Mari Mathias from Wales is all set to perform at the upcoming Toyota Hornbill Music Festival 2024 at the main arena, Naga Heritage village, Kisama on December 1 and 2.
Toyota Hornbill Music Festival, brought by Task Force for Music & Arts (TaFMA), Govt of Nagaland, is India’s biggest music festival.
Mari Mathias, a celebrated Welsh folk artist is known for her hauntingly beautiful voice and modern interpretations of traditional Welsh music, informed a press release by the Hornbill Music Festival (Media).
As Wales participates as a partner country this year, Mari Mathias will bring the lyrical soul of her homeland to Nagaland, forging a musical connection between the hills of Wales and the hills of Northeast India. Mari Mathias, a 24-year-old Welsh artist, blends nature, tradition, and contemporary influences to create mystical, folk-inspired music.
Singing in her native Welsh, she reimagines traditional melodies from West Wales and Pembrokeshire, bringing a surge of energy and delicate, melodic vocals to the stage. Growing up in the rural village of Talgarreg near the Ceredigion coastline, Mari’s debut album Annwn (2022) is deeply personal, framed around samples of her great-grandfather’s cassette tapes, offering a window into a place that no longer exists but holds deep significance.
Described as alternative folk, her sound captures the essence of a nation redefining itself.
The partnership with Wales underscores the Hornbill Festival’s role as a platform for international cultural exchange. Nagaland’s Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio remarked, “Mari Mathias’ participation represents the beautiful connections we can create through music and stories. Her performance will resonate with Nagaland’s love for rich oral traditions and folklore.
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ESTAMPAS DEL PERU
ESTAMPAS DEL PERU, will also be performing at the upcoming 25th edition Hornbill Music Festival 2024 on December 2, 2024 at the main arena, Naga Heritage Village Kisama from 5:00 PM onwards.
The Cultural Association, ”ESTAMPAS DEL PERU” has been dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of Peruvian culture abroad for over 25 years, bringing the vibrancy of traditional Peruvian music and dance to international audiences.
The Association is spearheaded by Ricardo Delgado, a renowned artist born in Arequipa, Peru. Ricardo is a multifaceted musician—an accomplished singer, author, composer, and instrumentalist. He studied music at the National University of San Agustín (UNSA) in Arequipa and gained early experience as a flute player in various Latin American music groups.
In the 1990s, he expanded his musical expertise by traveling to Europe, where he pursued further studies at the conservatories of Bois-Colombes and Levallois-Perret in France, all while showcasing Peruvian music in concerts throughout Europe. His dedication to promoting Peruvian culture earned him a Diploma and Medal of Honor in Arequipa, acknowledging him as an ambassador of Peruvian music abroad. Ricardo Delgado now resides in Paris, France, where he continues his mission of cultural advocacy.