“What do you see in the mirror? / What do you see when you look at me? / I carry wounds / from what you call love.” Mexican singer Luisa Almaguer knows that everything she does – every song she releases – is a political act. An outspoken advocate for trans rights, she identifies with feminism, speaks openly about privilege and works to reshape dominant social narratives. In 2018, she launched the first Latin American podcast focused on the life stories of the trans community. A year later, she released her second album Mataronomatar; her latest record, Weyes (2024), received praise from outlets such as Rolling Stone, Remezcla, KEXP and El País. That same year, she performed at Bahidorá festival alongside Damon Albarn and his Africa Express project – a line-up that visitors of last year’s Pohoda festival described as one of the highlights of the entire event.
“For me, it was an immense school, a kind of university – the chance to work with so many artists from all over the world, speaking different languages. We had to communicate through music. It may sound like a cliché, but when you experience it, you quickly realise how universal and truly special a language music is,” she told Full Moon magazine about the collaboration that marked a turning point in her life. She continues to rehearse with Albarn while also nurturing ambitions as a filmmaker. Luisa Almaguer will perform in her Czech premiere at Colours of Ostrava with her own band, bringing a blend of folk, shoegaze, grunge and hyperpop – a performance that promises to be both urgent and uplifting.