«Chilestina»: Diáspora Trío’s New Album Celebrates Chilean-Palestinian Fusion

Original article: «Chilestina», el nuevo disco de Diáspora Trío que expresa el mestizaje chileno-palestino

Diáspora Trío has launched «Chilestina,» their fourth studio album, now available on Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, and other major digital platforms since January 16.

The album derives its name from a term that merges Chile and Palestine, musically interpreting a blend nurtured over decades in a country that houses the largest Palestinian community outside the Middle East.

“Chilestina is a term that has started to gain traction in Chile recently to refer to our blend of cultures, emphasizing the Palestinian cultural heritage as well as the local aspects of our identity as Chileans and Palestinians,” explains Víctor Mahana, composer and producer of the band.

From this identity definition, «Chilestina» aims to present a contemporary perspective on mestizaje, incorporating tradition, original creation, and current languages into a unique musical identity.

The album features 13 tracks that traverse influences from Arabic music, jazz, popular music, rock, and electronic styles, alongside numerous collaborations that expand its expressive universe. Notable contributions come from Chilean singer Dadalú and Syrian rapper Hani Theeb, who add new voices and styles to the project’s sonic dialogue.

Unsurprisingly, Palestine holds a central place in the album, reflecting both familial memories and a clear political and artistic stance.

“Diáspora Trío inherits a musical tradition that emerged a hundred years ago, and we’re interested in creating something new from that, honoring our family and, of course, maintaining a concrete political position that is pro-Palestinian, anti-Zionist, against genocide, and pro-peace,” the musicians stated.

This stance resonates strongly today. Amid genocide in Gaza and escalating violence against the Palestinian people, the group embraces creation from the diaspora as a cultural and political responsibility.

“In the current genocidal context, where every trace is being erased, including cultural appropriation, it is essential for us to be a voice for mestizaje and our history as Palestinians in the diaspora,” they added.

Engaging the Listener

Beyond the direct link to Palestine, the group aims to engage the Chilean audience through a broad emotional experience connected to Chile as a nation of diasporas.

“We seek to elicit emotion and ensure that the songs have an impact, both through their content and musical production. We want our chilestina identity to resonate strongly and reach both Chileans and the Palestinian community, embracing everyone,” they affirmed.

The album was recorded at Outrun FM studio and musically produced by Víctor Mahana, who also handled mixing and mastering. The cover features the painting Motherland III, created by Mahana himself, reinforcing the connection between the visual and musical dimensions of the project.

Diáspora Trío has made a name for itself in the independent and world music scenes with a distinctive proposal. In 2019, the group toured Palestine with performances in various cultural spaces and also brought their music to Peru, strengthening artistic exchange within the Latin American context.

Currently, the group consists of Victor Mahana, Christian Jamasmié, Karim Hodali, and Michel Cumsille.

The Citizen