Music of the Americas: Dos Carolinas

Wednesday, October 15, 10 am

Carolina Ramos is a singer and songwriter from Huila, in southwest Colombia. Her work has received numerous prizes, including at the Antioquia le canta a Colombia Festival, the Jorge Villamil Cordovéz National Composition Festival, and the Mangostino de Oro National Music Festival, becoming the first woman in that festival's history to win first place in the solo singers category, among many others. Her song "Cuando usted decide" was recognized as "Best Song of the Year" at the Musa de Oro Awards. Some of her songs have topped the charts of Radio Nacional de Colombia, Folklore Radio, and Suena Mi Tierra. 

Carolina has represented Huila on platforms such as BOmm, Así Suena Colombia, Señal Colombia, and international media such as Mundo Latino TV in Houston. She also fronts projects such as Canciones por encargo and El Duelo, a therapeutic repertoire designed to accompany the process of loss through music. 

From Popayán, she sent us two videos with tiplista Juan Camilo Ciro. Today, we share "Llévame," which the composer describes as "a letter in the form of a bambuco, which begins as an intimate conversation directed at the loved one: there is the past—small details, dates, trips, customs—and the certainty that those memories form home." 

Thursday, October 16, 10 am

Carolina Mama is an Argentine singer, composer, musician, and filmmaker whose work blends soulful storytelling with a transcendent vocal style. Rooted in Latin American and Spanish folk traditions and influenced by North African and American sounds, her music merges folklore with jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and cinematic soundscapes. After surviving a near-death experience in Argentina, she devoted herself fully to music as a means of survival and expression. 

Her debut album, Amina, is a bold and tender sonic journey honoring women’s strength and resilience, an immersive fusion of heritage, jazz improvisation, and storytelling that challenges and redefines narratives of womanhood. The song "Amina" is a tribute to every woman who has faced adversity, and the story woven into the heart of this track is a call for equality and a dedication to amplifying women’s voices. It’s a declaration of empowerment, urging women to rise, be seen, and be heard. 

"Through 'Amina'," Carolina Mama said, "I want to inspire women everywhere to embrace their power and stand tall." This album not only promotes gender-based violence prevention through music and storytelling, but also delivers a message to younger generations: speak up, stand firm, and never fear fighting for your rights.

Friday, October 17, 10 am

Carolina Ramos and Juan Camilo Ciro are back with "La hijueputitis," a song that uses irony and the pasaje llanero passage to confront social judgment. It is a defense against mockery and discrimination based on physical appearance. With direct and believable language, the song denounces cruelty and defends the dignity of those who are the target of such comments. 

For the author, "hijueputitis" is not just an insult: it is a disease that sickens the one who judges more than the one judged. The pasaje llanero allows for a musical treatment that blends mischief and solemnity, while the lyrics work on two levels, recounting anecdotes and calling for empathy. The goal is to show the ridiculousness of judging another based on weight, shape, or appearance.

The MetLife Foundation Music of the Americas concert series is made possible by the generous support of Presenting Sponsor MetLife Foundation.

The 2025–2026 series is also supported, in part, by the Howard Gilman Foundation, Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University.