Olga Ramos Suárez to Receive Top Honor at 8th Canary Islands Music Awards

The eighth Canary Islands Music Awards will honor Olga Ramos Suárez with its highest prize, recognizing her lifelong commitment to preserving the archipelago’s intangible cultural heritage. The ceremony, held on December 2nd at the Teatro Leal in La Laguna, celebrates her seven-decade career dedicated to protecting the islands' unique musical identity.

Born in 1932 in Punta del Hidalgo, Ramos is a central figure in Spanish ethnomusicology. Her 1950s recording of the Canarian arrorró (lullaby)—captured by musicologist Manuel García Matos for the Magna Antología del Folklore Musical de España—is a vital historical document that helped save an oral tradition from being lost.

Ramos’s career was defined by both her solo work and her deep involvement in the community. She performed with renowned groups such as the Masa Coral Tinerfeña, the Real Hespérides, and the Conjunto Acaymo. Since 1966, she also led her family group, Los Zebenzuí, playing a significant role in the evolution of Canarian popular music throughout the late 20th century. As a cultural ambassador, she toured internationally across Europe and the Americas and became a familiar face through outreach programs like Tenderete.

This latest award adds to a long list of honors, including the Gold Medal of the Canary Islands (2002) and the Taburiente Prize (2016). In 2023, her hometown of Punta del Hidalgo named a square in her honor, cementing her legacy. Her life’s work remains a testament to the importance of passing down popular traditions to future generations.