Luminato Festival – Marta Elena

The Green Lawn Stage – Free

Marta Elena is a Juno Award–winning Cuban singer, composer, and bandleader based in Toronto. Since relocating to Canada in 2011, she has become a prominent voice in the country’s Latin and jazz music scenes, collaborating with leading Canadian artists and performing at major venues and festivals nationwide. As a Cuban vocalist, composer, and ensemble leader, she embodies the richness of the Cuban mulata tradition, seamlessly blending genres such as danzón, rumba, cha-cha-cha, Cuban salsa, and bolero. Marta Elena leads both a 13-piece orchestra and a sextet, touring extensively across Canada. She is a regular guest vocalist with Latin Grammy Award–winning pianist Hilario Durán and his Latin Jazz Big Band, and a lead vocalist with the acclaimed all-female ensemble Maqueque, directed by Jane Bunnett. Known for her powerful voice and commanding stage presence, Marta Elena bridges Afro-Cuban tradition and contemporary Canadian music.