Aguacerito Llové by Canto Diáspora

Man Recordings is pleased to present the debut single of the Berlin-based choir Canto Diáspora. The choir, consisting of forty female singers from the Latin American world, is led by singer Carolina Riaño, who has brought the Latin American folkore classic “Aguacerito Llové” (literally: “Little Rain Shower”) into a new format.

“Aguacerito Llové” sounds lyrical and poetic - like something that could be written in a novel by García Márquez or whispered in a verse by Pablo Neruda. It is magical realism in musical form.

In Carolina Riaño's arrangement, “Aguacerito Llové” becomes a song about collectivity, reflecting the powerful energy that arises when Canto Diáspora sings live together.

“Yo no canto por cantar ni por tener buena voz, canto porque no estoy sola y así se siente mejor.” (“I don't sing for the sake of singing or to have a good voice, I sing because I'm not alone and so it feels better”).

It is also about the transformative, sometimes melancholy experience of living away from home and settling into a new culture:

“Yo no sé si fue el destino el que me trajo hasta aquí , habitando mis dos mundos, resguardando la raíz.”
(“I don't know if it was fate that brought me here, inhabiting my two worlds, protecting the root”).

The song is an integral part of popular culture in Latin America and has been sung by generations of artists. “Aguacerito Llové” is associated with Afro-Latin American musical traditions, especially in countries such as Colombia, Venezuela and the Caribbean. These regions have a rich history of African influence through the transatlantic slave trade, and their music reflects the resilience, spirituality and emotional depth of these communities.

In Canto Diáspora's version, “Aguacerito Llové” becomes an empowering sound and cultural bridge builder.

Early DJ support from Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 6) amongst others.

The female vocal ensemble Canto Diáspora is a Berlin-based choir founded in 2022 under the direction of the Colombian singer Carolina Riaño. It is made up of 40 women of different origins, mostly Latin American migrants, who intertwine their voices in Spanish on a weekly basis to sing collective songs from the oral tradition of Latin America.