Xiomara Laugart

Biography

Xiomara Laugart Sánchez, born in 1960 in the Guantanamo province of Cuba, began her musical career at the age of 15, performing a wide range of traditional and contemporary Cuban music expressions. She pursued a college degree in economics before immersing herself in the nueva trova movement, a politically charged musical protest style popular in Cuba from the 1960s through the 1990s. In the 1980s, she won the highest award at the Adolfo Guzmán Contest for Cuban Music, followed by international accolades at Poland’s Sopot Festival in 1985 and Germany’s Dresden Festival in 1986. After recording self-titled albums in Cuba, she emigrated first to Rome and then to New York City, where she established herself as a prominent singer blending nueva trova, son cubano, afro-cuban jazz, latin folk, and trova.[1][2][3][4][5]

In New York, Laugart became a founding member and lead singer of the Afro-Latin band Yerba Buena from 2003 to 2005, contributing to their Grammy-nominated debut album President Alien and the 2005 release Island Life, which fused diverse rhythms with her African and Caribbean influences. She has guest-featured on notable jazz projects, including Kip Hanrahan’s Deep Rumba, Ellipsis Art’s Latin Lullaby, and Jacky Terrasson’s What It Is (1999), and appeared in the Broadway production Celia: The Life & Music of Celia Cruz. Over her career, she has recorded more than 17 albums, earned a reputation for her prodigious voice and stylistic versatility, and maintained legendary monthly showcases at New York’s Zinc Bar.[1][2][3][4][9]

Laugart’s legacy endures as the 'Voice of Cuba,' having performed worldwide in countries including the United States, France, Belgium, Germany, Japan, Russia, Finland, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Colombia. Her fluid, 'liquid' vocal style and mastery across genres—from a cappella to full-band arrangements—have solidified her as a brilliant representative of Cuban song, bridging traditional roots with jazz and global fusions while overcoming artistic constraints in Cuba to pursue deeper expression abroad.[1][2][4][5]

Fun Facts

• Xiomara Laugart studied economics in college before fully committing to music through Cuba's nueva trova protest movement.[1][5]
• Her monthly showcases at New York City's Zinc Bar are described as legendary.[3]
• She starred in the Broadway premiere production of Celia: The Life & Music of Celia Cruz.[4]
• Laugart won awards at international festivals including Sochi Russia (1980), Sopot Poland (1985), and Dresden Germany (1986).[4]

Associated Acts

• Yerba Buena (2003–2005)

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Yerba Buena - Founding member and lead singer of the Afro-Latin band (President Alien (Grammy-nominated, ~2003), Island Life (2005)) [2003-2005]
• Kip Hanrahan - Guest singer on his album (Deep Rumba) [late 1990s]
• Ellipsis Art - Guest singer on their album (Latin Lullaby) [late 1990s]
• Jacky Terrasson - Guest singer on his Blue Note album (What It Is (1999)) [1999]
• Fun Loving Criminals - Featured on their single from recent album (First single from 2001 worldwide release) [2001]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz