Totó La Momposina

About

Totó la Momposina, born Sonia Bazanta Vides on August 1, 1940, in Talaigua Nuevo, Colombia, is a renowned Afro-Colombian singer known for blending traditional Colombian rhythms like cumbia and bullerengue. Coming from a musical family, her father was a drummer and her mother a singer. She gained international fame with her 1993 album La Candela Viva, released by Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records. Totó represented Colombia alongside Gabriel García Márquez at the 1982 Nobel Prize ceremony. Over her career, she has released acclaimed albums like Carmelina (1995) and Pacantó (1999), receiving the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. Her music has been sampled by artists like Jay Z and Major Lazer. Totó's impact on traditional Colombian music has earned her numerous accolades, including two Latin Grammys.