Music of Bolivia

Out of all the Andean countries, Bolivia remains perhaps the most culturally linked to the indigenous peoples. Like most of its neighbors, Bolivia was long-dominated by Spain and its attendant culture. Even after independence, Bolivian music was largely based on European forms. In 1952, a revolution established nationalistic reforms granting increased social, cultural and political awareness for the Aymara and Quechua natives. Intellectuals in the country began wearing ponchos and otherwise associating themselves with native cultures, and the new government promoted native folklore by, among other methods, establishing a folklore department in the Ministry of Education.

The trend towards increased cultural awareness of native music, spirituality and art continued into the 1960s. In 1965, Edgar 'Yayo' Jofré formed a quartet called Los Jairas in La Paz. With Bolivian folk music gained popularity throughout the country, Jofré, along with Alfredo Dominguez, Ernesto Cavour, Julio Godoy and Gilbert Favre used traditional music in modified forms to appeal to urban-dwellers and Europeans. Later groups like Wara, Khanata, Grupo Aymara, Paja Brava and, most especially, Los K'jarkas (of Cochabamba), helped further refine this fusion.

Los K'jarkas consists of three brothers, the Hermosas, who play primarily huayno or, more rarely, sayas. These are both dance musics influenced both by native forms as well as African musics imported to Bolivia with slavery. Los K'jarkas are known internationally for their saya classic "Llorando se fué", which was the popular beginning of the lambada dance craze of the 1980s, along with forro and carimbo in northern Brazil. The song was popularized by a French group, resulting in a victorious lawsuit from the Hermosa brothers.

In the 1980s, Chilean nueva cancion (which had arisen from Bolivian fusion music) was imported to Bolivia and changed into canto nuevo, which was popularized by performers like Emma Junaro.