Estrada’s immense talent was matched by how deeply she moved the audience
On 29 April at the Union Chapel in London, Silvana Estrada demonstrated exactly why she has become one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Latin folk. Known for distilling complex emotion into beautifully simple compositions, it was a pleasure to experience the full emotional range of her music live.
What made the evening stand out was how effortlessly everything came together. The opening set from Sofi Paez set a soft, introspective tone, while the backing band throughout the night showed a clear sensitivity to Estrada’s style. In particular, the drums and saxophone added depth at the right moments without ever overpowering the set. The venue itself, with its vast yet warm acoustics, elevated the performance without overwhelming it.
Estrada performed for close to two hours, moving across a setlist that ranged from lighter, more joyful songs to pieces that leaned into sadness and reflection. Vocally, she moved easily between extremes; at times almost fragile in its softness, and at others full and powerful, filling the chapel with ease. That contrast gave the performance a quiet dynamism.
One of the highlights was her song about the Día de los Muertos, introduced with a story about how, as a child, she wished the spirits could stay longer than a day. The song felt like an extension of that idea as a way of calling on loved ones when they’re needed, rather than letting them go.
Her engagement with the audience was genuine and easy. Despite the majority of the set being in Spanish, there was no sense of disconnect for those of us who did not speak Spanish. Estrada is a natural when it comes to conveying emotion and the depth of her songs came through clearly, regardless of whether you understood the lyrics.By the latter part of the set, the audience had fully settled into her world and were singing along where they could, and even standing to dance during some of the more upbeat moments.
It is rare for a performance to feel so cohesive from start to finish. Here, the artist, the setting, and the atmosphere all aligned to create something both intimate and expansive.