Interview with Brisa: The Peruvian voice blending boleros and jazz
Written by Shafie Aguad
Peruvian singer Brisa is carving out her own space in London’s vibrant music scene, blending the nostalgia of the Latin American genre boleros with the sophistication of jazz.
Credit: Shafie Aguad
Since moving to the United Kingdom in 2022, she has collaborated with musicians across the country and become part of Tomorrow’s Warriors, the renowned organisation that supports the next generation of jazz talent.
I got the chance to speak to Brisa about her experience moving to London, finding her sound and what is next for her in 2026.
You moved to London at 19, straight after finishing school in Peru. Why did you choose London?
“I originally wanted to study music. I knew I could stay in Peru to do that, but I also felt a strong desire to go abroad and discover something completely new. I looked into different places such as the United States and Spain, but in the end something about England really called to me. It was instinctive. I wanted to be somewhere unfamiliar so I could learn and grow from the very beginning.”
And how did you end up choosing jazz?
“I came to London with the idea of studying music, but I did not yet know that jazz would become my main direction. I thought I would focus on popular music, essentially pop, but along the way I realised I was drawn to something more organic. I wanted to connect with music at its roots, and jazz felt like the genre that gave me space to discover musicians who could completely change how I understood music.
“Pop began to feel a bit superficial for what I wanted to express, for the lyrics I wanted to write and the sound I wanted to explore. Jazz, in my opinion, is more complex and offers more space for experimentation. The jazz scene here in England is incredibly strong and inspiring. The musicians around me definitely influenced my decision.”
How did you find your current sound in London, blending boleros with jazz?
“I truly believe in the saying that you do not know what you have until it is gone. When I arrived in London, I realised how much I missed Latin American music, its essence, its lyrics, its sound. I felt that something in my soul was asking for it.
“I came here without a clear idea of what I wanted to do musically. I enjoyed writing and I knew I loved music, but I did not yet realise that I wanted to be a singer. I even started singing in English.
“Then one day my producer Valentina Caillaux and I decided to create a Latin music set, simply because it was something we could not find here and something we missed. That was when we realised there was a space in the scene we were surrounded by that had not yet been developed.”
Credit: Shafie Aguad
How did you and your producer, Valentina Caillaux, develop your bolero jazz fusion?
“I have always loved boleros, and I knew I wanted to sing them here. But I could not find many Latin musicians who knew the genre deeply, the way Peruvian or Latin American musicians do, especially percussionists who instinctively understand how it should sound.
“What I did have was a group of musicians who loved Latin music but knew very little about it technically, yet they were eager to learn. So I gave them the songs, and they played the boleros with a sophisticated jazz touch. That was when a spark went off in my mind. It sounded like something new. Because they had not grown up playing boleros, they brought their own understanding, based on English or American jazz.
“That was when I asked them to record songs for my bolero jazz EP, Del Mar y Sus Recuerdos. Once we released it, Valentina and I decided to pause our original music project to explore this new direction fully.”
This year you released your bolero jazz EP Del Mar y sus recuerdos, and you have been performing in London. You also have a concert in Lima on 8 January. What else is coming up?
“We have another EP on the way, this time with original music influenced by folkloric sounds with a touch of jazz, which has become a signature element in our work. These are personal songs that Valentina and I wrote together, inspired by magical realism, such as the works of Gabriel García Márquez. The EP explores the cycles of love: infatuation, heartbreak and personal growth.
“In the short term we are releasing a single on 5 December called Soy la música. It is an original song but still has a connection to the previous bolero jazz project.
“For the concert in Lima on 8 January, we are preparing a show that combines visual and musical elements, which I think will be very exciting. Finally, in 2026 I hope to perform in other countries such as Spain, and in more cities across Peru.”
Follow Brisa on Instagram: @brisabr