"WORDS ARE A SAFE PLACE FOR ME": HONESTLY DENISSE
During the fifth day of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG40), a master class entitled Honestly Denisse Guerrero was held, given by the singer-songwriter, who has been a reference for Mexican electropop. Her artistic style has transcended generations, so in this 40th edition she was honored with the Maguey Trajectory Award to recognize her legacy and her influence on music, fashion and contemporary diversity.
Denisse Guerrero began her career in 2000 as the lead singer of Belanova, a group she founded with Ricardo Arreola and Edgar Huerta. They achieved success with the album Dulce Beat ( 2005), thanks to songs such as Rosa Pastel, and continued with outstanding productions such as Fantasía Pop, Sueño Electro I and II, and Viaje al Centro del Corazón. After a five-year hiatus due to personal and health challenges, Denisse launched her solo career, while Belanova returned to the stage in 2024 with their successful Vida en Rosa Tour, which has exceeded 40 concerts.
The vocalist started the conversation by sharing with the audience what made her relate to the artistic field. Since she was a child, she felt a great curiosity to understand how songs, poetry and cinema were made. In addition, her father, being a great lover of these expressions, encouraged her interest.
Denisse defines herself as a dreamer, and songwriting came naturally and fluidly to her. However, she emphasized that an essential part of her creative process was her mentality and character. As she grew up and realized the great amount of talent in the industry, she realized that she had to work even harder, which led her to leave her hometown of Los Mochis to settle in Guadalajara and pursue her dreams with determination.
Although she grew up in a conservative environment, from a very young age she felt an affinity for unconventional tastes. She always had the desire to know new places and different people as a way to defend her freedom: "I came out of my mother's womb with a suitcase," she shared.
She found her voice as a songwriter in everyday life, because for her "the planet speaks words to us". Through authenticity and portraying ordinary situations in her songs, she has managed to establish a deep connection with her audience. "Words are a safe place for me," she added sincerely.
Throughout her career, Denisse left behind the archetype of the artist who creates from suffering. She acknowledged that, at one stage of her life, pain represented an important source of inspiration. However, she made the decision to stop living in chaos in order to compose. Today, gratitude and love have also become powerful creative sources for his music.
She also shared that her return, both as a soloist and with Belanova, was born out of the recognition that music and the reunion with the stage are good for her. And that she lives it as a way of thanking the public that has always accompanied her. She said that there is a lot of new music to come in her solo career and she was excited to share, from her perspective, what she has experienced in recent years.
The meeting concluded with an emotional Q&A with the audience, during which Denisse shared an inspiring message: "All of you here deserve to be loved, you are enough, and every morning when the sun rises, you deserve a second chance. Life can surprise you." As a finishing touch, the singer offered a preview of her new single "Honestly", leaving the audience moved and satisfied.