Colombia’s Queen of Bullerengue announced Thursday her impending return to the forefront of the country’s musical scene, proclaiming “I want you all to know that Petrona Martinez is alive!”
It has been six years since the release of Martinez’s last album, the 2003 Latin Grammy nominated ‘Bonita que canta’ and the singer is currently in talks with her manager to put together a new collection of works selected from some 70 compositions that she has collected in that time.
“I want to bathe once again in the limelight,” declared Martinez, who alternates her musical life with life at home in Colombia’s rural Bolivar department, reported news site Vive In on Thursday.
Presently, Marinez is taking advantage of her popularity in Bogota, where she will be performing some of her trademark bullerengue music in the city’s Casa de Citas venue on December 4.
Martinez stated that she was thrilled to think her songs will soon be out on CD,”they must be recorded so that the public can know them and understand why they were written and where they came from.”
She said that life for her is not the same colour without music, and referred to her two daughters, who sing with her, as playing key roles in ensuring the continuation of the folkloric traditions their mother represents. For the time being however, Martinez still commands the attention, “I am happy because I am to be reborn!”
The new album will be partly recorded in Spain, where the singer’s son works as a percussionist, and Martinez’s manager indicated that the album will be full of fresh, new sounds.
The concert on Friday December 4 will be held in Bogota’s Casa de Citas at 9PM and tickets cost COP20,000 if pre-booked and COP30,000 on the door.