Omara Portuondo wins World Pioneer 2021 award

December 13, 2021

The legendary Cuban singer Omara Portuondo added another success to her extensive musical career with the World Pioneer 2021 award, granted by the prestigious British magazine Songlines.

"Songlines has just proclaimed me winner of the World Pioneer 2021 award, I understand that in my name the Buena Vista Social Club (BVSC) is also recognized on its 25th anniversary and all the history and relevance of Cuban music," confirmed the so-called Bride of Feeling on her social networks.

The specialized publication noted that the spectacular success of the BVSC sparked a surge in interest in the traditional styles of pre-revolutionary Cuba, but far from nostalgia for a golden age lost long ago, the island has never stopped and, with a distinctive Afro-Cuban touch, created new contemporary forms such as timba, hip hop, and reggaeton.

Although many of the other BVSC veterans have passed away, Omara, now 91 years old, is still going strong. This year our thinking was guided by the cover of our October edition, which celebrated the quarter-century of that remarkable phenomenon that marked an entire era, according to the official website of the award.

The World Pioneer category is, perhaps, the pinnacle of the competition, which remembered Portuondo in her magical and timeless version of the classic bolero Twenty Years, as well as her memorable tours and concerts accompanied by musicians of the caliber of Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, Compay Segundo, and Orlando "Cachaito" López, now deceased.

In 2018, Songlines placed the Caribbean group in ninth place on its list dedicated to the 50 best musical moments of all time alongside other Latin American artists.

Likewise, it reviewed the most important records in the global landscape in its special editions since 1999, when it became one of the most reliable references on music across the five continents through its covers, interviews, and articles that privilege traditional and avant-garde sounds, according to PL.

Since its founding, the award has recognized the infinite value of music, and this year, held its ceremony virtually to firmly applaud creators from all over the world.