Although they debuted with their romantic lead single in early April this year “Daruma”, Funk Trio DARUMAS wasted no time jumping straight into the music world with their self-titled debut album and their recent performance at Outside Lands in San Francisco. Next up, DARUMAS will perform at the Rumbazo Music Festival in Las Vegas.
Ahead of the release of their full project, Argentinian bassist Aldana Aguirre, Cuban-American singer/guitarist Ceci Leon and Haitian-born singer Vedala Vilmond have taken their name from Daruma dolls, Japanese good luck charms. Their name is just one of many nods to their international roots, but their real goal is to play live shows for people who want to hear something familiar that blends styles in new and exciting ways.
“Darumas is a band formed by three amazing girls,” Vilmond said. “We are three musicians from different parts of the world,” Aguirre said. “…and three very different backgrounds,” Leon continued, “all inspired by similar music and trying to create something new together.”
Aside from the quality of the album, which is more than impressive for a young band, DARUMAS’ greatest achievement is their laser-focused attention to preserving Latin funk while simultaneously pushing it in a more pop-heavy direction. “Magic”, which also included a music video, the three are seen jamming during what must have been a fun recording session. Vilmond, who bids a fond farewell to a former romantic relationship as she realises she’s not missing out, matches the nervous energy and speed of her bandmates, who all act as if they’ve been playing together for years.
As with all seven tracks on the album, the Spanish lyrics to each song not only fit well with her Latin funk inspiration, but also deal with the ups and downs of love and her own personal evolution over the past few years. More “Qué Suerte” (That is luck) leans even more on her optimism than any other previous song on the tracklist, appreciating what came before rather than dwelling on what’s already gone. It’s also one of her most relaxed tracks, showcasing her already considerable range from the start.
Although they initially met and collaborated over the internet before forming in Miami to record their album, it quickly became clear that one of their main goals was to make music that would get audiences going at live shows. With Outside Lands in the works and a Rumbazo appearance in the pipeline, it’s easy to imagine the three of them playing to ever larger audiences, given their ability to bring so much energy to a crowd so early in their career.
Text: David Sosa
DARUMAS by Darumas is now available on all streaming services. For more information on new music and upcoming shows, including their Las Vegas performance at Rumbazo, follow them on Instagram and TikTok.
This post may contain affiliate links. Ads and affiliate links are the foundation of the work of independent blogs like Grimy Goods. Thank you for supporting our work and being part of our music community.
