Profiles: Mercedes Sosa
“Mercedes Sosa is one of the most prestigious and famous popular singers exported by Latin America in the last century, right up there with Carlos Gardel,” affirms Argentine author Rodolfo Braceli, the official biographer of the chanteuse. But she’s more than just a famous singer known for her amazing work ethic. She’s a cultural ambassador who’s traveled the globe and showcased Latin America’s traditional music.
Aside from all the aesthetic opinions and stylistic discussions, one thing is certain: Mercedes Sosa is the godmother of most of the popular musicians in Argentina. Thanks to her rich, powerful voice, a completely unknown song can open the doors to a huge market for its composer. In many instances, she even transcends territorial and cultural boundaries, because “La Negra” has a great advantage: even though she only sings in Spanish, her songs don’t require translation; the passion that emanates from her throat overcomes any linguistic barrier.
Since her first tour in the United States and Europe in 1967 to establish a faithful relationship with her growing fan base that was avidly trying to connect with the roots of Latin American folklore, Mercedes Sosa has taken her art to a vast number of countries. One of the last ones to be added to the list was Turkey, which she toured at the end of 2002 and where she almost ended up losing her life. She had just gotten over a severe cold she had suffered while in Mexico, which had kept her from appearing on stage for four months, when she decided to go to Turkey. The extreme temperatures of the region gave her serious heart problems, however. Although she’s as energetic as ever, at 69, she’s found that she needs to take more time off. But this hasn’t slowed her down that much.
Openly political, her constant defense of human rights forced her into exile during Argentina’s last military dictatorship in the 1970s. But her spirit has always been resilient. Likewise, her remarkable career spanning four decades has received recognition from the entire continent, including two Latin Grammys, which more than anything serve to give her the place she deserves. She received her latest one in 2003 for her double album Acústico, which was recorded in a theater in Buenos Aires and features some of her earliest songs from the early 1960s.
Undeniably, Mercedes Sosa has been and remains one of the key figures in the history of Latin American popular music.
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