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- Name: Diana Fuentes
- City/Place: Miami, Florida
- Country: United States
- Hometown: Havana, Cuba
Life & Work
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Bio:
Drawing on a rich musical heritage and a comprehensive artistic education, the critically acclaimed Cuban singer and songwriter Diana Fuentes could be one of Latin music’s best-kept secrets.
But in 2019, Diana is taking her place a top emerging artist, and Latin music lovers will get to enjoy her highly anticipated third solo album, titled Libre. It is her first LP since Planeta Planetario in 2014.
We got a preview of Libre in 2017, with two singles that are included on the album – “La Fortuna,” featuring the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres, and “La Vida Me Cambió,”featuring the Cuban duo Gente De Zona. These songs became low-key treasures, discovered by enough listeners to chart at #29 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Songs and #10 on Tropical Songs, respectively. Even better, “La Fortuna” was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2017 Latin GRAMMYs®.
During 2018, Diana Fuentes stayed on our radar as a special guest on singles by Cuban talents El Micha and Lenier.
In April 2019, she released Libre along with the title-track third single. “Libre”is a contemplative song that speaks of the need to turn the page on life’s stages even when it means saying goodbye. Filmed in Havana by the talented Cuban director Yeandro Tamayo, the music video features plenty of local color.
Diana Fuentes explains that the album's title is personal: “I'm free in my music, in my life, in my ideas…free to be able to decide what should and should not be part of my life.”
This album furthers her reputation for making satisfying amalgams of traditional Cuban music with up-to-the-minute rhythms and themes, along with lyrics that speak to young listeners.
Produced by the multiple GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® winner Eduardo Cabra, Librealso features creative collaborations with the Brazilian great Seu Jorge, the Dominican singer and songwriter Vicente García, and the Cuban sax legend César López.
Diana Fuentesbegan her artistic career as a girl in the Laura Alonso Ballet Company. From there, she continued on to the prestigious Alejandro García Caturla Conservatory of Music and finally to Cuba’s National School of Art, where she studied choral direction. Upon completing her education, she joined the Afro-Cuban fusion group Síntesis, remaining a member from 2001-07, and participating on the group’s album Habana a Flor de Piel, which was nominated in the 2002 Latin GRAMMYs® for Best Contemporary Tropical Album.
During the same period, she worked with the Cuban singer-songwriter X Alfonso, appearing on his album X Moré, which was also nominated in the 2002 Latin GRAMMYs®, for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album. In addition, she served as a guest vocalist on tracks by such standout artists as Amaury Pérez (“Algo en Común”), Roberto Carcasés (“Mambo”) and Aldo López Gavilán (“Talking to the Universe”).
She contributed to Cuba Canta a Serrat, a Cuban tribute album to the Barcelona-born singer-songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat. Furthermore, Diana appeared with the iconic Cuban singer Omara Portuondo on producer Roberto Carcasés’ album Women are Beautiful, and with the legendary vocalists and composers Silvio Rodríguez and Pablo Milanés on producer José Luis Barba’s album Cubans.
These collaborations led to a fortuitous meeting with the producer Descemer Bueno, who offered to record her first solo album Amargo Pero Dulce(Bitter But Sweet, 2008), which is influenced by R&B, pop and soul. With her second album, Planeta Planetario (Planet Planetarium), Diana Fuentes began to garner more international recognition. She still remembers her first visit to the United States, in 2010: “The first time I came was on tour with the Cuban singer Carlos Varela. He undertook an intensive tour of the United States.” Now this Havana-born artist resides in Miami where she is poised to make even bigger strides toward widespread acclaim.
Libre is a family affair, with important songwriting contributions from her mother, Mirta Lavastida. Diana Fuentes is convinced that family support has been key to her growth: “I come from an outstanding matriarchal family. My grandmother Aurora, who also appears in the ‘Libre’ music video, has taught all of the women of my family to take the reins of our lives, with great respect but also great determination.”
Diana adds that she is passing this example on to her young son: “My life’s most important work is that of a mother, and it takes all of my time, primarily because I want to be a mother that my son will be proud of. But I notice that my son is so happy when he sees me making music. That helps me, and gives me great fortitude to keep developing my career.”
Media | Markets
- ▶ Twitter: _dianafuentes_
- ▶ Instagram: dianafuentes
- ▶ Website: http://www.dianafuentes.us
- ▶ YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCETULvgVoLjhgvMESBQ43Dw
- ▶ YouTube Music: http://music.youtube.com/channel/UCy67KGk6MVZ6iWDWGhC_3zA
- ▶ Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/6j0sCAm0cmrq0sPpcjttjn
- ▶ Spotify 2: http://open.spotify.com/album/41XW9ITDELnBXY7jQ1605f
- ▶ Spotify 3: http://open.spotify.com/album/1AtOgYNaoerOeieFSLgV7k
- ▶ Spotify 4: http://open.spotify.com/album/6QPJ1SjNn2Fd1D0fYaErq0
- ▶ Spotify 5: http://open.spotify.com/album/3IrHy1oTgaESTAlQDz9opD
connections in
Thank you for your note below and we appreciate you including Kamasi in the matrix, Sparrow. — Banch Abegaze (manager: Kamasi Washington)
KAMASI WASHINGTON
Dear Sparrow: I am thrilled to receive your email! Thank you for including me in this wonderful matrix. — Susan Rogers (personal recording engineer for Prince; recorded "Purple Rain", "Around the World in a Day", "Parade", "Sign o' the Times"... recorded David Byrne and others, much else; now is director of the Berklee Music Perception and Cognition Laboratory)
SUSAN ROGERS
Dear Sparrow, Many thanks for this – I am touched! — Julian Lloyd Webber (cellist; brother of Andrew Lloyd Webber (Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Phantom of the Opera...)
JULIAN LLOYD WEBBER
This is super impressive work ! Congratulations ! Thanks for including me :))) — Clarice Assad (pianist and composer; works performed by Yo Yo Ma and orchestras around the world)
CLARICE ASSAD
Thanks, this is a brilliant idea!! — Alicia Svigals (world's premier klezmer violinist)
ALICIA SVIGALS
SPARROW/PARDAL ROBERTS