MusicFriday · Oct 23 · 20:00 EDT
Charlotte Cornfield
Azrieli Studio

20:00 → 22:00 EDTAzrieli StudioOttawa
El español sigue al texto en inglés Born in San Juan Comalapa (1993), Sara Curruchich is a Maya Kaqchikel singer, songwriter, and activist who creates songs inspired by her culture and roots, blending her two languages: Kaqchikel, her mother tongue, and Spanish. With subtlety and great skill, she weaves together folk and rock sounds with the musical elements of her people, continuing a tradition of resistance. Her life, and that of her community, has always been a testament to resilience. Sara, the first Maya artist to rise to international fame, has crafted a sonic landscape that intertwines ancestral traditions with contemporary realities. Her music flows like a river, carrying with it the hopes, dreams, and struggles of her people while awakening the consciousness of those who listen. Her socially conscious songs have become anthems of change. As a spokesperson for the HeForShe movement of UN Women, Sara has become a voice for the struggle of Indigenous peoples and gender equality. Sara’s music is a call to action and remembrance. Every note that flows from her guitar seeks to connect her people, Guatemala, with their past, but also with their present, however painful. She intertwines emotions, experiences, and deep values to create collective memory and raise awareness through music, which is part of reclaiming rights, fostering inclusion, and telling history. From a young age, she knew she wanted to change the world by speaking through music, the music that illuminated the nights of her childhood. At just 15, with a borrowed guitar and her warm, powerful voice, she began weaving notes and chords that spoke of her family’s teachings, respect for nature, and the memory of her people. Today, with over 150 concerts confirmed since the release of her album Mujer Indígena, Sara continues to move audiences around the world with her powerful performances and meaningful messages. She captivates stages and hearts alike, whether at SXSW, Bric Celebrate Brooklyn, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Café de la Danse in Paris, Foro Hilvana, and Zacatecas in Mexico. In February 2024, she was named a “Can’t Miss Concert” by the Washington Post. Ser mujer en Guatemala es un acto de resistencia. La mejor forma de presentar a Sara Curruchich sería decir que ser mujer maya kaqchikel además de artista es, en sí mismo, una declaración política, pero también una postura identitaria radical. Sara Curruchich nació en 1993 en San Juan Comalapa, Chimaltenango, en una comunidad kaqchikel del altiplano central guatemalteco. Su pueblo tiene una larga tradición de arte y conocimiento, pero también una gran fuerza de resistencia y lucha. De esa cuenta, su propuesta musical se basa en el sentir colectivo e individual de los pueblos, la historia, la memoria, la cultura, los idiomas y las luchas combinadas con una reivindicación personal. Sara Curruchich es la primera cantautora indígena guatemalteca en llevar sus cantos en kaqchikel -su idioma materno- y español a nivel internacional. Su voz y su mensaje de amor, conciencia, respeto y defensa por la vida en todas sus formas, la han convertido en portadora de luz y esperanza para muchas mujeres y hombres.