Osdalgia Lesmes Etchevarría, Cuban singer, composer, and actress, was born in May in Luyanó, Havana. In 1986, she received a First Mention from the Hermanos Saiz Association for her poetry collection “Una pieza soy” (A Piece I Am) and joined the 20th Anniversary artistic brigade, which brought together young poets, writers, visual artists, and troubadours. In 1988, she joined the Cine Club “Sigma” group, directed by filmmaker Tomás Piard. She starred in short fiction films and was cast in the avant-garde fiction feature film “La posible infinita” (The Infinite Possibility).

He completed his artistic training at the National School of Theatre Instructors, where he enrolled in 1989 and completed his studies in 1992.

She embarked on her professional career and made her debut that same year as a member of the quartet Las Sepias de Fuego, at the Cabaret Parisién in the Hotel Nacional (Calle 0 corner 21, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana). She later joined several Cuban groups and orchestras, where she performed a variety of musical genres such as Son, Bolero, Feeling, Jazz, Ballad, Timba, Salsa, Afro, Guaracha, and Rumba. Among them, in 1994 she joined Las Nuevas Mulatas de Fuego, where she worked alongside José Luis Cortés, the group’s director.

A year later, Osdalgia joined the girl group Canela, where she performed as lead singer. She recorded the CD Llegó el momento (The Moment Arrived) on Welt Wunder Records. She also toured internationally, visiting several countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. In 1996, she collaborated with Las Chicas del Sabor and Perspectiva, with the latter giving concerts at the Casa de la Música. She performed at the Atlántica Festival in the Canary Islands and the Afro-Caribbean Festival in Veracruz, Mexico. In 1997, she performed rock and pop with the group Aries and ventured into Feeling and Bolero. She performed at the Latin Music Festival in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.

In 1998, he signed an exclusive contract with the French record label Lusafrica; he began his collaboration on the CD Afrocuban Jazz Project, by Orlando Valle (Maraca), where he performed with prominent figures in Cuban music such as Tata Güines, Barbarito Torres, and Cascarita.

Around this time, her first solo album, titled La Culebra, was released. It was directed by José Luis Cortés and accompanied by NG La Banda. This album brought Osdalgia international acclaim. It features songs made famous by Benny Moré.

As a result, she was named Sentimental Girl by World Planete Musicale magazine, and Music Info magazine placed her at number ten on the French, Belgian, and Dutch radio charts in 1999. That year she traveled to Europe with Lusafrica and NG la Banda, performing in Italy, France, Belgium, and Spain.

He performed at the New Morning and the Disney Land Festival alongside Celia Cruz.

In 2000, he shared the stage with Colé-Colé; he sang occasional duets with the renowned Gilberto Santa Rosa in Panama. That same year, in April, he received four nominations for La Culebra at the Cubadisco Awards in the categories of First Work, Current Popular Dance Music, Musical Production, and Recording. He won the Cubadisco Grand Prize and the Award for Best Current Popular Dance Music Album. Along with NG La Banda, he performed concerts in Morocco and later in Italy; in the Canary Islands; and in Panama with Lusafrica.

Likewise, Osdalgia Lesmes, following her successful performance in her memorable televised concert live from the National Theater (Paseo and 39th Street, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana), was named The New Voice of Cuba by the press. Her video clip, La Culebra, was nominated for the Lucas Awards in the categories of Best New Video and Best Female Video. She performed at the Adolfo Guzmán Cuban Song Contest in late 2000, where she won Third Prize and received excellent reviews from specialized critics.

Their second album, Mi Armonía, was recorded in January 2001 under the Lusafrica label and musically directed and produced by José Luis Cortés. It featured Jorge Luis Chicoy (guitar), Feliciano Arango (bass), Elpidio Chapotín (trumpet), and keyboardists Emilio Morales and Miguel Angel de Armas, among others. This CD features eleven tracks, including a Spanish version of the Summertime jazz classic; the Son Montuno, “Que se me caen los dientes” (Let me fall out my teeth); and the bolero, “Fiebre de ti” (Fever of you), by Juan Arrondo; and others by Osdalgia such as “No me detentes” (Don’t stop me) and “Tu Beribé” (You be the one).

That year, he also founded his own ensemble, with the aim of approximating the sound of the ensembles of the 1940s and 1950s, but with a distinctly modern feel. It is made up of young graduates from various music schools across the country. Its instrumental format includes lead vocals, guitars, choir, bass, piano and keyboards, and major and minor percussion.

She competed in the 2001 OTI as a composer, where she was a finalist and achieved great success with the public. Her song, “Who Told You?”, was performed by the renowned singer Vannia Borges. Around this time, she performed in the Principality of Monaco with the Tropicana Show, in France with Lusafrica, and in Costa Rica with the Charanga All Stars.

In 2002, she traveled with her group to Spain, Cape Verde, Portugal, and France. Her second music video, Tu Beribé, was nominated for a Lucas Award in the Best Female Video category. In 2003, she appeared in the film “Música cubana, los hijos de Buena Social Club” in Japan.

