Goyo
Goyo, whose full name is Gloria Martinez, is an Afro-Colombian singer, rapper, and songwriter born in Choco, Colombia. She comes from a talented musical family and earned her nickname, Goyo, from her favorite childhood song, "Goyito Sabater" by El Gran Combo. She is a founding member of ChocQuibTown, a group that blends rap, tropical, and alternative genres and has won two Latin GRAMMYs® and been nominated for two American GRAMMY® awards. Goyo is recognized for her advocacy of inclusion and equality for women and the Afro-Latinx community.
Growing up, Goyo was surrounded by music in her dynamic home. Her mother and aunts often sang together, and her father was an avid collector of vinyl records. At neighborhood "soundsystem" parties, Goyo mixed pieces from her father's collection while assigning her daughter the task of choosing which songs to play. The young singer performed "Ritmo, Tambor, y Flores" by Celia Cruz at a local festival in Choco called La Virgen del Rosario en Condoto, alongside her mother and guitarist, which deeply influenced her. Additionally, Goyo immersed herself in the traditional music of her home country. She named herself president of the legendary fan club of Grupo Niche, whose co-founder, Jairo Varela Martinez, was her second cousin. A few years later, she joined the pioneering electro-cumbia company Sidestepper as a vocalist.
While studying psychology in college, Goyo aspired to join a collective of musicians, ChocQuibTown. She took the seminal album by Lauryn Hill, "The Miseducation," as an example. The way the American rapper bravely elevated the identity of black women was especially influential for Goyo, especially at a time when misogynistic and materialistic lyrics were abundant in hip-hop, and the representation of women in hip-hop was much scarcer.
Thus arose ChocQuibTown, the Grammy-winning Afro-Colombian trio formed in 2000 in Cali, Colombia, consisting of Goyo's emotionally charged and politically conscious verses, Carlos "Tostao" Valencia's daring flow, and Slowmike's optimistic lyrics and vibrant productions. The group recorded in a modest studio they called ChocQuib House. Six years later, they released their debut album, "Somos Pacificos," a rap delivery that showcases their pride in their cultural heritage through a sincere and authentic sensibility.
Throughout the '10s, they continued to strengthen themselves in the global Latin circuit - navigating urban, alternative, and tropical spaces - while continuing to express their love for Colombian folklore. Their ability to cross different genres and styles has linked them to notable collaborations such as "Calentura" by Tego Calderón (2011), "Iron Lion Zion" by Carlos Santana, in which Ziggy Marley also participates (2014), "El Mar de Sus Ojos" by Carlos Vives (2014), and more recently, "Pa' Olvidarte" by ChocQuibTown with Farruko, Zion & Lennox (2020).
In their latest album, ChocQuib House (2020), the collective pays tribute to their origins, the birthplace of their sound, through R&B and Afro-Colombian rhythms. The album arrived at a vulnerable time for the Black community, when institutional racism once again took center stage in political discourse due to the murder of George Floyd in the United States. Through their songs and presence on social media, Goyo continues to empower Afro communities while remaining a formidable spokesperson for gender equality. This is evidenced in the group's latest single, "Que Lástima," which features Sech and is a declaration of empowerment for women's rights in the midst of toxic relationships.
"Inclusion, in one way or another, is something very important [to the group]. Working for equity and equality not only for the rights of Afro-Latinos and women, but also for human rights," reflects Goyo. "I think ChocQuibTown has an important part in that story, and it's something that fills me with a lot of pride. That's why I feel very proud to be part of ChocQuibTown, not only for being successful as an artist and singer, but as a person."
In 2022, Goyo embarked on her solo career with the project "En Letra de Otro for HBO Max." This project consists of 10 songs that have been the soundtrack of her life and were chosen by HBO Max for her solo debut with an album and an audiovisual documentary, which premiered at the Miami Film Festival. "Na na na" was the first single released, an unpublished song full of power with a current lyric that tells the story of a woman and her freedom to make her own decisions. Then came "Otra Noche," an adaptation of Joe Arroyo's classic song.
