With a welcoming sound that embraces cumbia, vallenato, rancheras, jazz and American pop and jazz, the singer-songwriter Alea moves her audiences with messages of the spirit, calls for social change and free-flowing love. Originally from La Guajira, Colombia, Alea’s performance encompasses an entire generation of ethno-futuristic and folkloric music accentuated by buttery vocals, deep-rooted grooves and uplifting guitar. Alea’s in-person performances are powerful encounters of the spirit, passionate travelogues that link downtown New York to a tropical Colombian cantina. They are celebrations of Latin America and new definitions of what “Latin Alternative” can be. Alea has performed extensively in concert (and online) at Symphony Space (NYC), Two River Theatre (New Jersey), Listen to Womxn Online Fest (Worldwide), Saldremos Adelante Fest (Worldwide), Joe’s Pub (NYC), Kimmel Center’s La Noche (PA), Musikfest (PA), Tito Puente Latin Music Series (Boston), The International Literature and Culture Fest (Medellín, Colombia) and Worcester Mechanics Hall (Worcester, MA). She’s also shared the stage with such Grammy-award winning/nominated artists as Mireya Ramos (Flor de Toloache), Sonia De Los Santos, Smarty (Burkina Faso), Totó La Momposina, Nella Rojas, and Sergio Mendoza (Los Hijos de La Montaña y Orkesta Mendoza). Alea is a graduate with a focus in Jazz Composition and Performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston. She’s also received a recognition from The City of Boston for her contribution to Latin Music and became a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition. Her latest album, 2021’s Alborotá, was shortlisted as among the Best Latin Music of the year by both Rolling Stone and NPR. That acclaim was especially meaningful for an artist whose songs blossom from a personal place. “The ideas for Alborotá came out of an intimate exploration of my own roots,” Alea says. “I wanted to write about topics that are integral to my experience as a Latina and as an artist: feminism, pride of self, fear of failure, immigration, abuse and harassment. Translating the expression of this album into a fully considered live event should be more than going through a setlist. I want my concerts to give the audience the same feelings of excitement and release that making Alborotá instilled in me.”