Photo: Ehollis1 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · credits
Tier 3 · vertical & regional
Totó la Momposina
Person · female · Colombia · Talaigua Nuevo · born 1940 · died 2026 · recording since 1997
Colombian singer
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Listen on SpotifyYouTube Music
Also known as Sonia Bazanta Vides · Toto La Memposina
Timeline
10 events▣ Album 6◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1✦ Award 1† Death 1
1940s
1990s
· Debut release
Debut release: Carmelina
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
2000s
2010s
2020s
Biography
English biography234 words · 4 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1379222403
Biography
Sonia Bazanta Vides (1 August 1940 – 17 May 2026), better known as Totó la Momposina, was a Colombian singer of Afro-Colombian and Indigenous descent. She reached international attention with the release of her 1993 album La Candela Viva
La candela vivaSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1La candela viva3:47 on Peter Gabriel's Real World Records label. Totó accompanied Gabriel García Márquez to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982 as part of a Colombian cultural delegation performing during the award ceremony.
Life and career
Totó was born in the northern Colombian town of Talaigua Nuevo, near Mompox in Bolívar Department, on 1 August 1940. She was part of the fourth generation of her family to be involved in music. Her father was a drummer and her mother was a singer and dancer.
She studied at the National University of Colombia. She then studied for a year at the Sorbonne in Paris.
Totó received the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.
In 2017, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the National Pedagogic University in Colombia.
Totó la Momposina died in Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico, on 17 May 2026, at the age of 85.
Latin Grammy Awards
Totó la Momposina has two Latin Grammy awards from four nominations for her collaboration with the urban group Calle 13 on their song "Latinoamérica", receiving in 2013 the lifetime achievement award.
Premios Nuestra Tierra
A Premio Nuestra Tierra is an accolade that recognizes outstanding achievement in the Colombian music industry. Totó la Momposina received a nomination.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 14 | 70.2th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 20 | 87.1th |
| Studio albums | 6 | 86.1th |
| Awards recorded | 1 | 89th |
| Timeline events | 10 | 86.7th |
| Recording span (years) | 26 | 58.1th |
| Genres | 5 | 88.3th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (20 release groups · 6 studio albums)
Albums · 6
1997 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 51:18
1Chí Chí Maní3:412La Ceiba2:333Ven Pronto3:234Los Sabores del Porro4:225Indios Farótos3:496La Sombra Negra5:087Carmelina4:218Las Cuatro Palomas5:399Mohana3:5110Millo Son4:0411Agua5:5612Hacha Machete y Garabato - La Tres Puntá4:312004 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:10:13
1Pacantó6:122Goza Linio Sierra4:233Milé (El Hombre Borracho)5:354Acompáñala3:475La Ripiá3:056La Cumbia Está Herida5:147Chambacú6:568Reparála4:019Pozzo Brillante5:4110Así lo Grita Todó5:1611La Paloma3:4412Bozaa y Media (La Acabación)3:3813Oye Mamita3:3714El Porro Magangueleño5:5515Mami Wata3:092009 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 9 tracks · 41:01
1Manita Uribe5:032Margarita5:143Sueño Español3:514Yo Me Llamo Cumbia4:305Tembandumba4:336Fidelina3:187Cosas Pa' Pensar3:288Dueña de los Jardines4:409Fiesta Vieja6:242014 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:00:59
1Las Cuatro Palomas5:362El Piano de Dolores3:183Tres Golpes3:234La Ceiba2:325La Verdolaga4:136Indios Farotos3:467El Tigre2:158Aguacero de Mayo3:139Los Sabores del Porro4:2210Bozaa y Media3:3911Rosa3:4612El Manduco2:2113La Maya3:3514Hacha, Machete y Garabato4:2915Pozo Brillante5:4216Prende la Vela4:492014 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 54:57
1Apila el Arró4:382La Perla4:233¿Aronde Me Meto Yo?5:044El Hambre del Pescador3:585El Gallo Tuerto y el Guere - Guere4:516Manuela, Batata Toca y Ataole5:097Danza de Negro (Negrito)3:498El Palomo4:359La Hormiga "Tras Tras"3:2210Caimán y Gallinazo - Julio Moreno3:2611El Porro Es el Rey4:1212La Espuela del Bagre3:5613El Higuerón - Mata de Col3:342018 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:04:05
1La Verdolaga4:172Tres Golpes3:253Ven Pronto3:224Oye Manita3:385Rosa3:476El Porro Magangueleño5:577Danza de Indios3:508Aguacero de Mayo3:149Le la Le La2:3810Garabatos5:1011El Tigre2:1712Chambacú6:5813Mojana3:5214Mojana lo Enamoro3:1115Yo me llamo Cumbia4:3116Maria de la Paz3:58
Other · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Gaitas y tamboresSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks · 59:491Totó remix (radio mix)4:54 2Tres golpes3:23 3Hacha, machete y garabato4:32 4Prende la vela (radio mix)4:51 5Rosa3:45 6La ripia3:06 7La verdolaga4:14 8Pozo brillante5:41 9Las cuatro palomas5:36 10Tambolero5:20 11Prende la vela6:45 12Totó remix (DJ mix)7:42 | 2002 |
