The world has lost a talent so immeasurable many will continue without knowing what they have lost. Mexican-American Montreal based chanteuse Lhasa de Sela passed away this January 1st from breast cancer at the age of 37. One of my favorite singers ever, Lhasa’s voice and musical styles were unusual and haunting; no one out there was like her, not by a long shot.
Lhasa exploded onto the scene in 1997 with the release of her album La Llorona (composed in Spanish) which blended Eastern European gypsy folk musics with Mexican musical genres. No one knew what to make of this record with a singer whose vocals sounded like a haunting entity, a siren on the Lorelei. Her follow up, 2003’s The Living Road, was sung in French, English, and Spanish. Her songs have been featured in films like Cold Souls and Casa de los Babys as well as on the TV series The Sopranos.
I was eagerly awaiting a new release by Lhasa when in 2009 it was announced she would release her third album, Lhasa, sung completely in English. Due to her illness she wasn’t able to tour or promote the record but I never gave up hope that I would see her live.
Though that won’t come to pass, Lhasa will remain one of my favorites. She was a beautiful talent; so present yet so distant. Even saying her name sends chills down my spine.
Here’s the single “Rising” off of her recent album, Lhasa:
peace and blessings,
bixo (now known as “Radio Morillo”)