Ecuadorian singer La Toquilla dazzles in China debut

Alejandra García, better known by her stage name La Toquilla, captivated Chinese audiences with rhythmic Ecuadorian music and her magnetic, high-pitched voice at Beijing's arts hub 798 Art Zone on Sunday, performing with producer and guitarist Agni Durden and guitarist Mario Gutierrez.

They are national musical stars in Ecuador, this is however their debut in China.

The performance reached its climax when Chinese cellist Zhang Bo took to the stage of the Rose Bud Arts Center, joining them in performing Vasija de Barro (Clay Pot)- a representative song of the Ecuadorian folk rhythm danzante.

It depicts the age-old Ecuadorian ritual of burying ashes of ancestors in clay pots to memorialize the deceased, an essential part of Ecuadorian culture. The lyric reads, "I want to be buried like our ancestors, in the comfortable and dim confines of a clay pot..."

Their bow in Beijing consisted of three shows from May 24 to 26, each 40 minutes long. The set list covered classics like Vasija de Barro, La Bocina and Palomita Errante (Wandering Pigeon), as well as a new romantic song written by Agni Durder, Hermoso Ser (Beautiful One).

Also featured at the three-day Latin American and Caribbean Carnival were artists from more than 10 other Latin American countries. The carnival was part of the 2019 Meet in Beijing Arts Festival.