Soledad

Born into a working-class household in the modest settlement of Arequito, the Argentine folk performer Soledad—also called La Sole—first drew breath as Soledad Pastorutti. During childhood she frequently performed traditional numbers and delivered poetry aloud. Keyboards became her initial instrument while she was still very young, and shortly afterward she acquired guitar technique in tandem with her sister Natalia. Her principal inspiration came from her father, Amar Pastorutti, whose listening habits centered on regional folklore, above all the work of Atahualpa Yupanqui. Before stepping onto a larger platform, the emerging musician appeared at Cesar Isella’s peña, a setting in which folk singer/songwriters share a single stage in front of a small audience. The year 1996 marked her first appearance at Cosquin’s National Folklore Festival, the same year she issued her debut album, Poncho Al Viento.