“Living root,” that’s what Raíz Viva means. What better way to talk about music and tradition! It’s the sap oozing from the many branches of Afro-Columbian culture that nourishes this band. Lovers of Latin American music, you are in for a huge treat, to say the least!

Not restricting themselves to Columbian music alone, Raíz Viva’s six musicians are highly receptive to musical cross-pollination. Especially the music of Indigenous peoples, whose songs are disappearing with time… Raíz Viva is determined to carry them forward into the present with the help of traditional flutes and the llamador drum along with arrangements of maracas and Columbian bagpipes or gaita.

There’s an anthropological element to this group, with its desire to revive Colombian cultures of old and generate a wave of celebration and reverence. And they are absolutely right! Latin American music is way more complex and vaster than it’s given credit for… Raíz Viva’s ultimate goal is to create a virtuous cycle of harmony and peace that will last forever on a global scale. This approach struck a chord with the Syli d’or de la Musique du Monde audience and won them the Syli d’argent 2025. If you still need convincing, just step into their musical world! You’ll witness the magic of continents—Europe, Africa, the Americas… being woven together by one common thread: music! After all, it’s the root that gives everything else meaning.