Goyo has been recognized for her work in defending equality and inclusion for women and the Afro-Latin community in the public eye. She was chosen as the "EQUAL" woman for Spotify Colombia and celebrated it in a big way from the screens of Time Square in New York. She is also the face of Cadillac's "Be Iconic" campaign and the recent cover of Vogue Latin America. She was named Leading Ladies by the Latin Grammy Academy in 2020 and the face of the international brand Esika for three seasons, presenting lipsticks and perfumes. In addition, she was the face of the "Transitions" eyewear brand campaign.
Growing up, Goyo was surrounded by music in her dynamic home. Her mother and aunts often sang together, and her father was an avid collector of vinyl records. At neighborhood "soundsystem" parties, Goyo mixed pieces from her father's collection while assigning her daughter the task of choosing which songs to play. The young singer performed "Ritmo, Tambor, y Flores" by Celia Cruz at a local festival in Choco called La Virgen del Rosario en Condoto, alongside her mother and guitarist, which deeply influenced her. Additionally, Goyo immersed herself in the traditional music of her home country. She named herself president of the legendary fan club of Grupo Niche, whose co-founder, Jairo Varela Martinez, was her second cousin. A few years later, she joined the pioneering electro-cumbia company Sidestepper as a vocalist.
While studying psychology in college, Goyo aspired to join a collective of musicians, ChocQuibTown. She took the seminal album by Lauryn Hill, "The Miseducation," as an example. The way the American rapper bravely elevated the identity of black women was especially influential for Goyo, especially at a time when misogynistic and materialistic lyrics were abundant in hip-hop, and the representation of women in hip-hop was much scarcer.
Thus arose ChocQuibTown, the Grammy-winning Afro-Colombian trio formed in 2000 in Cali, Colombia, consisting of Goyo's emotionally charged and politically conscious verses, Carlos "Tostao" Valencia's daring flow, and Slowmike's optimistic lyrics and vibrant productions. The group recorded in a modest studio they called ChocQuib House. Six years later, they released their debut album, "Somos Pacificos," a rap delivery that showcases their pride in their cultural heritage through a sincere and authentic sensibility.
Throughout the '10s, they continued to strengthen themselves in the global Latin circuit - navigating urban, alternative, and tropical spaces - while continuing to express their love for Colombian folklore. Their ability to cross different genres and styles has linked them to notable collaborations such as "Calentura" by Tego Calderón (2011), "Iron Lion Zion" by Carlos Santana, in which Ziggy Marley also participates (2014), "El Mar de Sus Ojos" by Carlos Vives (2014), and more recently, "Pa' Olvidarte" by ChocQuibTown with Farruko, Zion & Lennox (2020).
In their latest album, ChocQuib House (2020), the collective pays tribute to their origins, the birthplace of their sound, through R&B and Afro-Colombian rhythms. The album arrived at a vulnerable time for the Black community, when institutional racism once again took center stage in political discourse due to the murder of George Floyd in the United States. Through their songs and presence on social media, Goyo continues to empower Afro communities while remaining a formidable spokesperson for gender equality. This is evidenced in the group's latest single, "Que Lástima," which features Sech and is a declaration of empowerment for women's rights in the midst of toxic relationships.
"Inclusion, in one way or another, is something very important [to the group]. Working for equity and equality not only for the rights of Afro-Latinos and women, but also for human rights," reflects Goyo. "I think ChocQuibTown has an important part in that story, and it's something that fills me with a lot of pride. That's why I feel very proud to be part of ChocQuibTown, not only for being successful as an artist and singer, but as a person."
In 2022, Goyo embarked on her solo career with the project "En Letra de Otro for HBO Max." This project consists of 10 songs that have been the soundtrack of her life and were chosen by HBO Max for her solo debut with an album and an audiovisual documentary, which premiered at the Miami Film Festival. "Na na na" was the first single released, an unpublished song full of power with a current lyric that tells the story of a woman and her freedom to make her own decisions. Then came "Otra Noche," an adaptation of Joe Arroyo's classic song.
Goyo has been recognized for her work in defending equality and inclusion for women and the Afro-Latin community in the public eye. She was chosen as the "EQUAL" woman for Spotify Colombia and celebrated it in a big way from the screens of Time Square in New York. She is also the face of Cadillac's "Be Iconic" campaign and the recent cover of Vogue Latin America. She was named Leading Ladies by the Latin Grammy Academy in 2020 and the face of the international brand Esika for three seasons, presenting lipsticks and perfumes. In addition, she was the face of the "Transitions" eyewear brand campaign.