Luzmila Carpio

Often regarded as the "Voice of the Andes," Luzmila Carpio is undoubtedly the most famous indigenous singer in Latin America.

An international cult artist, she advocates for the identity and cultures of indigenous peoples, ecology, women's empowerment, and an unwavering love for the people and planet around us, alongside a deep reverence for Pacha Mama (Mother Earth)..

An undeniable icon of Bolivian Andean culture, Luzmila’s career spans over four decades. She has released more than 25 albums (no wonder Rolling Stone described her as “one of the most prolific indigenous singers in South America”), inspiring millions as she sings both in her mother tongue, Aymara-Quechua, and in Spanish, transcending the boundaries of folklore and reinventing the genre of "Andean" singing..

Throughout her long career as an artist and advocate for indigenous peoples' rights, she served as Bolivia's Ambassador to France from 2006 for four years, earning her a decoration from the National Order of Merit as a Grand Officer of the French Republic.

In her recent compositions, Luzmila Carpio explores themes that resonate not only with her indigenous heritage but also with new generations. She addresses issues of cultural identity, women's empowerment, environmental preservation, and the importance of indigenous spirituality in a rapidly changing world.

For her new album “Inti Watana - El Retorno del Sol,” produced by the renowned label ZZK, she partnered with Argentine producer Leonardo Martinelli (alias Tremor), a ZZK veteran who has spent much of his career finding common ground between Latin American folk rhythms and modern electronic music. This collaboration resulted in a remix album featuring other prominent electronic artists like Nicola Cruz, Chancha Vía Circuito, and El Búho.

This new album aims to transcend genres, generations, and continents, with Luzmila’s soundscapes, sometimes inspired by birdsong, gracefully weaving through ambient textures, programmed rhythms, and a plethora of traditional instruments from around the world. Throughout the album, Bolivian charangos and quenas comfortably coexist with the sounds of harmonium, violin, acoustic and electric guitar, bombo leguero, Argentine sacha guitar, Armenian duduk, and a variety of Asian percussion.

The critically acclaimed album was ranked number 10 in Rolling Stone's top 50 albums of 2023, describing her as one of the three living legends of Latin American music. The album will be accompanied by a feature-length documentary (trailer here) set to be released worldwide in 2024.

On stage, she will be joined by her loyal musicians and the famous ZZK artist Mister Tremor, with his modern loops and arrangements, along with traditional instruments (flutes, charango, percussion, violin, etc.), highlighting the fusion of traditional compositions and electronic arrangements.

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THE PRESS

« A perfectly balanced and endlessly intriguing set. »
★★★★★ SONGLINES