Juan Leonardo Santia Rojas, a famous Ecuadorian pamphlet player known as Leolohas, will be holding a concert in Tehran next month.
Rojas, who performed in Tehran in 2018 and 2019, has returned to Iran for a third time to perform at the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Grand Hall, Honaron Line reported.
Leo Rojas, 40, grew up in a small village surrounded by the Andes, where he developed a deep connection between nature and the traditional sounds of his ancestors. Growing up in poverty, he found comfort and inspiration in music. In his culture, it is often intertwined with spiritual values and stories. As a young adult, Leo decides to leave Ecuador and set out on a journey to Europe in search of a better life, bringing his family back home.
Rojas moved to Spain in 2000 and then to Germany. Living in Berlin with his Polish wife, he initially made a living as a street musician, playing pamphlets in the bustling pedestrian zone. His music fascinated passersby and resonated with the echo of nature and the heritage of his ancestors. Despite the difficulties he faced, Leo continued to be dedicated to his music until passersby informed him about the German television show Das Supertalent of Got Talent in the UK.
His fortune changed in 2011 when he participated in the talent show. He became a contestant in the fifth season of the show, and successfully completed the semi-finals with the rendition of “El Condor Pasa” (“I mean, if I can, ‘If I can, I can,’ which is his real thing. His expressions and natural charisma made both judges and audiences move. He showed in 1977 on the cover of his hit song “The Lonely Shepherd,” written and performed by Romanian pamphlet musician Gheorghe Zamfir. His talent and deep passion for music led him to victory.
Winning the competition opened up a new door for Leo. Famous German producer and songwriter DB supported him and produced his first album, “Spirit of the Hawk.”
The album reached number two on the German album chart. The two songs above are as well as cover versions of compositions such as the 1990 American epic Western film “Dance with Wolves” and John Barry’s theme of German musician Martin Bottcher’s “Winnetow.” And we featured the cover version.
Today, Leo Rojas is an internationally renowned musician with over 1 billion viewers on YouTube, over 3.7 million subscribers, and more than 3 million streams each month on Spotify.
Leo Rojas is currently touring around the world, reaching and inspiring audiences in countries such as China, India, Korea, Canada and Brazil. His most famous work, El Condor Pasa, embodies the essence of traditional Native American rhythms and captures the soul of his culture.
“The voice of my ancestors speaks to you through my music and connects us all to the souls of the past,” he says of his work. Through his music, Leo Rojas conveys a message of unity between nature and humanity that touches the hearts of the world.
Photo: Leorohas at the 2019 concert in Tehran
SS/SAB