The fires that devastated parts of Palisades, California, in 2025 changed the lives of thousands of people. For singer, songwriter and actress Andrea Lafert, they also marked the birth of Entre Cenizas, an album that transforms pain, uncertainty and loss into a powerful message of hope.
The album comes after a series of releases that opened the way to this sonic and emotional universe: “ Nuestro Amor “, “ La Nave del Olvido “, “ Cuestión de Piel ” and “ Desde que te Fueiste “. Each of these themes outlined the sensitivity and artistic language that today define this new project. The focus song of the album is “Déjame Volar”, a piece written by Andrea Lafert during the time of the devastating fires.
In conversation with Noticia NY, the artist reveals how that experience redefined her music, the meaning behind “Déjame Volar” and the lessons she found in the midst of chaos. Read the full interview and discover how Andrea turned one of the most difficult moments of her life into her most personal work to date.
Entre Cenizas is born from very deep experiences. At what point did you know this album would be different from anything you’d done before?
Good question. You have touched on a very important point, because this album comes with a slightly different concept than my two previous studio works, in addition to the singles that I have released to the market.
Entre Cenizas comes with a much more Latin proposal, with very strong ballads, danceable songs and a lot of rhythm. The difference is that my previous albums, Novena Conciencia and Resilience, had a marked rock and pop rock influence. Instead, now I come with a more international proposal, designed to connect with any country in the Latin world, where Latin music is experiencing a great moment.
I am very happy to present something different, a new artistic stage that excites me very much.
While you were finishing recording the album, you lived through the devastating Palisades fires. How did that experience change the meaning of the songs you had already written?
Having to escape the fires while finishing the album was a very shocking experience. Seeing my city devastated and many friends losing everything completely changed my perspective. Fortunately, my house was saved, but everything I experienced led me to deep introspection. New ideas, words and melodies emerged, and the album stopped being just a recording and became something much more genuine and meaningful.
“Déjame Volar” was created in the midst of a period of uncertainty and loss. What emotions did you need to release when you wrote this song?
This song came from the deepest part of me. One morning, like any other, I sat down with my ukulele and it started to come naturally.
It is a song full of hope. Déjame Volar talks about allowing the soul and being to move forward, be reborn and transcend pain and anguish. It is to transform all that into a liberating hope, so to speak.
On several occasions you talk about transformation and rebirth. Which version of Andrea was left behind and which was born after everything experienced in 2025?
It was a very profound transformation. It led me to understand things that we often don’t stop to think about in everyday life.
Losing someone from one day to the next, having a friend today and never seeing them again tomorrow, or discovering that what we considered safe can disappear in an instant, generates an enormous impact.
I believe that these difficult experiences served as an opportunity for me to grow, not only as a human being, but also as an artist. They helped me become a more transparent and honest person, to stop worrying about little things that are insignificant when compared to a tragedy of this magnitude.
Seeing the desperation of the people, the flames, the chaos and the uncertainty allowed me to grow a lot. As an artist, it gave me the opportunity to compose from a much deeper and more authentic place.
Buddhism has been an important guide in your life since adolescence. What lessons helped you find meaning in the midst of such a difficult situation?
I have practiced this philosophy for many years, since I lived in Argentina, before moving to Los Angeles. It has been an essential guide because it helps me stay focused and find hope even in circumstances beyond my control.
One of its most important teachings is that we can transform difficulties into opportunities for growth. It is not about denying the pain, but about going through it, transforming it and starting over.
Everything I experienced—the losses, the uncertainty, and the changes—I turned into art. I incorporated those emotions into my music, but also hope. That’s why Déjame Volar is, for me, a hymn to hope, rebirth and possibilities.
Songs like ” Nuestro Amor “, ” La Nave del Olvido “, ” Cuestión de Piel ” and ” Desde que te Fueiste ” explore different forms of loss . How do they connect to each other within the narrative of Entre Cenizas?
I think each song represents a different emotional stage and reflects different feelings that we all go through at some point.
“Our Love” speaks of a relationship that ended, but also of the value of recognizing the beauty of what existed. It is accepting the wound, exploring it and transforming it.
“The Ship of Oblivion” is full of nostalgia. I deeply love that song. When we were looking for a cover for the album, we did it very carefully. It was very special to choose it because it connects me with my childhood in Argentina, when my father made me listen to José José’s records. We made a completely different version and the public reception has been wonderful.
“Since You Left” also talks about a breakup, but from the perspective of liberation. There are times when things just don’t work out and we must accept that it is time to move on, leave the past behind and move on.
And finally, “Déjame Volar” represents that transformation. It is the decision to take everything you have experienced and turn it into growth. It is allowing that feeling to continue to evolve and transform into something bigger.
If listeners to Entre Cenizas could leave with a single message at the end of the album, what would you like them to take away with them?
I would like people to understand that any difficult experience can become an opportunity to grow, transform and be reborn.
Among Ashes is not a closing, but a beginning. It is an invitation to let go of what keeps us tied to the past and discover a new version of ourselves.
That is the message of the album: that, no matter what happens, there is always the possibility of transforming, finding hope and starting again.
The title Among Ashes suggests that even after destruction there is always the possibility of rebuilding. What turned your own light back on when everything seemed to be falling apart?
Although it may sound strange, in the midst of everything I felt very lucky. Material things can be lost, but life is the most important thing. Many friends lost their homes and belongings, but they were still alive, and as long as there is life, there is hope.
That’s what turned my light back on. I understood that I had not lost myself and that I could rebuild myself and move forward. I transformed all that experience into music. If just one person listens to Between Ashes and regains hope, finds some light, or feels like moving forward, then I feel like this whole process has been worth it.
