This writing is about feeling proud, appreciating our origins, that’s what makes us different from other cultures, from our surroundings, even through history. I found a recent article about her and I immediately tried to reach her, and asked for an interview.

With her sincere smile, she represents Mexico. With her lyrical voice she shares the beauty and cultural richness of the indigenous languages. Her talent has given her the opportunity to travel the world doing what she loves, singing in some of the most recognized auditoriums and theatres.

I’m talking about the soprano Edith Ortiz, better known as “The Mixtec Skylark”.

As an artist she has presented opera and traditional music in Spanish, Mixtec, Zapotec, Nahuatl, Mazatec and Mayan, in several states from the Mexican Republic as Guadalajara, Puebla, Morelos, Jalisco, Saltillo, Chiapas, Aguascalientes, and some others. She has also taken a part of Mexico in her voice to Seattle, Washington, New Zeeland and Spain. She has already released six albums, and has received many different awards recognizing her career.

At first, I had to ask, Why Mixtec Skylark? So she explained me that it was a metaphor referring to the bird, a bird that has a beautiful singing. “Mixtec Skylark” was the title of the poem that the writer Macario Matus wrote for her, after he witnessed and listened to her during a presentation. It was published in many newspapers and other media, since then, the public started calling her like that.

Edith admitted that it was not always easy, everything has been the result of endless efforts, dedication and a lot of work, work, work.

At the beginning, part of her family wasn’t very sure about her making a life through music, but she never forgets to mention how her father Fidel Ortiz, always trusted her and how talented she was. This meant a lot of support to her. He was the one that first taught her about music. Edith remembers some iconic very satisfying moments, like when she was with her father at The Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City and she told him “One day, I’ll be singing here”… and a year after, she did.

It was in that place, in Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Palace) during an Indigenous Language Literature Awards event, where the main director from CONACULTA, Consuelo Saizar listened to her. That was the defining moment for her career, since then, she asked for a chamber orchestra recording, and after that, many projects came up, along with tours, contracts and other opportunities.

Getting to know Edith I asked…”If it wasn’t music or singing…what would it be?” In a single word she said: “Dancer” … In my opinion, a great answer…

Born in Oaxaca, “The Mixtec Skylark” is someone with a warm smile, she express sympathy and modesty; but she has a message for those who had felt ashamed of their backgrounds or culture:

“I invite you all to feel proud of still having those roots, those origins, that’s the essence that no one can take away from you, ever”.

Being Mexican is a reason to be proud of, always.  Mexico’s not only about what you watch on the news. It is a country with so much to give, its landscapes, the gastronomy, its cultural richness, but over all, Mexico has its people. Mexicans are among other adjectives, recognized for their warmness, kindness and passion.

As the Mixtec Skylark said, no one can take that essence away from us. That’s the pride of belonging, just like Edith shares her music through opera, working on it, in indigenous languages. This is why I chose to talk about her, to congratulate her, and recognize her career, her passion, and persistence.

I wish you the best, for more presentations & more music. Thank you so much Edith, for your time, and for your agreement on this collaboration sharing experiences.

Also…she taught me how to say in Mixtec “Thank you, and again, congratulations”.

“Kutau xa’ ari nuro”.

You can follow some of Edith work in any of her social media, as: @edithortizsoprano

And you can found her material available in Gandhi, Educal or directly to: informes@edithortiz.com.mx