Rita Donte was born in Havana and spent over a decade training as a dancer before gradually turning her focus to singing. Her shift into music began unexpectedly—sparked by a conversation with Cuban musician Juan Carlos Piñol—and soon grew into a committed practice. In 2014, Donte travelled to Mexico for a festival and decided to stay, eventually settling in Baja California Sur. There, she deepened her engagement with son jarocho, studying with key figures like Honorio Robledo and immersing herself in the wider musical life of the region.

Her debut album, Ritual, released in March via Ansonia Records, brings together her Cuban roots and Mexican experience. Produced by Gustavo Guerrero, the record features a combination of traditional instruments—Cuban tres, Mexican jaranas, leona bajo—with arrangements that speak to both past and present. Rather than placing herself inside a fixed genre, Donte moves between them, using elements of rumba, son, and trova to reflect a life shaped by movement and adaptation.

“Zunzun Baba,” one of the key tracks from the album, stands out for its clarity of intention. The live session version highlights the interplay between layered percussion, brass, and voices, while Donte’s lyrics call for reflection, transformation, and reconnection. Her voice carries the message with care, navigating between lament and invitation. The track honours ancestral sounds while asking urgent questions about our relationship to nature, community, and memory.

You can listen to and get your copy of Ritual HERE