Have you always been calling rock star?
Yes! [Irriz] I walked into the Luis Morondo music school in Barañain, because music has always been a passion of my life. I studied solfeo and piano, but in a very classical way and at 18 years old I decided to break another path. I went to the Artsaia music school, recently opened in the Pamplona County, where I clearly saw that I wanted to be a rock singer. I created a group with some friends, Xilum, to work on the metal of the past and in Basque. So we published two discs. Then they called me Kerasy, from an Irurtzun group. These were experienced musicians in the metal world and it was a very enriching experience.

In this metal field there were hardly any women in the Basque Country and I had no references. Maybe that's why I'll accept some things that didn't have to be right. In decision-making, for example, I was always in the background. I didn't want to be a leader, but a team.

They always said "Basque metal with a woman's voice" when talking about us. I thought it was normal at that time, but I say it when I look back, I'm sorry! Do they say "Your ta Gar, Basque metal with a man's voice"?

At that time, I often had to hear hard comments. Some people said it had no force in the voice, but it wasn't true. The same thing always happens: as a woman, you have to prove your value twice. Also in the orchestras I was told several times that they bought me a nice dress and went to the performances to go through the hairdresser.

Have you found many machismos in the music world?
Yes, a lot. I, for example, had a censure in a room in the County of Pamplona. Fifteen years ago, a girl suffered sexual harassment in the bathroom of a doorman in the room. We had to go there and they called me from a feminist group to explain it, also explaining that the leaders of the room had done nothing against that porter. In that concert we had to play with a well-known nonsense band. We met them and publicly announced that we did not act there until they were clarified.

I was the only woman among sixteen musicians and those in charge of that room opposed me. They had power and I was vetoed forever in that room. The men around me didn't really matter. I did not feel support or solidarity. However, I am proud to do so. Members of this feminist group called me to thank my attitude and told me that the raped girl was also very grateful. Fortunately, things have changed a lot and I am glad to see feminism moving forward.

And now you're in the blues world?
I've been with the No More Blues group for two years. This group has been in the music world for 20 years, and with them I'm learning a lot. After going with the Hibakusha group, I didn't know what to do. In addition, women always have the spectre of addiction next door, and I was afraid that I would not have more opportunities, but fortunately new proposals always come out. I had no idea of soul or blues, but I dared. I make songs in my own way with a broken voice. They liked it and I'm here.

He has been working in the ELA trade union for five years. How did he get here?
I am the daughter of precariousness. I'm 42 years old and I've worked in 22 professions. After studying Sociology, I studied the Master's Degree in Family Mediation and have completed other training courses related to various professions. Many times I have had economic problems and this has given me fortalecido.Tengo an enormous capacity to empathize, for example, and that is fundamental in unionism.

As a young man I could not be rebellious because the economic situation of the house was not easy. Rebellion comes to me after I started rock. In my student age, I saw that my classmates in general didn't have to work to pay for college like me, and that's when my working-class consciousness began to develop. I had to work, and so I would need two more years to take the career, and I didn't have the opportunity to study abroad, like many others.

I'm told it's social justice to work in a union because I've lived through many difficult situations.

A short time ago the video clip of the version of Shakira’s song he made with the staff of the H&M store…
Yes. It was terrible. In the union there are three parts: services, industry and human work, including the administration staff, and I am in this ultimo.De made, I was not in direct contact with the issue of H&M workers, but the union's communication officials challenged me to make a version of Shakira's song and I accepted it, of course.
I went home, took a beer and thought, "What would my favorite band Los Gandules do with this song?" and I started writing. It came out one afternoon. Then we recorded it in the studio of our great friend and musician Iker Huitzi. We entered the recording studio “Ikerrap” and “Silvira”. Meanwhile, the workers prepared a dance on their own. One morning we stayed in the Castle Square to record the video clip and we brought some stunning wigs because we wanted to prove it was a parody. It had a huge impact. Three days later, they went to the office and told me they called Julia Otero. The same goes for television channels in Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, England and Spain. The last names were ETB, at weeks and a half. The situation was completely surreal. He's had hundreds of thousands of views on Youtube. Amazing!

