In the summer of 2019 Asheville, NC-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Anya Hinkle was riveted by amulti-part story she heard on BPR.
The subject of this story was a 16 year-old girl who escaped El Salvador after witnessing her father's murder by gang members.
This girl told of a harrowing journey through Mexico, and of the heartbreak and desperation she experienced later, as an asylum seeker in the United States.
"Fortuna" is an alias for this girl, and also happens to be the title of a song Hinkle wrote after hearing her story.
Through what Hinkle terms a 'twist of fate,' she was able to meet Fortuna in person, and play the song for her. This led to further collaboration including Hinkle getting Fortuna's help with directing the accompanying video for the song.
Recorded at Citizen Vinyl in Asheville, N.C., Fortuna was produced by Kevin Moloney (U2, Sinéad O’Connor) and features Columbian guitarist Juan Benavides along with Billy Cardine on lap steel, River Guerguerian on percussion and Daniel Kimbro on bass.
“The radio feature called her by an alias to protect her identity. This gave me the idea to use the name 'Fortuna,'” Hinkle said. The song is a pre-release single from a full-length album Oceania, due out in early 2024 on Red Parlor Records.
Hinkle plans to use the proceeds from downloads of the song to help raise money for 'Fortuna's' dream: to go to college.
For more information on Anya Hinkle, including tour dates, mailing list and music, visit Anya Hinkle.
