Totó la Momposina Dies at 85

Why this is here: Totó la Momposina performed a memorable concert at the Festival Cervantino in Guanajuato, Mexico, in 2010, where she covered José Alfredo Jiménez’s song “Amanecí otra vez” while playing the drums.

In Celaya, Mexico, Sonia Bazanta Vides—known as Totó la Momposina—died Sunday from a heart attack. The Colombian singer was 85 years old and celebrated the folk music of the Colombian Caribbean throughout her life. Her family announced her passing on social media yesterday.

Totó la Momposina was born in Talaigua, Colombia, and passionately defended Colombian culture through music and dance. She performed cumbia, mapalé, and bullerengue—rhythms reflecting African and Indigenous heritage. She studied music history and performance at the Sorbonne in France, complementing her natural talent with formal training.

The artist toured extensively across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. A memorable performance included singing alongside Gabriel García Márquez at the 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature ceremony.

She last performed publicly at the Cordillera Festival in Bogotá in 2022. While she received numerous awards, including a Latin Grammy for Musical Excellence in 2013, she emphasized protecting her voice through technique, not changing her style. Her body will be transferred to Bogotá on May 27th for a tribute at the Capitolio Nacional.