Rosita Kèss

Originally from Venice, Italy, Rosita lived in Berlin, Paris, Barçelona and London before landing in the States where she has lived both in New Orleans and New York. Her last release, F.L.O.Y.D., was written and recorded in the crescent city. “ I love living in a constant state of motion and I think my music refects this. I have a little Argentinian blood and the very first compositions I fell in love with were old recording by Mercedes Souza and Ariel Ramirez that my grandmother used to play in the house. I’ve always felt particularly sentimental listening to Tango; it ‘s the music of the immigrants, it reflects their profound sense of loss and longing for the people and places they left behind. It was born in African-Argentinian dance venues where Polkas, Mazurkas, Waltzes were mixed with the popular Habanera from Cuba and the Candombe rhythms from Africa. These are the major influences in my music.”

Rosita's music lives at the intersection where bossa nova collides with French chanson, and old Cuban rhythms meet their Argentine counterparts. Her most recent songs are deeply influenced by her love for Haitian and West African music, and by her collaborations with revered Haitian musician and LunÀtico mainstay, Tiga Jean Baptiste and Kora player Yacouba Sissoko.