Damaris Mallma Porras—known professionally as Damaris—was born on January 26, 1986, in Huancayo, Peru, into a family deeply rooted in Andean musical traditions; her mother is Victoria de Ayacucho, famous as Saywa. She began musical training at age seven in the Yawar music workshop and performed publicly by age eight. At fourteen, she won the Pepsi Chart contest with her own ballad “Porqué No Estás Aquí,” marking the start of her professional recording career, which led to the 2003 debut album Dame una señal, produced by Martín Venegas. Her second album, Mil Caminos (2007), showcased her evolving maturity as an artist and featured standout tracks like “Tusuykusun,” “Vida,” and the title track, earning her a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. In February 2008, she became the first artist to win the folk competition at the Viña del Mar Festival with her Quechua-language song “Tusuykusun,” catapulting her to international acclaim and leading to performances at venues such as the White House and the Latin American Summit opening. She continued blending indigenous Andean elements with contemporary pop across collaborations: in 2011 she contributed to Pasión en los Andes, honoring Latin American women freedom fighters on tracks like “Palabras a Micaela” and “La Marinera.” In 2016, she delivered her third studio album Puedes Volar with nine new songs and two covers, including a duet with Jorge Villamizar (“Odio el Silencio”); in 2018 she released an expanded edition titled Tú Puedes Volar, which included global interpretations of songs like “Zombie.” After relocating to New York in 2021 to pursue a Master's at Berklee's Power Station, she recorded Yanantin En Vivo 20 Años (2023), celebrating two decades of artistry with live performances of signature songs and new material. Subsequent singles include “Entre el Sol y la Luna” (2023), “Deseo” (2023), "Baladas Andinas" (2024), "Pachamamita" (2025), and “Killa Ñawicha” (2025), showcasing ongoing innovation and cultural fusion.
