Darlina Sáenz with Akolá Tambó

Darlina Sáenz is a Colombian traditional Bullerengue singer (cantadora) from Necoclí, Antioquia, Colombia’s Caribbean coast. 

As one of Colombia’s great Bullerengue masters, Darlina is widely regarded as an iconic bearer of this Afro-Colombian tradition, a genre historically transmitted orally and closely tied to community rituals, women’s storytelling, and percussion-led singing. 

Sáenz has been active for decades in regional festivals and cultural initiatives preserving Afro-Colombian music, and she has led or collaborated with ensembles dedicated to traditional repertoire. 

Her artistic career has been recognised with awards for best original song, best group, best singer, best voice, and best vocal style at various bullerengue festivals both in Colombia and abroad.

London-based Akolá Tambó shares the ancestral rhythms of Bullerengue, a drum-fueled Afro-Colombian music and dance tradition born from resistance. 

Their trance-inducing performances inspire radical joy and connection, inviting audiences to rediscover their roots through the heartbeat of the drum. The name Akolá Tambó -meaning “remember the drum”- reflects their mission to honour tradition and the transformative power of rhythm. They have performed at renowned venues and festivals across the UK and Europe, as well as at the María la Baja Bullerengue Festival in Colombia.