Mercedes Sosa

Bio

Mercedes Sosa (1935–2009) was an Argentine singer whose powerful contralto voice made her the leading figure of the nueva canción and folklore movements in Latin America. Born in San Miguel de Tucumán, she began performing traditional Andean and Argentine folk music in the 1950s and rose to international prominence in the 1960s with albums such as “Canciones con fundamento” and her interpretations of works by Atahualpa Yupanqui and Violeta Parra. Throughout her career Sosa championed social-justice themes, becoming an emblem of resistance during Argentina’s military dictatorship; she was briefly exiled in the late 1970s and later returned to headline massive concerts that symbolized the restoration of democracy. Her repertoire spanned chamamé, Andean huaynos, zambas and nueva trova, and she collaborated with artists ranging from Milton Nascimento to Sting. Recognized worldwide as “La Negra,” Sosa received numerous honors, including a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and left a catalog of more than seventy albums that continue to influence generations of Latin-American musicians.