Lhasa De Sela

From her brief stellar journey, Lhasa de Sela left us three admirable albums before she took flight, far too soon. With her incandescent presence, magnetic aura, and poignant way of living the songs she interpreted, Lhasa touched the hearts of many and continues to enchant even today. Although her life was too short, her music remains eternal. Born in the United States into a large family of bohemian artists, Lhasa spent her early years mostly in Mexico, where rancheras and songs by Chavela Vargas, Violeta Parra, and Victor Jara accompanied her childhood almost like family members. “Lhasa always listened to music; not just Mexican music but also Iranian classical music, Indian music, Irish music, blues, and rock and roll. She hummed and sang constantly, as if she were already building the stories that would one day inhabit her songs,” reveals Alexandra Karam, the artist’s mother.