Marcela Pinilla is a Latin/Jazz singer whose musical journey has taken her around the world.  She has had the pleasure of performing in many languages and in many countries and that lead her to calling Southeast Asia home for many years. The influence of both her journey across the globe and the vast array of musical styles she encountered along the way, give Marcela a sound that is uniquely her own.

 

Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Marcela discovered a love for singing and dancing before she could even read and write. Her professional career started at age 14 and by age 15, she joined her first international tour. While in Colombia she had the chance to travel her home country extensively with several music projects, however it was not until later that she knew she absolutely loved singing and that singing was what she was going to do for the rest of her life. One night while she was performing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She visited a jazz club with her band mates and was exposed to a wonderful vocalist and became fascinated with jazz and scat singing, life was never the same for her after that. While in Kuala Lumpur, she had the opportunity to join the band Alonso & Jazz Latino and performed with the group at notable jazz festivals as well as collaborating with the Latin Jazz Band IRESON while living in Singapore. 

 

After her voyage through Asia with jazz, Marcela’s next move was to Memphis, Tennessee, there Marcela continue exploring her love for songwriting in release her EP Ahi Estare and her album PASSION. While in Memphis she also collaborated with where she was exposed to the emotive styles of blues and soul. There she did collaborations with The Memphis Jazz Orchestra, Orquesta Caliente, The Memphis Jazz Trio and Memphis Symphony Orchestra among others. 

 

While in Memphis, Marcela wrote and recorded “Un Mundo Bueno”, an inspiring song that features eight talented young singers from the Memphis Latino community. Her involvement with the Latin Community lead to Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell proclaiming October 13th, 2012 a Day to Celebrate the Life of Marcela Pinilla. In 2013, she received the Ruby Wharton Award for Youth from Memphis Mayor A. C. Wharton, and was named the “Latin Voice of Memphis” by bilingual newspaper La Prensa Latina. 

 

Marcela Pinilla released her first full-length album, PASSION in 2013. A blend of Latin  music influenced by jazz and features collaborations with several musicians including Elsten Torres and Grammy award winners saxophonist Kirk Whalum, and bassist Victor Wooten.

 

Today, she calls Nashville, Tennessee home where she had already been nominated at the Nashville Industry Music Awards as best jazz vocalist in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and had her dream of performing with her band at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center and the Bridgestone Arena come true. She looks forward to continuing her musical journey in the creative mecca, Music City USA where she performs around town regularly with the Marcela Pinilla band and her all-female band AMIGAS POWER as well as with the Latin Jazz Group Giovanni Rodriguez & 12 Manos. Marcela shares, “I love bringing people together. No matter how diverse my audience is, for that particular performance, we are all brothers and sisters living in peace. This is the main reason why I write songs and sing.”