Folk music, in all of its various forms, is most powerful when it’s used to raise awareness, build bridges, support resistance, and enact social change. When an artist can do all of those things and also create moments of pure majestic musical joy, you’ve got something life-changing on your hands.

Sara Curruchich is a member of the Kaqchikel community, an Indigenous Mayan population from the area now known as southern Mexico and the highlands of Guatemala. That identity is a deep part of who Curruchich is, as a person and an artist. The Kaqchikel have a strong tradition of expressing themselves through art and also for fighting oppression, something that’s at the centre of Curruchich’s work. She often sings in her native Kaqchikel language, blending traditional Mayan musicality with modern folk and pop sensibilities. Lyrically, Indigenous rights, environmental issues and social equality guide her messaging as she takes on the role of an ambassador for her people and for herself.

But as serious as that message is, Curruchich’s songs are full of light, with a sense of soaring drama and flair that break through barriers of language and culture. Armed with an acoustic guitar and a clear and melodic voice, Curruchich has many essential things to say and packages them in the most beautiful way possible.

— Elizabeth Chorney-Booth