Lila Downs
About this Artist
Lila Downs is one of the most influential artists in Latin America. She has one of the most unique voices in the world and is known for her charismatic performances. Throughout her career she has been honored with numerous awards including a Grammy® and five Latin Grammys®.
Her own compositions often combine genres and rhythms as diverse as Mexican rancheras and Corridos, Boleros, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Cumbia, and Folklore. Her music often focuses on social justice, immigration, and women's issues.
2023 marks the release of her fourteenth album called “La Sánchez.” This album is heavily influenced by the music from the north of Mexico and 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 sings in Spanish, English, and various native languages such as Zapoteco, Mixteco, Nahuatl, Maya, and Purépecha.
She has recorded duets with artists as diverse as Mercedes Sosa, Caetano Veloso, Juanes, Norah Jones, YoYo Ma, Juan Gabriel, Carla Morrison, Natalia Lafourcade, Santana, The Chieftains, Niña Pastori, Esteman, Soledad, Diego el Cigala, Aída Cuevas, Toto La Momposina, La Santa Cecilia and Bunbury. Chavela Vargas proclaimed Lila as her successor.
Her extensive repertoire has allowed her to sing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The San Francisco Symphony, and The UNAM Symphony in México, as well as with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. She has given concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Hollywood Bowl (USA), Teatro Colón (Argentina), Auditorio Nacional and Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
She was invited by Barack Obama to sing at the White House and has appeared at the Oscars for her role in the film Frida. Her music has also been included in various other feature films such as The Counselor, Tortilla Soup, Real Women Have Curves, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Fados, Mariachi Gringo, and Hecho en México.