Meet Darumas, Latin Music's Next Big Band (2024)

Led by acts likeBad Bunny, Karol G, Peso Pluma, Kali Uchis, and Bizarrap, Latin music has never been hotter, whether it's pop, trap, urbano, or reggaeton. There's also the rise of techengue and the Latin tech-house movement from South America, popping up in hot spots like Miami and Ibiza.

So where does a trio of women who make Latin funk-pop lie in this grand musical landscape?

"It's music that we've been listening to for several years — and that is great — but we also want it to have a place for the other," says Aldana Aguirre. "In this case, the funk, the pop, the R&B, especially in Latin America, I think that Darumas, hopefully, can open the way for that kind of music and refresh what we've been listening to for a while."

Aguirre plays bass for Sony Music Latin's latest signee, Darumas, alongside vocalist and guitarist Ceci León and singer Vedala Vilmond. The trio is meeting with New Times at the label's office in Coconut Grove.

Despite being together for a short time, they've already fallen into a familiar band dynamic withAguirrein the leadership role, Leónplaying the party of the bright, happy guitarist, and Vilmond as the cool, collected lead singer. Together, they radiate an optimistic energy as they anticipate the release of their new record.

They all come from different backgrounds.Aguirre, a native of Argentina, was Karol G's touring bassist; Haitian-born Vilmond calls Chile home; and León is a Cuban girl from Miami. The trio met as most people do these days — through social media.

"We met virtually first, and then we met in person in Argentina," Aguirre explains. "The three of us got together, and the next day, we went to record the demos of these songs that are on the album."

Those demos ended up becoming the backbone of their self-titled debut, which was released at midnight and features seven tracks.

"In Argentina, we just got all the bones of the songs down, and then we came back and started grabbing those nuances and all that," adds León, who had quite the journey to get to this place in her career. She studied jazz guitar at Florida International University and played local gigs before she got the call to participate in Darumas. "I started playing guitar when I was 10, and I loved it. I grew up and lived in Miami my whole life. I started going to school for music a couple of years ago, and I was also teaching a lot of private lessons. I was gigging around bars and restaurants in Miami."

Vilmond, on the other hand, had landed a deal with Sony Music Latin in Chile years before being signed to the band.

"I've always liked music since I was little. I have an aunt who is a singer, and my dad is a music engineer. When I was young, I used to go out and do shows all over Haiti. Then, at 15, I signed with Sony Music Chile and released some songs. Then, I got a call while at the gym saying from the label they had a proposal for a band."

Aguirre is perhaps the member with the most experience, having toured with Karol G and performed in massive stadiums around the world.

"I started when I was very young. I was also lucky enough to be born in a very musical environment," she says. "My parents are also musicians, not professionally, but rather as a hobby. When I was young, I went to rehearsals to see the bands. And when I was about 15 years old, I started playing the bass. Before that, I also played the guitar, other instruments, and the flute."

Immersed in the Argentine blues scene, Aguirre eventually began to look for something new to inspire her.

"I wanted to change and grow, not only personally but musically, too. I wanted to see new horizons and see where music was taking me. So I went to Mexico City and lived there for five years," Aguirre explains. "I started playing with artists from there and from different parts of the world that were based there in Mexico. After that, I went to Miami, where I am now. I've played with different artists. In the last few years, I've been playing with Karol G, I've played with Luis Fonsi, I've opened shows for Fonseca."

Their paths eventually led to the three working together and taking their sound to Miami. The blend of sounds and influences is apparent in songs like "Mago" and "La Llamada."

"'Mago' — the energy! I identify a lot with the lyrics,"Vilmond says of the track. "But my favorite song vocally is 'La Llamada.' I love 'La Llamada' a lot."

The trio tapped into a wide range of influences during the album's recording.

"I'm really inspired by the neo-soul, R&B scene," León adds. "One of my favorite artists of all time is Hiatus Kaiyote'sNai Palm, who sings and plays guitar really well. I like that jazz-inspired, neo-soul type stuff."

Vilmond counts artists likeLauryn Hill, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone, and Michael Jackson among her inspirations. However, she's also expanded her musical tastes thanks to her bandmates. "I've started listening to D'Angelo because of these two women, and I fell in love. He's a great guy," she says. "Also, Nathy Peluso — she's one of the newer artists that's amazing. Wyclef Jean is also up there."

Aguirre's picks align with her veteran status in the industry. "Jaco Pastorius is the father of the electric bass, but also women like Esperanza Spalding," she notes. "Carole Kay and Michelle Negocello, I love them. They are all incredible bass players. Tal Winkelfein as well. They are great influences that have left a mark on the bass."

Darumas recently opened for Argentine pop singer Emilia during her .mp3 Tour, and the members are excited to keep sharing their music with eager audiences.

"That's what we want the most. We love to be in the process of the studio and the creation of the songs, but now that we have all the songs, we see the time to bring that music out into the world,"Aguirre explains. "I'm just excited to play, honestly."

"We've been working on these songs for so long, and now that they're gonna be out, we get to play them everywhere," León adds excitedly.