Daymé Arocena

“When she sang, she had a beaming, irrepressible smile, the expression of a virtuoso who knew she was pushing each song toward gleefully unexpected places.”
—New York Times

Just wait until you hear the riveting Cuban singer Daymé Arocena, whom Songlines (UK) magazine recently proclaimed “one of the most exciting new artists to come along in years.” Sounding like a mix of the Queen of Latin Music, Celia Cruz, and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, Arocena’s voice and music defy expectations, drawing on the power of Afro-Cuban traditions and the spirit of jazz, soul, and funk while folding in the catchy pop melodies of Cuba’s millennial-driven new music.

With exceptional warmth and a powerful presence to augment her virtuosity, Arocena is poised to be a key ambassador for Cuba’s contemporary music scene. Through her melding of Santeria chants, rhythmic complexity, fluid jazz styling, and a nuanced soulfulness, Arocena’s mesmerizing sound channels the lifeblood of Cuba’s rich cultural heritage to connect deeply with her audience. Check out her recent release Cubafonía (Brownswood) for a preview of what she’ll deliver live here. This is music to move the body and the spirit.

This engagement of Daymé Arocena is funded through Southern Exposure: Performing Arts of Latin America, a program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.