canto Bordao
Chilean/Scottish acoustic duo of Latin American folk music
Canto Bordao blends Latin American folk music traditions with contemporary acoustic styles. Our repertoires explore memory, identity, and the turbulent landscapes of dictatorship and exile.
The Sunday Times
“Montoya-Martínez is a voice we should be grateful came north“
Opera
“Valentina Montoya Martínez’ María is a vocal performance of richly nuanced, wholly idiomatic sophistication”
Three Weeks Review
“Valentina’s voice is world class – big bold and full of the defiant soul which inspired much of the music from this vibrant region”
canto bordao
We say “bordao” the way it’s said colloquially, not the way it’s written in books. Our songs are born there – from the spoken word, the lived moment, the stories that travel from mouth to mouth and the objects that pass from hand to hand. Like Violeta Parra’s arpilleras, we stitch stories with whatever we have: loose threads, memories, distance. We sing from afar, but the south stays whole within us. This is a canto bordao – beautifully human, and crafted ‘by hand’.
Our repertoire is made up of songs in Spanish, acoustic and vibrant, with a strong heartbeat and soul. We follow in the footsteps of artists like Atahualpa Yupanqui, Violeta Parra and Mercedes Sosa, with the social commitment of Victor Jara. We write original songs, honoring these traditions.
Watch a featured video
Unleash your creativity with Canto bordao
Do you want to collaborate with us! Drop us a line! We’d love to hear from you!