IRENE TORRES
Irene's first single is out now
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Her' debut solo album will be released in 2023
Mah - dreh - sehl - vah
eng. Honeysuckle /ˈhʌnɪˌsʌkl/ NOUN. A climbing plant with sweet-smelling yellow, pink, or white flowers.
"Madreselva" is a story of the immigrant experience and the journey to ‘home’ in a new land.
"One day, when I was a young Peruvian immigrant to Toronto, I was walking down Brock St., and my nose caught the familiar scent of the beautiful Madreselva (Honeysuckle) blooms.
I closed my eyes and it took me right back to my abuela and my neighbourhood in Lima. And I was home.
Fragrantly strong, sweet and resilient, the Madreselva quickly climbs and covers anything it wants, sprawling over the city's concrete murals and metal fences.
Madreselva's message: if I can thrive here, then so can you.
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LETRA
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GUÍAME GUÍAME GUÍAME MÁS
ENSÉÑAME
QUE FALTA
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SOY UNA ESTRELLA QUE DISPARA
CARGO UNA LUNA AFILADA
CAMINANDO DONDE QUIERA
HAGO LO QUE ME DA LA GANA
COMO UNA HIJA DE LA DIOSA DEL MAR
UNA EXTRANJERA CAMINANDO LA CIUDAD
ARRANCADA DE MI TIERRA
MADRESELVA ME RECUERDA
YA NO SOY DE AQUÍ YA NO SOY DE ALLÁ
NO CARGO MUCHO PA QUE NO ME PESE MÁS
ESCONDIDA/S SON MIS HERIDAS
CUANDO DUELEN MUCHO
SACO MÁSCARA DE OLVIDA
PERTENEZCO AL VIENTO EN MIS ESPALDAS
QUE ME EMPUJA COMO SI TUVIERA ALAS
CUANDO NECESITO, ME BAÑO EN EL RÍO
A MIS ANCESTROS LES CANTO, Y LES PIDO
GUÍAME GUÍAME GUÍAME MÁS
ENSÉÑAME
QUE FALTA
ESCUCHANDO TU VOZ VOY ABRIENDO EL CORAZÓN
SOY UNA ESTRELLA QUE DISPARA
CARGO UNA LUNA AFILADA
CAMINANDO POR ESTA ENCRUCIJADA
RECORDANDO TUS PALABRAS
GUÍAME GUÍAME GUÍAME MÁS
ENSÉÑAME
QUE FALTA
EL PERFUME DE TU FLOR, MADRESELVA QUE ME CURO
SUEÑO PARA MIS OJOS
CURA PARA MI MAL
DURA ES LA DISTANCIA
CON EL RITMO DE TU CANCIÓN
MI GUITARRA YA NO LLORA
PERO AHORA SÍ CANTA
GUÍAME GUÍAME GUÍAME MÁS
ENSÉÑAME
QUE FALTA
EL PERFUME DE TU FLOR, MADRESELVA QUE ME CURO
TRANSLATION
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GUIDE ME GUIDE ME SHOW ME THE WAY
TELL ME WHAT’S MISSING, MISSING TODAY
I AM A SHOOTING STAR
CARRY A SHARPENED MOON
WALK WHERE I WANT TO WALK
DO WHAT I WANT TO DO
LIKE A DAUGHTER OF THE GODDESS OF THE SEA
LIKE A STRANGER WALKING THE CITY STREETS
I’VE BEEN UP-ROOTED
BUT THE FLOWER SHE REMEMBERS ME
NO LONGER FROM HERE AND NO LONGER FROM THERE
DON’T CARRY MUCH SO IT DOESN’T WEIGH ME DOWN
SOMETIMES I HIDE BECAUSE I AM WOUNDED
WHEN IT HURTS TOO MUCH
I WEAR A MASK ON MY FACE
I BELONG TO THE WIND AT MY BACK
THAT PUSHES ME AS IF I HAD WINGS
WHEN I NEED TO HEAL, I BATHE IN THE RIVER
TO MY ANCESTORS, I SING AND I PRAY:
GUIDE ME GUIDE ME SHOW ME THE WAY
TELL ME WHAT’S MISSING, MISSING TODAY
WHEN I ‘M HEARING YOUR VOICE, I CAN FEEL MY HEART REJOICE
I AM A SHOOTING STAR
CARRY A SHARPENED MOON
WALKING THESE SIDEWALKS
GUIDE ME GUIDE ME, SHOW ME THE WAY
TELL ME WHAT’S MISSING, MISSING TODAY
THE PERFUME OF YOUR FLOWER, THAT HAS HEALED ME WITH ITS POWER
DREAMS VISIT MY EYES
CURES FOR ALL MY AILS
DIFFICULT IS OUR DISTANCE
BUT WITH THE RHYTHM OF YOUR SONG
MY GUITAR NO LONGER WEEPS
BECAUSE NOW IT KNOWS HOW TO SING
GUIDE ME GUIDE ME SHOW ME THE WAY
TELL ME WHAT’S MISSING, MISSING TODAY
THE PERFUME OF YOUR FLOWER, THAT HAS HEALED ME WITH ITS POWER
CREDITS/CREDITOS:
Composition/composición: Irene Torres & Guillermo Subauste
