LADAMA Talks New Single "Porro Maracatu" + More with MNGBlog

Lara Klaus, Daniela Serna, Mafer Bandola, and Sara Lucas are collectively known as LADAMA, and they are no ordinary girl group. Working to address gender inequality and unequal representation of women, they are encouraging the world to build community through music, one song at a time.

Hailing from four different countries across the Americas―Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and the United States―the four women first collaborated through the prestigious OneBeat fellowship and bonded over their dream to empower youth and women on an international level. Now officially joining forces as a group, they are defying cultural boundaries by creating one unique unified sound rooted in Afro-Latinx styles. "It is a new and very inspiring experience that allows us to learn at all times and share our backgrounds with each other," Klaus said about working together. "For example, I introduced them to Chico Science who is from Recife. Getting to know their worlds is very special. All our music comes from these interactions. We do not have a totally conscious concern in making this mixture. It just happens. We play, the mix happens - and it works!"

Captivating listeners with their mastery of acoustic and electric instruments, the quartet blends South American and Caribbean styles such as cumbia, maracatu, onda nueva, and joropo with soul, R&B, and pop, and sings in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. "I love the fact that we literally HAVE TO speak in different languages," Serna said. "Portuguese is for me one of the most beautiful and inspiring languages, so I love every single second that I get to spend listening to Lara's Skype's conversations with her family. I also love the fact that since we are all 'forced' to leave our homes (to go on tour) we had to learn how to transform LADAMA into a HOME in and of itself."

Today LADAMA releases their new single "Porro Maracatu." Eclectic and triumphant, it awakens the soul in a vibrant burst of stirring sounds and vocal textures. "Porro Maracatu is the result of this mixture that worked!" Klaus told Musical Notes Global. "The mixture is of the Colombian porro with the maracatu from Pernambuco, Brazil, with the influences of Sara's and Maria's music as well. It was composed in Colombia, during a tour, and we got together with our friends of La Perla to write this song in collaboration. We have discovered, over time, that our music has a lot in common. We meet and come together in song."

"It's a song about passion for celebrating life through music and carnivals!" Serna continued. "Through celebration we liberate ourselves, so this is also a song about freeing our spirit. It's a Latin power song! And I'm sure the first of many more experiments exploring the roots in African rhythms present in Brazil and Colombia."

Listen to "Porro Maracatu" now via digital music platforms like Spotify and iTunes.

The single comes in anticipation of LADAMA's self-titled debut album, which is scheduled for release on September 8 and is now available for pre-order on select platforms such as Amazon. "This album reflects a very powerful part and time of our lives right now, Serna explained. "It represents how devoted and engaged we are with the fact of being not just artists but also music activists. I hope that listeners understand that we believe that creation (of art) is a powerful weapon to change our world." Klaus noted: "Once an album is released, it starts belonging to the people who listen to it. Let them feel what they want! But I had so much fun producing the album...they might be infected by that energy too!"

The group will embark on a tour through the United States this fall in promotion of their new album beginning with their album launch show on September 7 in New York City. Serna hopes those in attendance at their shows leave inspired—in multiple ways: "Inspired to keep dancing in the way to their houses, inspired to create new adventures for their lives, inspired to feel love and emotions in a deeper way!" she exclaimed. With the infectious energy LADAMA infuses into their music, there is no way that anyone would feel anything other than satisfied and exhilarated after witnessing them in action. Klaus added: "I hope they [concert goers] feel anything, but, please, feel it - haha! The worst thing is when you go to a show and leave it as if nothing had happened."

The quartet is looking forward to the tour and the excitement of meeting new people, reaching new listeners, and playing their new songs in front of a live audience. "I really want to expand the universe of our music, meet more people and be able to work and share with them," Klaus told Musical Notes Global. Serna added: "Half of this record was produced during our last US tour so we only had the opportunity to play this last half live once (I think)! So, I'm very curious and excited about it."

Full tour dates below: