Lila Downs
Musical vision of Lila Downs born in mexican Oaxaca is anthropological in nature and as varied as the ancient and earthy cultures that continue to nurture and inspire her. Embracing and highlighting indigenous origins, whether in the U.S. or Mexico, has always been an important aspect of her music, as well as the topics of political and social justice, immigration, and transformation, all rooted in the human condition. She strives to make a meaningful connection with her diverse audiences through her music and performances. "I'm so lucky," remarks Downs. "People who follow our music are from all walks of life, and they want to scratch the surface to know the whys and hows. Every day we get to connect in so many ways."
Sometimes the sound feels like a heat fueled road trip from Oaxaca to New Orleans. But then Downs is not afraid to shake things up with a cumbia rock, beat-poet style rap, or even the chirps of an iguana, taking the music to its own enigmatic world. The path can also unexpectedly lead to ancient worlds, when Lila taps into the native Mesoamerican music and language of the Mixtec, Zapotec, Maya and Nahuatl cultures. Few artists can successfully navigate the terrain of such seemingly disparate music. But Lila Downs y La Misteriosa go to the core of it, make it their own, and bring the audience along for an emotional and memorable ride.
Lila Downs has long been recognized by the music industry, receiving a Latin Grammy for the 2004 release “Una Sangre” and a Grammy nomination for 2008’s “Shake Away,” which was also named one of the top ten albums by WOMEX, the leading world music organization. In addition to headlining venues all over the world, she has appeared at major festival and events including Carnegie Hall, the Sacred Music Festival - appearing with such luminaries as the Dalai Lama. Hollywood also took notice when Lila played a role in the Salma Hayek film “Frida” and then performed the Oscar-nominated soundtrack song “Burn It Blue” on the Academy Awards telecast, becoming the first Mexican to perform on the awards ceremony.
