Celebrating Global Music Traditions
The international festival **La Mar de Músicas 2026**, organized by the **City Council of Cartagena**, will embark on an exciting journey through Morocco, Ecuador, South Africa, and Portugal this coming Tuesday, July 21. The evening will kick off with a performance by **Rachid B**, a Moroccan artist who has gained recognition in Spain thanks to his intimate album, *El Ghorba*, which explores themes of emigration and nostalgia. Following him, the Ecuadorian group **Humazapas** will take the stage, dedicated to reviving the traditional sounds, songs, and dances of the Kichwa people. The night will then feature **Alice Phoebe Lou**, one of the most prominent voices in the international indie scene. The grand finale will be provided by **Carminho**, a major figure in contemporary fado and one of Portugal's most important artists today, who will present her new show in Cartagena. For more details and ticket information, visit **[www.lamardemusicas.cartagena.es](https://lamardemusicas.cartagena.es/2026/)**.
From Local Roots to Global Stages
The festival will commence at **7:00 PM** in the **CIM patio** with **Rachid B**, who hails from Asilah, a coastal city in Morocco. Like many artists, he spent years working various jobs, singing in the streets, and creating music from humble beginnings. He never aspired to fame but simply wanted to share his stories through his voice and guitar. At the age of 50, he released his debut album, *El Ghorba*, a completely independent work that reflects simple, tangible human experiences. This album touches on the melancholic feelings of emigrants, embodying the *saudade* that many can relate to—the nostalgia for what has been left behind and the strange place occupied between worlds. Sung in Darija, the Arabic dialect of Morocco, the album has garnered critical acclaim in Spain and is among the most valued albums of 2025. What stands out in his music is not technical spectacle but rather its intimacy and honesty—gentle, warm songs that feel like they emerge from a conversation rather than a polished studio. His music evokes a pure, grassroots spirit that resonates emotionally through its closeness.
Next, at **8:00 PM**, the **Town Hall square** will welcome **Humazapas**, a traditional Kichwa music and dance group that originated in Cotacachi, Ecuador, in 2010. Comprising indigenous youth from various communities, the project began when a group of adolescents from Turuku started researching the ritual music and dances of the Andean calendar to preserve traditions at risk of disappearing. Over time, the collective expanded its repertoire to include various celebrations and rituals—such as Inti Raymi, Holy Week, weddings, and wakes—incorporating traditional instruments like harps, violins, guitars, reed flutes, and rondín, along with community dances like fandango, chimbapura, and town bands. Their compositions blend Kichwa music with contemporary structures, projecting these traditions to new audiences, showcasing indigenous peoples and their artistic, philosophical, and cultural expressions that remain vibrant beyond the confines of museums. Humazapas is a full manifestation of a living culture.
One of the most magnetic and free-spirited voices in today's indie scene, **Alice Phoebe Lou**, will grace **La Mar de Músicas** at **9:30 PM** in the **Old CIM patio**. Born in Cape Town in 1993 and having spent years in Berlin, she began her career performing on the streets before carving out a completely independent path, separate from conventional industry norms. Her music fuses indie folk, soul, and alternative pop, characterized by a warm and expressive voice. She has declined record deals to retain full creative control, resulting in an honest, intimate, and uncompromising artistic vision. Her songs traverse the delicate and emotionally raw, delving into themes of identity, love, and vulnerability. She embodies a mode of music-making grounded in authenticity, independence, and direct connection with her audience, captivating the ears of music lovers worldwide.
Finally, at **11:00 PM**, the festival will feature **Carminho**, one of the leading voices of contemporary fado. This artist has effectively embraced the pure heritage of Lisbon while simultaneously opening new avenues for fado to breathe in the 21st century. Her voice carries a mix of restraint and truth, capable of moving listeners without the need for amplification. She epitomizes the living tradition, engaging with the classical repertoire while revisiting great Portuguese authors and exploring sounds from Latin America and Brazil, always maintaining admirable coherence. Born in Lisbon in 1984, Maria do Carmo de Carvalho Rebelo de Andrade is recognized as a pioneer in the genre, being the first Portuguese artist to top the Spanish charts in a collaboration with Pablo Alborán. This year, she collaborated with Rosalía on the track *Memória* for the Spanish artist's new album, a song gifted to her after Rosalía discovered the Catalan's connection to fado. Her presence aligns perfectly with the festival's philosophy: to build bridges across cultures, advocate for emotion as a common language, and demonstrate that root music remains radically contemporary.
As reported by cartagena.es.
