Lila Downs
2024 GRAMMY NOMINEE FOR BEST MÚSICA MEXICANA ALBUM (INCLUDING TEJANO) FOR LA SÁNCHEZ
PROJECTS:
Iconic Grammy and Latin Grammy Award winning singer Lila Downs is one of the world’s most singular and powerful voices, whose compelling stage presence and poignant storytelling transcend all language barriers. Raised in Minnesota and Oaxaca, this global superstar’s exquisite artistry bridges traditions from across the Americas, with influences ranging from the folk and ranchera music of Mexico and South America to North American folk, jazz, blues, and hip-hop. As a passionate human-rights activist, Lila’s lyrics often highlight issues relating to social justice, sharing stories that too often go untold.
In 2023, Lila released her fourteenth album, La Sánchez, influenced heavily by music from the north of Mexico. With this album, Lila seeks to raise awareness about important matters, such as maternal recognition, compositions in times of pandemic, a journey through mourning, and the vicissitudes of sentimental and social relationships.
Lila has graced the stages of many of the world’s most prestigious festivals and venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Hollywood Bowl. She has been invited to sing at the White House, and performed on the Academy Awards and Latin Grammy Awards telecasts. Her music has also been included in several feature films such as The Counselor, Tortilla Soup, Real Women Have Curves, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Carlos Saura’s Fados, Mariachi Gringo, and Hecho en Mexico.
DÍA DE MUERTOS
Lila brings her unique interpretation of traditional Mexican and Mesoamerican music, deeply personal renditions of classic rancheras, as well as her own original songs to convey the concept of Día de Muertos, a voyage of emotions, movement and sound that celebrate the rich traditions of Day of the Dead on both sides of the border.
Día de Muertos is a community oriented event and audience members are encouraged to come dressed in imaginative Día de Muertos costumes and make-up, to bring remembrances of their loved ones to share in the celebration, and to become fully immersed in an evening filled with emotions of love, loss, reconnection, and joy.
SYMPHONY
Featuring selections from her recent release Balas y Chocolate and other traditional favorites, Lila's gorgeous symphonic program premiered with the San Francisco Symphony and has been performed with the Chicago Symphony, the Oregon Symphony, and the UNAM Symphony in Mexico, among others.
PRESS QUOTES:
“The Mexican American singer has a stunning voice, a confident multicultural vision grounded in her Mixtec Indian roots.”
The Los Angeles Times
“Ms. Downs has multiple voices, from an airborne near-falsetto down to a forthright alto and a sultry, emotive contralto.”
The New York Times
“Few alternative artists have the dynamic power and range of this bilingual warrior-woman, who has recorded nine albums, earning a Grammy and four Latin Grammys along the way.”
NPR
