The secrets of Los Kjarkas: how they found out about the plagiarism of “La lambada”, in which Peruvian venue they sang for the first time

It is unfeasible to talk about the greatest exponents of Andean music without mentioning The Kjarkas and to his indisputable success “Llorando se fue”. Or talk about Bolivian music and not refer to the Hermosa family and the vocation they have cultivated with solemn mastery for five decades. It is impossible not to applaud them standing before so much dedication and magic, which they call art.

the emblematic Bolivian group that later achieved great international national popularity with the entry of Ulises and Élmer Hermosa, Gastón Guardia, Guillermo Ponce, Gonzalo Hermosa Jr, Lin Angulo and the Japanese musician Makoto Shishido.

In 1976, the group published “Bolivia”, their first studio album where the huayno with the same name composed by Gonzalo Hermosa stands out, which has become almost the second anthem of the highland country.

“”, emphasizes Gastón Guardia, voice and head of the wind instruments in the group. “Maintaining a group is very difficult, but our dreams have always dominated us and given us the strength to continue and stay current as a living legend.“, Add.

“In the 70’s it was difficult to make folk music because it was frowned upon, we had to fight against all that. When Gonzalo Hermosa was 13 years old, his father discovered him secretly playing a borrowed guitar and broke it. He didn’t want him to be a musician. Therefore, when he finished school he moved to Cochabamba to study medicine. He finished his degree, but did not graduate. He could more his artistic side”, Narrates Guard.

“Our parents were against us being musicians because music was frowned upon, it was related to alcohol and a bad life. We had to wrestle with all of that. Now we are a historic group, we have been able to live from music and conquered the world with our songs”he assures.

world conquerors

Between the Bolivian group and Peru there is great complicity. They are united by history and brotherhood. Gastón says that Cusco marked the beginning of the internationalization of Los Kjarkas and the fulfillment of their dreams.

“, because the majority of the public was foreign and told us that we should also visit other countries. and that we did”, details the musician.

In 1984, the group came to Japan for the first time to participate in the Yamaha Music Festival. A year later he returned to offer a first concert in that country. And it was precisely on that visit that the first encounter with Makoto Sishido, the Japanese musician who would join the Bolivian group a few years later, took place.

“. We met him when he was eight years old and he came to see us at a performance we had in Tokyo. That time she fell in love with the charango and now she is part of the group. He has been playing with us for about 20 years”, emphasizes Gastón Guardia.

, like the day that a huge limousine hired to transfer them from the Buenos Aires airport to the hotel broke down as soon as it started. “We had to get down to push, we pushed about five kilometers. It was a fun experience”, says Gaston.

And just as they lived pleasant moments, they also faced hard episodes, like that time the group had to go on stage after the death of the group’s composer and singer: Ulises Hermosa.

“. It was one of the saddest concerts in the history of the group”, indicates Gaston.

iconic theme

One of the most important songs by Los Kjarkas is undoubtedly “Llorando se fue”, a song composed by Ulises Hermosa and performed by Gastón Guardia. In 1981 the song was played for the first time at a concert in the city of Oruro in Bolivia.

“The day we premiered that song, the public asked me to sing it like three times in a row. It was exciting because it was my first song that I recorded as a solo artist. That was one of the most beautiful personal anecdotes I’ve ever had.”, says Gaston.

“Llorando se fue” is also one of the most covered compositions by Los Kjarkas, but without a doubt the version that captured the world’s attention and put Bolivian artists on display was the one starring the French-Brazilian group Kaoma, in 1989 : “Lambada”.

“. Finally, the Superior Court of Justice of France recognized Gonzalo and Ulises Hermosa as the true perpetrators. They recognized that ‘Lambada’ was a slip. Thank God the song was registered with the German Society of Authors (GEMA)Guard explains.

“That was an uncomfortable and tedious legal moment, but it was also a winning bet for us because as a result of that incident we were hired at many festivals in Europe“, Add.

Later, in 2006, the duo Wisin & Yandel used a part of the theme in their song “Pam Pam”; Four years later, in 2010, Don Omar also used part of the lyrics from “Llorando se fue” in the song “Taboo”. In early 2011, Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull used excerpts from the tune on “On the Floor.”

“The song has more than 150 versions, the last one was in India. When Jennifer López used the theme, her representative contacted the group to request authorization and complied with the payment of copyright”, assures the Bolivian musician.

Peruvian scenarios

The group currently made up of Elmer Hermosa, Gastón Guardia, Gonzalo Hermosa, Gonzalo Hermosa Jr., Lin Angulo and Makoto Shishido, will offer two presentations in our country as part of the celebrations for their golden anniversary.

On April 7 they will be presented at the Municipal Theater and on April 16 at the National Stadium. They will also visit cities in the interior of Peru such as: Huancavelica, Huancayo, Ayacucho, Huaraz, Chimbote and Trujillo. Tickets are on sale at Teleticket.

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