Lila Downs

Lila Downs is a Mexican-American singer. She performs her own compositions as well as tapping into native Mesoamerican music of the Mixtec, Zapotec, Maya and Nahuatl cultures.

Related Topics:
Mexican - American - Mesoamerican - Mixtec - Zapotec - Maya - Nahuatl

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Downs, the daughter of a Scottish-American father and a Mixtec mother, grew up partly in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, partly in the U.S. state of Minnesota.

Related Topics:
Scottish - Mexican state - Oaxaca - U.S. state - Minnesota

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Downs briefly studied singing at the University of Minnesota. She dropped out and returned to Mexico where she learned to weave. Later, she began singing in the club scenes of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, and Philadelphia along with Paul Cohen, an expatriate saxophonist. They began collaborating together on songs that would slowly evolve into Downs's subsequent recordings.

Related Topics:
University of Minnesota - Oaxaca, Oaxaca - Philadelphia - Paul Cohen - Saxophonist

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In recent years, Downs and her band have toured widely in Mexico, South America, the US and Europe. She was also heard in the soundtrack to the movie Frida. Downs is currently based in Coyoacán (Mexico City).

Related Topics:
South America - Europe - Frida - Coyoacán - Mexico City

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~