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Yma SumacPeruvian singer, soprano
Date of Birth: 13.09.1922
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Yma Sumac
Early Life and CareerYma Sumac, a Peruvian soprano singer, was born on September 13, 1922, and grew up in the mountain village of Ichocán in northern Peru. She had a unique vocal range of four and a half octaves. Sumac's parents owned a ranch near the city of Cahamarca, the largest city in the region. However, there are disputes about her birth date and place, with some sources suggesting different years and locations such as Lima or the Bronx in New York. Regardless, her official birth certificate confirms the date of September 13, 1922. Her father was Spanish, which explains her long name, while her mother was descended from the last supreme ruler of the Inca Empire, Atahualpa, making her a descendant of the sun god Inti. This lineage may have contributed to the nicknames bestowed upon Sumac by her adoring audience – "Princess of the Incas" and "Goddess of the Andes."
Sumac's magnificent voice developed by the age of 13. She was not formally trained in music theory or vocal technique but rather learned to sing ancient folk songs, following her dream of becoming a great singer and imitating the songs of birds. This dream seemed almost impossible to achieve in Peru, especially for a representative of the indigenous population, but Sumac was determined. When the Peruvian Minister of Education heard the young singer, he insisted that she and her family move to the capital city, Lima, so she could receive an education. Soon, Sumac's performances were being broadcast on the radio, and she gained thousands of fans throughout South America. Due to her parents' disapproval of her chosen profession, she adopted the stage name Imma Sumack, which later became Yma Sumac.
International Success
In 1943, Yma recorded 16 songs in Argentina, which were released on CD in the last ten years of her life. She was very young when she met the conductor Moisés Vivanco and married him. Yma, her husband, and dancer Cholita Rivera formed "The Inka Taky Trio," performing traditional Peruvian music and touring South America. However, Yma desired more. The trio set out to conquer New York, but while Americans were not particularly interested in the music of Peruvian Indians, they were captivated by Yma Sumac's voice and vibrant appearance. One evening, a talent scout from Capitol Records witnessed Yma's performance in a nightclub, recognized her potential, and the studio immediately signed her. In 1950, her first album, "Voice of the Xtabay," was released and sold 100,000 copies without any advertising. This album brought Yma immense popularity in the US and Europe, and many famous artists, including opera singers who had been fans of Yma since her childhood, became her admirers. Following her stunning performance at the Hollywood Bowl, she became a global star and her life turned into an endless cycle of touring, recording albums, and appearing in films. Numerous fan clubs proclaimed Yma's voice as the Eighth Wonder of the World.
Challenges and Later Years
However, not everything went smoothly in Yma's career. In addition to her magnificent voice, she had a scandalous character and often disrupted recordings, performances, and contracts due to her refusal to follow management's instructions. In 1957, at the age of 35, Yma divorced her husband amidst a major scandal, but they remarried a year later, only to divorce again in 1965. Yma had one child, a son named Charles. In the early 1960s, in an unsuccessful attempt to deceive the US tax authorities, Yma and her husband embarked on a world tour that lasted five years. They spent six months in the Soviet Union, where Yma was treated better than the queen by personal order of Nikita Khrushchev. However, the tour was abruptly terminated, and Yma's music was banned in the USSR. Rumors circulated about a conflict between Yma and the KGB, but it is said that the real reason for her hasty departure was the presence of cockroaches in her hotel room. Yma caused a furious scandal, Khrushchev became upset, and Soviet listeners lost the opportunity to enjoy her unique vocal talent.
In the 1970s, interest in Yma's music sharply declined. She released a rock music album that did not sell well, and Sumac returned to her homeland, where she lived in seclusion for many years, occasionally appearing in public for important events. In the late 1990s, Yma resumed performing, and her aged voice continued to enchant audiences. On May 6, 2006, Yma Sumac was awarded the Order of the Sun, the highest civilian award in Peru, presented personally by President Alejandro Toledo, and the Jorge Basadre Medal, awarded by the National University of San Marcos. Yma Sumac, who suffered from cancer, passed away on November 1, 2008, at the age of 86, in a retirement home in Los Angeles. In the late 1980s, she was offered the opportunity to have her voice analyzed using computer technology, but Yma refused to be the subject of research. All that remains for listeners is her music.
