Birth of Lila Downs

Lila Downs was born on 9 September 1968 in Oaxaca. A Mexican-American singer-songwriter, Lila Downs was born to a Mixtec mother and an American father, and she draws on both heritages in her music. She sings in Spanish, English and several indigenous languages of Mexico, including Mixtec and Zapotec, and combines traditional Mexican folk songs with jazz, blues, rock and other styles. She became widely known in the early 2000s through the film Frida, for which she performed in the soundtrack, and has since released numerous albums and won several Latin Grammy Awards. Her work often addresses migration, identity and the rights of indigenous peoples.

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