In April 2004, she began recording her third album, produced by Juan Manuel Ceruto and recorded with the Lusáfrica label. Suenan los cueros (The Leather Sounds), nominated for the Cubadisco Awards in the Traditional Popular Music category, explores Cuban music genres such as bolero, guaguancó, danzonete, habanera, and son. In May, she embarked on an international tour, as a guest of Habanos SA, alongside prominent figures in Cuban culture such as Gonzalito Rubalcaba, Tata Güines, and Pachito Alonso y sus Kini Kini.

From November 2004 to March 2006, he performed in Sardinia, Italy. Upon his return to Cuba, he began performing with El Gato Tuerto. In April, he gave a concert at the Heredia Theater in Santiago de Cuba. In 2005, his video clip, “La sesión,” was nominated for the LUCAS Awards, where he received an award. Critics still consider it one of the 100 best Cuban music videos. He appeared on the CD “Cuba le canta a Serrat.”

In 2006, she performed at the Kars Festival in Türkiye. In 2007, she toured Switzerland to present her CD, “Suenan los cueros.”

In 2010, he performed charity concerts in Panama. The following year, in 2011, he performed several recitals on the Finnish cruise ship Amorella, owned by the Finnish company Viking Line. He also headlined a major concert at Wynwood Walls during one of the events of the Global Cuba Festival in Miami.

As an actress, Osdalgia Lesmes Etchevarría has participated in the teleplay El sueño y un día (2002), directed by the renowned video, TV, and film director Tomas Piard. She composed and performed the song De mi sueño y de ti for it. She also appeared in Senobio (Puri) Faget’s documentary El son te salga redondo (2002); an international film co-production accompanied by young and prestigious Cuban musicians, including Samuel Formell and Robertico Carcasés; and for Cuban Television in the series Operación Coraje (2002). These were also featured in the 2006 Swedish film La Reina del condón (The Condom Queen), directed by Silvana Ceschi and Reto Stamm; in 2009, One among thousands, a US production directed by Carlos G. Maier; and in 2010, Claudio del Punta’s Cuba/Italy co-production Una danza para mi Habana (A Dance for My Havana).

He has collaborated and shared the stage with artists such as José Luis Cortes, Compay Segundo, Omara Portuondo, Cesaria Évora, Celia Cruz, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Pío Leyva, Gonzalito Rubalcaba, Elena Burke, Beatriz Márquez, Ela Calvo, Lino Borges, Mundito González and Chucho Valdés.

This excellent Cuban performer’s repertoire encompasses numerous musical genres such as Son, Bolero, Guaracha, Feeling, and Rumba, all with a tendency toward fusion with international rhythms. She also includes Cumbia, Conga, Merengue, and Blues.

Osdalgia performs songs from the Cuban music archive between the 1930s and 1960s, and her own compositions. Some of her compositions have been created for soundtracks in recordings, film, and television productions. Her songs address the place of women in society, their autonomy, and their role vis-à-vis men. They reflect situations, feelings, attitudes, and dreams; in other words, they reflect the author’s interpretation of life.

In her work as a composer, we find songs such as: Water to the soup, Settling of accounts, Plea, Something personal, Unsuspected soul, Unfaithful love, Angels and tattoos, Before I go, That first love, Women’s affair, Dare, Oh!… black! , Bar Barbarán, Beribé, Shut up heart, Like flowers, With a stick and a can, Criollo, When are you leaving, How much?, Careful!, From Cuba, Of my dream and of you, Definitely, Where is my black man?, My boyfriend’s mustache, The Empire of my heart, Elegy, It is the echo of love, It’s time to talk, This life, I’m back, Counterfeit coin, Moon halo, What to do without you today?, Enlighten me, Jonjolí, The whore arrived, The oyster, The condom queen or, (Royal palm), The session, Yours is not enough, Bad man, My harmony, My imagination, My afternoon, It is not possible, Don’t stop me, Don’t go, Prayer and supplication, Nightmare, How hot!, Moans, Who told you?, I want, Pick yourself up, Rumbero Tribute, Alone, Your platonic love, Your beribé, Your song is done, One day anyone, A life, Voices of the carnival, I’m going to warm up Havana!, I’m not water for your thirst.

Osdalgia Lesmes Etchevarría is internationally recognized as the Daughter of the Buena Vista Social Club. Throughout her career she has accumulated various awards, such as: First Mention Award for the poetry book Una pieza soy, given by the AHS (1986); Award for Best Current Popular Dance Music Album and Grand Prize Cubadisco (2000); Performance Award at the Adolfo Guzmán Competition (2000); Nomination for Best Composition and Performance at OTI (2001); Award for Best Traditional Popular Music Album at Cubadisco (2005); Shared LATIN GRAMMY “Best Tropical Album” for the CD “Cuba canta a Serrat” (2005); Award for Best Female Video Clip and Best Traditional Music Video Clip, Lucas (2005).

Discography: The Snake (1999); My Harmony (2001); The Skins Sound (2004)