Vocals/voz: Irene Torres
Backing Vocals/ voces de fondo: JJ Acuña, Luis Orbegoso
Guitars/guitarras: JJ Acuña & Eric St-Laurent
Percussion/percusión & Cajón : Luis Orbegoso & Mario Rivas Rosas
Quijada & bass/bajo: Matías Recharte
Engineer/ingeniero: Guillermo Subauste @ Pacha Sound
Mixed & Mastered/mezcla y masterización: Jono Grant
Producer/productor: Eric St-Laurent & JJ Acuña
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© 2022 Irene Torres under exclusive license to Vesuvius Music Inc. / IDLA
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Special thanks/ muchas gracias a Fidelia Torres, Oscar Butteler, Vesuvius Music Inc. (Lorenzo Digianfelice, Jaymz Bee, Gigi Marentette), Chris Churchill, nuestro equipo y mi familia.
If you are from Toronto, you may have witnessed one of Irene's many enchanting and exciting performances on stages in various music communities.
Peruvian-born singer and visual artist Irene Torres has been active in Toronto's music scene for about a decade. As a front-woman for many groups, she has appeared with the Flamenco fusion ensemble, Santerias, the Afro Cuban band Battle of Santiago, the Tiki Collective, her original blues and soul music supergroup Irene Torres & The SugarDevils, and the Latin house project Sol Azul.
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Irene is a small package, with huge, huge pipes. Her singing is soulful, passionate and precise. She is elegant, yet punchy, innocent yet wise, genuine, present and caring.
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Greatly influenced by her culture, heritage and unique life's journey - this debut will feature a fusion of the folkloric instrumentation of Peru and the raw storytelling of her original lyrics.
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"Irene is a singer from the heart. I catch myself not concentrating on playing my percussion because she gets me involved in the lyric. She is capable of transmitting emotion to audiences that don’t necessarily understand the Spanish language.
- Luis Orbegoso (percussionist)
"I had been aware of Irene Torres from being on the scene in Toronto over the last few years with her RnB band, and always thought she was great. Then...at a private house concert one night I heard her sing in Spanish. It was as though she was transformed by singing in her native language. She had me hanging on every word, every note. I rushed up to her afterwards and told that she HAD to record in Spanish. I still feel the goosebumps."
- Lou Pomanti (producer)
"Irene is a pleasure to work with in the studio. She's bright and full of joy when she sings, bringing a ton of personality and texture to anything she's involved with. A big voice on this girl! I can't wait to hear and mix the album she's currently got cookin'!"
- Jono Grant (producer)
"Irene is not only a great vocalist hitting all ranges and styles but her live, onstage performance is out of this world."
- Lorenzo Digianfelice (VMI)
"Irene's effortless delivery captures the audience's attention immediately, while her intense charisma seals the deal for anyone attuned to the power of song and dance."
- Eric St-Laurent (Guitarist, producer)
"Irene Torres has a comfort level as a performer that makes her a star. Not only does she have a fantastic voice and talent, but also her music has something very special and unique to say. Everyone who meets her feels immediately at home."
- Jaymz Bee (Radio host, producer)