"Gracias a la Vida" is one of the most emblematic songs of the Latin American repertoire and a fundamental work of Chilean singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist Violeta Parra (1917-1967). Part of the 1966 album Las Últimas Composiciones, the song expresses deep gratitude for life in all its dimensions, even the most painful ones, and has been interpreted as a farewell, a prayer or a song of resilience.
Violeta Parra herself considered it one of her most beloved creations, along with equally memorable works such as "Run Run se fue pa'l norte" and "Volver a los 17", a reflection of her artistic sensitivity, her social commitment and her link with the most universal emotions.
Due to its recognized poetic beauty, "Gracias a la Vida" has been covered by such diverse voices as Mercedes Sosa, Joan Baez, Isabel Parra, Raphael, Plácido Domingo, among many others. Likewise, in 2010, the leader of the group La Ley, Beto Cuevas, and Chilean producer Humberto Gatica brought together a renowned group of international artists - such as Shakira, Alejandro Sanz, Juanes, Michael Bublé and Laura Pausini - to form part of the "Voces Unidas por Chile" project, an initiative in aid of the victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami of February 27, 2010.
Thanks to Violeta
The international reach of the song has also brought with it confusion about its authorship. A few months ago, singer Shawn Mendes included it in his setlist during the Argentine version of the Lollapalooza festival, whose official social media account erroneously attributed the song's creation to Argentine singer Mercedes Sosa. A similar mistake was made by American singer and actress Jennifer Lopez during a recent tour in Spain.
Violeta Parra 's legacy transcends music. She was also an outstanding visual artist, a pioneer in the technique of burlap embroidery, one of whose works was exhibited in 1964 at the Louvre Museum in Paris: an unprecedented event for a self-taught Latin American artist, and which consolidated her place as a key figure in popular art and universal culture.
From Chile, we proudly reaffirm the value of his legacy. "Gracias a la Vida" is a work born in these lands, but that today belongs to the whole world. A testimony of the power of art to cross borders, unite cultures and move generations.
