Jamshid Jam

Rooted in dance and eventually becoming its very own artistic movement, the history of tango is an epic one; and its future truly looks limitless. A musical genre with hybrid origins, it remains one of the most incredible creations to come out of Río de la Plata. “It’s the only thing we don’t ask Europe for its opinion on,” wrote Argentina’s Macedonio Fernández, the man that young Jorge Luis Borges admired “to the point of devout and passionate plagiarism.” A number of coincidences in the late 19th century gave rise to this style of music. As musicologist Carlos Vega said: "no one really tried to create tango." And yet, here it is; complete with its own traditions and innovations, as well as its own golden age, ill-fated artists, myths and rituals.

From Sappho of Mytilene to Kaija Saariaho and Clara Schumann, several women have managed to break through the macho codes of the milieu and become composers. While the classical music landscape has been largely dominated by men in recent centuries, the work of their female colleagues, whether pioneers or contemporaries, is just as fascinating. Here we put eleven undervalued figures of female composition in the spotlight.

With only three studio albums, one live album and three international tours, “Lhasa” de Sela still made her unique mark on contemporary popular music. “La Llorona”, “The Living Road” and “Lhasa” are all accomplished works in their own right and open the door to a strange yet familiar world, halfway between dream and reality. Full of both light and darkness, these songs are imbued with the genuine feelings of an artist whose heartfelt vocals reach out and pull the listener in, creating an intimate relationship with the audience. Looking back at the life of “Lhasa” de Sela, the makings of a legend are visible like chapters in a novel, complete with all the emotion that comes with a beautiful but heartbreaking storyline.