From Mountains to the Pacific: Laura Kalop Weaves a Musical Tapestry

Originally published in Sound Spectrum Magazine

Colombian artist Laura Kalop delivered a tender and reflective midday performance on May 18 at Bogotá’s Cumbia House, blending original songs, reimagined covers, and candid storytelling in a set that felt both casual and quietly powerful. Though brief—just under an hour—the show offered a revealing glimpse into Kalop’s evolution as a songwriter and performer, with themes of family, identity, and cultural memory woven throughout. 

She opened with ‘Soy de Acá,’ a rousing anthem of Colombian pride. Its chorus takes the form of an acrostic, with each line beginning with a letter from the country’s name—a subtle yet clever device that lends formal elegance to its heartfelt message. The set then moved through covers of Carlos Vives’ ‘Amor de Mi Tierra,’ Camilo’s ‘Pegao,’ and Mon Laferte’s ‘Amárrame’. These selections not only honored Kalop’s musical roots but also kept the mood light and accessible for a lunch-hour crowd, many of whom were discovering her for the first time.

Kalop also premiered an unreleased song titled ‘6 Vidas,’ a romantic ballad co-written with her husband about their shared love journey. She followed this with her latest single, ‘Pero Sigues Aquí,’ originally featuring Inés García. Inspired by her son’s growing independence and those first pangs of parental distance—the classic “Muuum, you’re embarrassing me” phase—the song explores the bittersweet paradox of presence and absence, perfectly encapsulated in the lyric: “You’re gone but you’re still here.” With her son’s birthday a day later, the moment felt especially personal, though the audience remained reserved—a mix of unfamiliarity, mealtime distraction, and perhaps quiet appreciation.

The setting itself shaped much of the show’s tone. Cumbia House, a part-restaurant, part-performance space co-founded by vallenato legend Carlos Vives, is known for spotlighting emerging Colombian artists. Kalop’s performance unfolded more like a shared musical gathering than a formal concert: low-key, rooted, and reflective. The venue’s warm atmosphere allowed songs like ‘Mujer Montaña’ to land with special resonance. Originally written for El Diario de Ana Nieves, a musical Kalop scored and narrated in December 2024 at Teatro La Santamaría, the song features Kalop as both narrator and symbolic “mountain,” guiding the story through themes of nature, ancestry, and feminine wisdom.

She then delivered a brief medley of songs by iconic female artists, setting the tone for her own feminist anthem, ‘Ay Mujer,’ originally recorded with Andrea Echeverri. In a sweet post-show reveal, Kalop shared that the distinctive collar she wore had been handmade and gifted to her by Echeverri—now a creative collaborator and friend.

The afternoon concluded on a celebratory note with ‘Chocolate,’ an effervescent ode to Colombia’s Pacific coast and its rich musical traditions. While the audience didn’t get up to dance, the sincerity and grounded joy in Kalop’s delivery lingered well beyond the last note.

Afterward, Kalop was spotted mingling with family and guests. “I was so nervous,” she admitted with a smile. “But I saw my son in the audience, and I felt peace.” That brief, vulnerable moment summed up the emotional arc of the afternoon—a quiet performance, yes, but one filled with heart, meaning, and presence.

About the artist

Laura Kalop is a Colombian singer-songwriter known for fusing pop with traditional Andean sounds. She trained as a classical vocalist and holds a Master’s degree in Musical Theatre from New York University. The daughter of renowned pianist Raúl Castaño, Kalop has released multiple projects, including her self-titled debut album Laura Kalop (2011), Raíz (2016) and the EP Koraje (2022), which reflect themes of identity, resilience, and personal growth. She was awarded Best Unpublished Work at the Festival Mono Núñez in 2014 and named Best Pop Artist at the Subterránica Awards in 2017. Her work bridges tradition and contemporary pop, always with a strong sense of cultural pride.

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