Album · 2
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Gaitas y TamboresSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks · 59:491Totó Remix: la Candela Viva / Adiós Fulana / Mapalé / Goza Plinio Sierra (Radio Edit)4:54 2Tres Golpes3:23 3Hacha, Machete y Garabato4:32 4Prende la Vela (Radio Edit)4:51 5Rosa3:45 6La Ripiá3:06 7La Verdolaga4:14 8Pozo Brillante5:41 9Las Cuatro Palomas5:36 10Tambolero5:20 11Prende la Vela6:45 12Totó Remix: la Candela Viva / Adiós Fulana / Mapalé / Goza Plinio Sierra7:42 | Compilation | 25 March 2002 | |
| 2010 | TotalSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 26 tracks · 1:40:16Disc 1 1La ceiba2:30 2El piano de Dolores3:15 3Indios farotos3:45 4Dos de febrero3:55 5Peyo Torres2:46 6Millo son4:00 7Así lo grita Totó5:14 8Chambacú6:54 9Aguacero de mayo3:12 10Carmelina4:18 11Oye manita3:33 12Mañanitas de diciembre3:52 13Yo me llamo cumbia4:31 Disc 21Soledad3:47 2La candela viva4:15 3Son de farotas4:29 4Acompáñala3:45 5La maya3:36 6El pescador4:05 7La acabación3:38 8Mapalé2:32 9Mohana3:47 10Puya puyará3:42 11La cumbia está herida5:12 12Le la le la2:34 13Mami Watá3:09 | Compilation | 22 May 2010 |
Single · 9
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | La MezclaSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 11 tracks · 1:31:411La Mezcla (edit)2:52 2La Mezcla (long edit)9:57 3La Mezcla (Paul Kalkbrenner remix)9:58 4La Mezcla (Charles Websters club mix)7:39 5La Mezcla (Charles Websters dub)6:27 6La Mezcla (Copyright main mix)8:15 7La Mezcla (Roog edit)7:34 8La Mezcla (Ant Brooks remix)6:58 9La Mezcla (Riva Starr Mojito remix)10:41 10La Mezcla12:13 11La Mezcla (dub)9:07 | 24 March 2009 | ||
| 2010 | La Mezcla, Pt. 2Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 3 tracks · 23:261La Mezcla (Paul Kalkbrenner remix)9:59 2La Mezcla (Ant Brooks remix)6:59 3La Mezcla (Charles Webster's dub)6:28 | 11 January 2010 | ||
| 2013 | La candela vivaSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 1 track · 3:471La candela viva3:47 | 4 October 2013 | ||
| 2016 | La LunaSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 9:221La Luna2:23 2La Luna (extended mix)6:59 | 9 December 2016 | ||
| 2017 | Tu TamborSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 1 track · 6:111Tu Tambor6:11 | 14 July 2017 | ||
| 2021 | La PlayitaSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 1 track · 4:381La Playita4:38 | 29 January 2021 | ||
| 2023 | La LunaSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 5:241La Luna3:01 2La Luna2:23 | 23 June 2023 | ||
| 2023 | La Paloma By ClainSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 1 track · 5:411La Paloma (Clain Remix)5:41 | Remix | 28 July 2023 | |
| — | Tambor (Cut Chemist Live Remix)Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 1 track · 4:091Tambor (Cut Chemist Live Remix)4:09 | Remix | — |
EP · 2
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | The Garabato Sessions (Remixes)Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 5 tracks · 25:171Adios Fulana (Amen Style RSD)5:12 2Adios Fulana (Bristol Dub RSD)4:57 3Adios Fulana (Bogotá Dub Sidestepper)4:59 4Adios Fulana4:57 5Adios Fulana (Bristol Version)5:12 | 2 December 2016 | ||
| 2018 | FuegoSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 4 tracks · 16:451Fuego3:45 2Julio Moreno4:13 3La Múcura2:35 4Tu Tambor6:12 | 7 September 2018 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Totó la Momposina head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 14 | 70.2th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 20 | 87.1th |
| Studio albums | 6 | 86.1th |
| Awards recorded | 1 | 89th |
| Timeline events | 10 | 86.7th |
| Recording span (years) | 26 | 58.1th |
| Genres | 5 | 88.3th |
Awards & honours
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award | lifetime |
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Totó la Momposina y sus Tambores(band) | — | present | eponymous,original |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toto_la_Momposina.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6904c849-97ab-4bf2-af51-467e8dd98ec9discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6904c849-97ab-4bf2-af51-467e8dd98ec9core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7828521genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7828521seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tot%C3%B3_la_Momposinabiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tot%C3%B3_la_Momposina
Why this artist is in the database
- List of Colombian musicians
- List of singer-songwriters
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Ehollis1 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q7828521 · MusicBrainz: 6904c849-97ab-4bf2-af51-467e8dd98ec9
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