Darumas: The Talisman of the Music Industry
By Isabella Karmis
Upon the mention of bands, there is an extremely high chance that a boy band is the first to come to mind. It is increasingly clear that every sector of the music industry is male dominated: singers, producers, songwriters, audio engineers, everything. However, reflecting on 2024, as it slowly comes to a close, this year has been truly empowering for women in music and those who look up to the people who shape the industry. I would like to introduce you to three women whom I firmly believe have helped pioneer this shift: the band Darumas.
Members Aldana Aguirre, Ceci Leon, and Vedala Vilmond have created one of the most successful female bands of 2024, and arguably the most successful Latin band of the year. Aldana, from Argentina and having lived in Mexico City and Miami, Ceci, a Cuban Miami native, and Vedala, from Haiti but resident of Chile, bring their multicultural perspectives into their art, united through the Spanish language. The group are named after darumas: traditional Japanese dolls that serve as a talisman for good fortune, gratuity, and happiness, and I truly believe there is not a more fitting name for them.
Darumas officially debuted in April 2024 with their self-titled single ‘Daruma’, part of their self-titled album Darumas which was released the next month. At the time of this article, the group have released four music videos, each one seeming to acknowledge an aspect of the daruma doll and their journey as Darumas. The physical daruma is present in the videos for their songs ‘Daruma’ and ‘Francotirador’, while the video for ‘Mago’ intentionally features an entirely backup female ensemble, and the video for ‘La Llamada’ serves as a reflection on their journey as a band. In the eight months since their debut, they have been internationally recognised at music festivals such as Outside Lands, Rumbazo, and have confirmed Lollapalooza Argentina N2025, as well as earning a nomination for Best New Artist at the 25th Latin Grammys.
Aside from the cultural revolution the band is contributing to, the funky pop music that the trio produces is more than reason enough to listen to them. Listening to them feels refreshing and empowering, and even outside of the Spanish language, the immense power of their music is transmitted. However, acknowledging their larger impact is also essential to understand why their art has had such power in little time. As aforementioned, it is no secret or profound discovery that the music industry is incredibly male dominated. In a world that has been tailored to men, the music industry is just one example of a business sector built to appease them. In my opinion, one of the reasons that Darumas are so exceptional is that they’ve been able to challenge these stereotypes in less than eight months. Even though girl bands are still not nearly as common as boy bands, countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea have produced them in various forms. On the other hand, Latin American girl bands in recent years have struggled for recognition.
Darumas are drawing representation from several countries in Latin America, working to show the visibility of women in music across continents. One of the founding ideologies of Darumas is the girls’ desire to show how their cultures and experiences strengthen their bond and their music, which I believe they are accomplishing while simultaneously inspiring others girls to become involved in the music scene: visibility and recognition are the two most powerful tools in the music industry, and Darumas have managed to foster and influential platform in less than a year that promotes both.
Discovering Darumas has been one of my favourite memories from this past year. The band has not only helped me grow as a person, but the girls have taught me to challenge what I would have subconsciously viewed as normal from the music industry. Before listening to Darumas, I found myself impressed if there was a female bassist or drummer in a male dominated group. I unconsciously thought that this form of representation within one instrument was progressive for me. Darumas has challenged my perception on representation, both within music and within other aspects of my life, and led me to ask myself why I felt so content with something that, in reality, is so small. The truth I found is because that fragment is what had been provided to me, through visibility and recognition. It’s important to pay attention to female acts and promote female visibility in the music industry, to find the crevices in the system where you can. I’m excited to continue following Darumas, and I’m eager to see what the girls accomplish next: I know whatever it may be, it will feel fresh and empowering, and I’m excited for the rest of the world to experience the power Aldana, Ceci, and Vedala hold.