Every Friday, Virago Rising will be featuring a new artist, ranging from poets to visual artists, and everything in-between. Whether they are established years into their career, or at the beginning of their journey, we hope you enjoy their work as much as we do.
Meet Angélica Maria Aguilera!
Angélica Maria Aguilera (she/her) is a Chicana poeta and musician originally from Los Angeles. She is a finalist of the National Poetry Slam, the Women of the World Poetry Slam and the author of “They Call Me” on Alegria Publishing. Her work has been featured on Facebook, Tedx, Puma, the USL Women’s Soccer League, and more. Her most recent project is a Spanglish EP, inspired by the divine feminine, that will be released 2022 in Mexico City.
Angélica is a powerhouse who started her journey because of the“need to reclaim and redefine [her] narrative in [her] own words.” She succeeded when Alegria Publishing released her poetry book, They Call Me, where she turns the tables on every identifier that was ever placed on her in either English and/or Spanish. Taking back power in both languages frees Angélica and readers who may relate to her poetry from the chains these words tried to have over them. Angélica breathes new life into these words masterfully throughout her book.
Taking back power in both languages frees Angélica and readers who may relate to her poetry from the chains these words tried to have over them.
But it was no easy feat. Angélica is open about the journey she went through to reclaim every word. “This book was a healing and empowering process for me, it helped me get through an extremely difficult time in my journey,” shared Angélica. Each poem brought a new sense of the words themselves and reminded her to stay open to whatever came through the page. She hopes readers feel a sense of clarity, calm, and joy; something she seemingly was able to create for herself.
Along with sharing Angélica’s work today, is the announcement and premiere of her music video based off of one of the poems in her book, “Una Rosa Del Concreto.” If you guessed it, yes it was inspired by Tupac Shakur’s “A Rose That Grew From the Concrete.”
Currently, Angélica is preparing to release a Spanish EP this year in Mexico City, while also working on a music project inspired by her book. It stands to say Angélica is nowhere near slowing down, and we can’t wait to see what’s next!
For more on Angélica, visit @yosoyangelicamaria on Instagram or for any business inquiries: www.yosoyangelicamaria.com.
IG: @yosoyangelicamaria | TikTok: @yosoyangelicamaria | Twitter: @yosoyangmaria