New Audio: Yeisy Rojas Shares Soulful and Anthemic “Immigrante y Que?

Yeisy Rojas is a Cuban-born, Oslo-based, classically trained, jazz violinist, singer/songwriter and composer. Back in her native Cuba, Rojas received a classical education and performed as a violinist with the  National Opera Orchestra in Havana. Her passion for jazz led her to relocate to Norway, where she pursued her Masters studies in jazz violin at Kristiansand‘s University of Agder‘s Conservatory.  The cross-cultural experience allowed Rojas to deepen her understanding of the African influences in Cuban music. 

As a solo artist, Rojas’ work frequently sees her blending Cuban music, Latin jazz, funk and more with powerful social messages — in particular, she boldly speaks up against racism in her homeland and elsewhere. Her full-length debut, 2023’s Gaston Joya-produced A Mis Ancestros featured two singles I wrote about on this site:

• “Mama Ines,” an adaptation of Nicolás Guillén’s 1930 poem “Ayer Me Dijeron Negro” (Yesterday They Called Me Black) that pairs the poet’s words with a breezy and soulful arrangement that meshes elements of Latin soul, funk and jazz in a way that reminds me very fondly of the sounds of parties in the South Bronx, Lower East Side, Corona, East Elmhurst and so on. 
• Album title track “A Mis Ancestros,” a gorgeous and soulful synthesis of bebop-era jazz, salsa, son cubano that not only showcases Rojas’ prodigious talent, but proudly and unabashedly displays a deep, reverential pride for her homeland and her ancestry. The song is a fairly autobiographical story that will be familiar for countless immigrants across the world: The nostalgia for the homeland — the language, the dear ones, the smells, the food — not only sparks memories and comparisons, it also sparks a much deeper appreciation for their culture. 

Rojas’ latest single “Immigrante y Que” features a lush arrangement that effortlessly blends Cuban rumba, funk hip-hop and salsa paired with her self-assured and deeply proud delivery. As the Cuban-born, Norwegian-based artiste explains “Immigrante y Que” is anthem expressing pride, reliance and determination, meant to give voice to the millions across the world, who have left their homes in search of a better life and new opportunities for them or their descendants — or for safety.

Considering our current administration’s view of immigrants and anyone not White, CIS-male and heterosexual, “Immigrante y que” is a reminder that immigrants and migrants are supremely ordinary people, forced to make extraordinarily difficult decisions in extremely difficult times. And it’s a reminder that immigration and diversity makes the world much more interesting.