have picked you, not the other way around.
When I was a kid I had no idea that I’d be a musician. I thought that I’d have to learn some kind of a trade. I actually found an old journal from when I was in middle school and it was a list of all the things I wanted to do before I die, and number one was to write my own songs. When I found it, I was like, well that’s pretty good. I got the first one!
The two places that seem to have shaped your art the most are two dissonant environments, the Bronx and New Orleans.
Both of these places have a history of people who are really strong — yet people who don’t really have a lot when it comes to possessions. But who have a tradition of making art, making music that tells their stories, something that they really want to keep alive. That’s what really drew me to New Orleans. I obviously grew up with the history of hip-hop, and while I was listening to hip-hop I still knew that it was a folk music. I knew it was very important and powerful, another form of people telling their story and their struggle.
In New Orleans when I see Caribbean culture it really reminds me of Puerto Rican culture. Your grandmother can really get down at the party as hard as you.
What do you get out of your songwriting?
I originally went into writing songs as a way to find inner strength, and also I really had a desire to share feelings, particularly with other young women. I wanted to create a public forum for women’s feelings. That’s why I love the blues. That’s why I love women like Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday.
The best songs for me are the songs I listen to and I think, “Wow, I feel like I lived that song.” With The Navigator I listen to it and I’m proud of it, but more than that I feel like it’s doing its job. That song is living its life and making its progress. It’s like having puppies or something.
What do you want your audience to feel when you perform The Navigator?
I want people who feel that they’re being demonized to feel sane and to feel human. To feel important and proud. I really love that if people come to our show who feel like they’re being bullied right now to walk out of there feeling proud of who they are.
Editor's note: Due to an error introduced in editing, a previous version of this article incorrectly stated Alynda Lee Segarra's age. She is 30, not 26. The article has been updated.
