Lila Downs

Like many Mexican singers, Lila Downs started out her singing career performing rancheras, the traditional form of Mexican folk singing. Her Mexican roots define Downs' music and image - she often records in Mixtec, her native tongue and a language spoken by half a million people. She also records in other native Mexican languages such as Mayan, Zapotec and Nahuati. Downs is a versatile singer who is able to effortlessly cross genres and in her music the listener will detect a wide variety of musical flavours including rock, rap, hip-hop, flamenco and even reggae as well as the dominant traditional Mexican influence. In 2011 her album 'Pecados y Milagros (Sins and Miracles)' went to the top of Billboard's Latin Charts and sold well across the globe earning the singer a Grammy Award for the Best Regional Mexican Music Album as well as a Latin Grammy for Best Folk Album. As well as being one of Mexico's most popular performing artists Downs is also a prominent activist and frequently features in campaigns highlighting the social injustices which are found throughout Mexico.

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