Has the good news been that thanks to the song everyone has known its harsh state?
Yes, it is. They are very strong women. These thirteen workers from the H&M store of the La Morea Mall, after 234 days of strike, managed to agree on 1 August a salary increase of 24.7%. The last wage increase in the textile sector in Navarre occurred in 2009 and since then their wages have been frozen. After Pandemic, ELA denounced this situation and on December 9, 2022 the workers of La Morea decided to go on strike.

The workers in the other store of this multinational in the County of Pamplona did not want to join us because they are in another line of negotiation at the state level with the UGT union. They did not take part in this long strike and the agreement we have now reached will not bring immediate benefits to them. It is an agreement signed with thirteen workers from the shop of the La Morea mall, which is a great victory, as this sector is very feminized and precarious.

It has been a very tough fight. For several days they were able to maintain the strike thanks to the union’s resistance box and the protection and support they have received from the people on the street. That gave them a lot of strength. However, when they started working, they encountered the bad attitude of those who did not strike. The current situation is not very simple. Furthermore, all this is not over, because this has been a one-off agreement, but now is the time to negotiate the new general working agreement in the sector. We will see.

Did the video affect the agreement signed with the
company?The video mainly served to give strength to the workers, due to the realization of their situation and working conditions and the empathy of the people. I don't know what impact the video would have, but in this long process there has been a change of attitude on the part of the company. They went from threatening the workers and generating fear of signing the agreement. In addition, the video has served to publicize the type of syndication taking place in the Basque Country. Except in some small trade unions, at the state level the resistance fund is not a tool used. 25% of the trade union fee goes to that safe, and that is very important.

How do you see trade unionism today?
I think we have a lot to learn about workers' rights. In schools we are not communicated voluntarily. They prepare us for a job, but then we don't know what kind of
contract tenemos.Hay fear, precariousness and tremendous individualism in society and if we don't fight we'll lose ourselves. We workers must be clear about where the problems come from and who are to blame. There is a great lack of knowledge.

Moreover, the precariousness of women and migrants is very severe. Many immigrants are lost, they don't know where to go and they go to us to ask for information. However, our job is not only to inform or help, but to encourage these people in precariousness to militancy. We want to attract trade unionism so that we apoderen.Nosotros are social agents, not mere advisers. There are people who do not understand the political side of the unions. Some believe that we are to defend their individual rights, but we are to organize people, to fight together. We risk losing trade union culture.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve found in this work?An example: You have to be clear that you must always act in favor
of workers’ rights, whatever the organization, company or political party you have in front of you. In addition, work is a very masculinized field and they don't pay much attention when they see a young woman. Sometimes they look at me like I'm secretary. If I go with a man, they often only talk to me l.Sin but these attitudes give me strength. Lately we are trying to feminize the union and we stand with each other.

Do you consider yourself an LGTBI activist?
I've never been a passionate activist. I got the lesbian tag, but I'm not a lesbian. I want to live without labels. I've had two women in a couple and with one I've been a mother and also had a couple of men. I don't know what I am, but I'm always willing to break molds.

I have always defended my rights as people on a daily basis. I have never been silent, but my militancy is limited to the personal realm. I try to educate my environment. My parents, for example, didn't understand my character, and when I was a mother, it was hard. It is true, on the other hand, that music has given me a platform to speak publicly about my personal life, and I have never been silent, because I have nothing to hide.

Have you seen changes in the social appearance of sexual dissent in these years?
No doubt. Now, the truth, I find myself obsolete, because the new generations have overcome everything. I think they're emotionally healthier. For example, my son, at age seven, knows how to identify what he feels. He would do it with his age.

It's taken me 42 years, but now I feel strong. I have just separated myself and the new challenge is unmarried motherhood. But I'm very happy with my lordship.