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Mexican-American singer Lila Downs is the product of two distinct cultures. Born in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, she is the daughter of Anita Sánchez, an Indigenous cabaret singer of Mixtec heritage, and Allen Downs, a Scottish-American professor of art and cinematography from Minnesota.
With six Latin Grammys and a Grammy to her credit, Downs is widely regarded as one of the first major artists to bring the music of the Mixtec, a prominent Indigenous group in Mexico, to a global stage. Her versatile repertoire blends folk, jazz, blues, ranchera and hip-hop, reflecting her broad musical range.
From Oaxaca to the Oscars stage
Raised between the Sierra Madre mountains of Oaxaca and the Midwest of the United States, Downs grew up with one foot in each world.
“I was fortunate to grow up in two different places, both socially organized and responsive,” she said during a recent interview from Mexico City.
Today, she divides her time between Oaxaca and Mexico City. This year, Downs, who sings in both English and Spanish, will perform across Mexico, the U.S., Canada and Spain, continuing her mission to amplify Indigenous voices worldwide.
Throughout her career, Downs has used her platform to serve as a global ambassador for Mexican Indigenous culture, advocating for social justice and the preservation of native languages and traditions.
In 1994, she released her first album, “Ofrenda,” a collection of traditional songs from Oaxaca and Mexico, as well as original compositions in Spanish, Mixtec and Zapotec, Indigenous languages of Oaxaca.
By 1999, Downs had signed with Narada Productions, achieving commercial success and international recognition with her album “La Sandunga.” Since then, she has released at least 15 studio albums, though she confesses, “I’ve lost count.”
One of the defining moments of her career came in 2003, when she performed the Oscar-nominated song “Burn It Blue” from the film “Frida” at the 75th Academy Awards, bringing her voice to a global audience.
Her latest album, “Cambias mi Mundo (You Change My World),” marks a return to original material, focusing on her growing interest in the poetic side of music.
“Music has taught me to be more spiritual,” she said. “We can find relief through the soulfulness of music.”
Songs of belonging — and dissent
Given her bicultural roots, Downs is closely attuned to the political climate, particularly the ongoing immigration debate in the United States. She has been vocal in her support of the widespread public protests that have followed immigration crackdowns across the country.
“That makes me very proud,” Downs said about the protests. “But I am very sad as well. We are separating people – it’s something I’ve been singing about for a long time. We’re going back, in a way; I guess it’s something in us as human beings. We are what we know.”
Downs’ activism is also evident in her music. In 2016, she released “The Demagogue,” a bilingual protest song aimed at Donald Trump during his presidential campaign.
“When I take political stances, they heat up on Facebook,” she said.
Her song “Dark Eyes” (2021) comments on race and the invisibility of Indigenous laborers in Mexico, offering a poignant reflection on the experiences of marginalized communities.
“We are all children of immigrants, really,” she added. “No matter how people try to erase it, that’s the truth.”