Interdisciplinary Performance Artist | Singer of Afro-Andean Roots | 2-Time Latin Grammy Nominee | Creative Director of Afro-Andean Funk | Forbes 50 Most Creative People in Peru | Quechua Advocate | Cultural Ambassador | Producer of Musical Documentaries

Araceli Poma is a Peruvian-American interdisciplinary performance artist, vocalist, and creative director of Afro-Andean Funk, a two-time Latin Grammy-nominated ensemble that blends traditional Peruvian music with contemporary sounds. Based in New York City, her work spans music, ritual performance, and live installation, singing in Quechua, Spanish, and English while weaving traditional Andean instruments—charango, quena, and cajón—into a visceral sonic world that bridges ancestral knowledge and the present.

Raised in the Andes of Peru by a grandmother who was a curandera (healer woman), Araceli carries a deep lineage of Andean healing practices and ecological knowledge that profoundly shapes her artistic vision. Her music and performances reflect a lifelong commitment to marginalized cultures, Indigenous ceremony in diaspora, and the transmission of ancestral wisdom across borders and generations.

Her Impact

Araceli’s work pays tribute to her roots. She passionately advocates for the visibility of women in music, promotes the Quechua language inherited from her grandparents, and rescues the essence of popular Peruvian music genres. Her storytelling ability enriches her art, allowing her to narrate deep and personal stories that reflect the cultural richness and struggles of the communities she represents. Through her narrative, she not only unites and integrates cultures but also creates a significant social impact by raising awareness and fostering community connections. Her approach enhances her mission to preserve and promote cultural heritage, creating an emotional bridge that brings people closer and strengthens intercultural understanding.

Highlighted Achievements

Araceli has received two Latin Grammy nominations: one for her album The Sacred Leaf and another for the documentary The Warrior Women of Afro-Peruvian Music. Forbes has included her in their list of the 50 most creative people in Peru. In 2024, she was selected as one of 10 artists from New York for a residency with Remix Culture at The Hurley House, where she created the video piece Nocon Shawan, later presented at Roulette in Brooklyn. As the creative director and vocalist of Afro-Andean Funk, Araceli has secured grants from Chamber Music Americas, the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), and Mid Atlantic Arts, further solidifying her impact on the musical and cultural scene.

Afro-Andean Funk

In 2021, Araceli made New York her home, driven by her mission to continue spreading the music of her roots and showcase Peruvian culture globally. This led to the formation of Afro-Andean Funk, a band that Araceli leads alongside American bassist and producer Matt Geraghty. The ensemble features six musicians and traditional dancers with handmade Peruvian costumes, specializing in a unique fusion of Andean highland music and Afro-Peruvian coastal rhythms with funk, Latin grooves, and global sounds.

In May 2023, Afro-Andean Funk released their second album, Flower on Fire, seamlessly blending Afro-Andean roots with electronic music, funk, and world music. In solidarity with Latin American communities, the album highlights endangered voices and cultures.

The band is currently finalizing their third album, TODO MIGRA, a powerful exploration of migration, identity, and social justice, with lyrics in Quechua, Spanish, and English.

Solo Ritual Performance

Alongside her ensemble work, Araceli is developing an intimate solo ritual performance practice that explores how Indigenous ecological knowledge carried by Andean curanderas becomes endangered through migration. These performances integrate live music, traditional Andean instruments, recorded soundscapes, medicinal plants, and participatory elements, creating immersive experiences that invite audiences into the sacred space of ancestral transmission. Her solo work deepens the connection between ceremony, healing, and contemporary art, honoring her grandmother’s legacy while speaking to the realities of Indigenous communities in diaspora.

Global Impact

Through her music and performance, Araceli Poma transcends borders, actively preserving the Quechua language and establishing connections with various Indigenous cultures of Latin America in New York City. She has toured internationally, including performances in China, and has appeared at festivals such as SunFest and Kultrun Festival.

Her commitment extends beyond the stage, creating a profound social impact and contributing to the recognition and appreciation of Indigenous heritage. She has been documenting Indigenous migrant communities and their cultural practices, building bridges between traditional knowledge systems and contemporary audiences. As an advocate for Quechua and a producer of musical documentaries, her work stands as a powerful testament to the influence of art in cultural preservation and generating positive social change.