Erika Kulnys crosses cultures and stands up for humanity on her singles Alcanzando La Rosa and Fantasma — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Taken from the folksinger and songwriter’s forthcoming album Stand Together, both tracks were recorded with all-star Cuban bands in Havana’s premier EGREM studios, as well as Ojalá, Cuban music legend Silvio Rodriguez’ personal studio. Consistent with Kulnys’ discography and life’s work, the songs speak to larger themes of love, social justice, and human’s inescapable interconnection to the Earth and one another.
She describes Fantasma as “a call to action to listen to the voice in our hearts that tells us to rise up against fascism, patriarchy and destruction of Mother Earth for corporate gain.” The sensual track was co-written with Cuban artist Jennifer Dalía Morales Rodriguez, inspired by an idea from Dariel Milan.
Meanwhile, Alcanzando La Rosa is a love song Kulnys wrote in Belfast with Gareth Dunlop. Her Cuban drummer El Pulpo and friend Josue Taboada later translated it to Spanish. Though she admits the original English version was about a broken heart, she now contends it “has evolved into an anthem about longing for love and seeking it despite the thorns that cross its path.”
Originally from Nova Scotia but based in Berlin, Kulnys is no stranger to using music as a vehicle for international diplomacy. A recipient of the prestigious Watson fellowship, she has played alongside revolutionary bands in Venezuela, performed samba-influenced hip-hop alongside Brazilian youth, taught music to disabled children in India, and researched folk music’s influence on the peace movement in Northern Ireland.
She recently participated in Folk Alliance International Private Showcases, following mainstage performances at the 2019 Copenhagen Geyser Festival, the 2017 Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival, and the 2016 Copenhagen Pride Mainstage. Her music has been played internationally on the terrestrial and satellite radio.
Check out Alcanzando La Rosa And Fantasma above, hear more from Erika Kulnys below, and see where she stands on her website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.
