Francisca Valenzuela has the kind of presence that stands out even in a crowd of musicians. Walking around with an almost transparent orange skirt, long black hair cascading down her back and her light brown eyes shaded with Hollywood-perfect shadow, this singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist can grab an audience's attention before she even takes the stage.

Valenzuela, who played on Friday afternoon, has had an amazing year that includes being the only Chilean artist to perform in Shakira's Popfest in Santiago, Chile, opening the Lollapalooza Festival in its first international version in Santiago, joining U2 and Bono as the only guest artist invited to sing “One Tree Hill” onstage during their performance in March, a new record and performances at the Cannes Film Festival, the Highline Ballroom (NYC) and our very own South by Southwest Festival. With so much going on, the singer was very happy to have a chance to come back to Austin and play at ACL.

"I love Austin," Valenzuela said. "It's really entertaining and I love the fact that it's a very walker-friendly city. I also love places like South Congress and all the good vibes that the city offers. Austin is really mellow, but it's also very lucid, very active and a very beautiful city."

Valenzuela came to ACL with a bag full of new material from her newest album, "Buen Soldado" (good soldier). The album is a mix or rock, pop and folk, but the lyrics are what put the album head and shoulders over other pop records out there.

"We call it pop music not because it's pop but because we want to convey the fact that the music is accessible to the people," Valenzuela said. "The writing is profound and I had a lot to say. I would also have a hard time categorizing my music because my influences are so diverse: from pop music in English to Violeta Parra and from Charlie Garcia to Tupac." 

She's looking forward to coming back to Austin with new music as soon as she gets the chance again. "I always feel well-received here and I have more stories to tell, so I'll be back soon," she said.

The new album, which features 12 tracks in Spanish, was written between the U.S., Mexico, Colombia and Argentina. The songs all have a powerful message, especially the lively, foot-stomping "Mujer Modelo," a song about what it's truly like to be a woman.

For more information about Valenzuela, to get a copy of "Buen Soldado" or to check on upcoming U.S. tour dates, check her official website here. 

Image courtesy of Alvaro Fuentes and Francisca Valenzuela.