Totó la Momposina, vocalist and Colombian music legend, dies aged 85
Summary
Totó la Momposina, a famous Colombian singer known for sharing traditional Colombian music worldwide, died at age 85 from a heart attack. She helped bring folk music styles like cumbia to international audiences and influenced many younger artists globally.Key Facts
- Totó la Momposina was born Sonia Bazanta Vides in 1940 in northern Colombia.
- She became known for performing traditional Colombian music styles such as cumbia, porro, chandé, and bullerengue.
- Her music blended African and Indigenous Colombian influences with strong rhythms.
- She performed internationally, including a notable concert at New York’s Radio City Music Hall in 1974.
- Political issues caused her to flee Colombia in 1979; she lived in France and performed on streets and public places.
- She began recording albums in the 1980s and gained wider fame through Real World Records in the 1990s.
- Totó received a lifetime achievement award at the Latin Grammys in 2013 and was honored by the French government in 2016.
- Many popular artists, including Timbaland, Jay-Z, and Calle 13, have sampled her music in their songs.
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