Ñusta Duchicela Picuasi Pillajo is a young singer of songs in Kichwa Ecuadorian, the second most spoken language of the Quechua language family. With her voice, she has conquered thousands of Internet users who are surprised to hear her sing the best-known world pop hits.
Quechua is an indigenous language that extends through western South America through seven countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It is currently spoken by approximately 8 million people according to the website of Ethnologue.
Ñusta means princess and her second name, Duchicela, recalls Paccha Duchicela, the Puruhá princess. and then monarch of the kingdom in the north of Tahuantinsuyo, after the death of his father, Cacha Duchicela.
Ñusta is 17 years old, was born in Otavalo where you live and go to school. There he learned to play various musical instruments. She is the youngest of nine children and they are all musicians, although she is the only one who sings.
Otavalo is a mostly indigenous city named after the intercultural capital of Ecuador for its cultural and historical richness and for being the place of origin of the Otavaleño Kichwa people, famous for their textile and commercial skills.
While Ñusta is not at school or completing her homework, help in the textile business of his parents that offer ancestral garments in La Plaza de Ponchos de Otavalo, a colorful place of indigenous artisan trade.
The young singer went viral on social networks after presenting virtuous singing pieces. Sometimes she appears accompanied by an electroacoustic guitar, in others by an electric bass or piano. In all of them she is seen dressed in the beautiful indigenous blouses typical of the Puruhá identity, hand-embroidered with bright scarlet colors, lace and flowers, complemented by golden necklaces and earrings also typical of her nationality.
Interprets in Kichwa, Spanish and English and He manages to perfectly replicate the vibratos, melismas and falsettos of his favorite singers, including Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Sia, Adele, Julieta Venegas, Natalia Lafourcade, among others.
Ceci Dover, the Argentine singer who currently resides in Spain, graduated from the Estill Voice Training Academy in Pittsburgh, with tens of thousands of followers on her social networks, has praised Ñusta’s performances. In a “reaction video” available on his TikTok account, Dover shows an expression of great surprise accompanied by the phrase “tremendous range vocal” when listening to the version of “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars in the very sharp voice of Ñusta.
The same thing happened with Cesar Franco, the Mexican singer, known mainly for interpreting two entry themes of Digimon, the successful Japanese anime series produced by Toei Animation. In his reaction video, Franco describes Ñusta as virtuous and as having a beautiful voice. “You’re great,” he tells her.
Gabriela Lopezz, better known on social media as Vocalissima, also discusses Ñusta in a Tiktok video. The Argentinian streamer, vocal coach, actress and singer says: “It’s not easy to keep the trebles going and sustain them for so long. You are a great one”, affirms López.
Actor, singer, vocal coach, comedian from Monterrey Ariel Manzano, famous for his appearances in the series “Como dice el dicho” and “La hora pico” or in the movie “El más brave del mundo” on Mexican television, reacted to the interpretation of Ñusta in a duet with The Voice Play that he interprets an a cappella version of Måneskin’s Beggin’. Manzano shows gestures and opens his eyes in an expression of astonishment. He closes the video by celebrating with his fist raised and showing his thumb.
Ñusta is a sensitive girl, dedicated to her family, her art and her dreams. in conversation with Infobae He said that he has been singing since he was 6 years old, although he assures that “he only did it for me”. It was her brother Julio Picuasi who encouraged her to create her social networks and spread her singing skills.
Since she was 11 years old, this talented young indigenous woman has studied music and recognized that since her videos have gone viral it has gotten many “people from other countries to ask and learn something about my culture”. Ñusta assured that one of his aspirations is “to leave the country to study and work in music.”
Asked about her social media hit videos, she said, “I never thought they would go viral.” Ñusta’s performances can be found on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram where she is listed as nustapicuasi_.
Ñusta is committed to her singing, music and artistic production. She for now imitates her favorite songs, but she soon hopes to produce her own lyrics, probably modulated in all the languages she uses. She fulfills, perhaps without knowing it, the enormous task of harmonizing her mother tongue and ancestral culture with Western languages and cultures, bringing together the best of two worlds that live back to back, that turn to look at each other fraternally and that complement each other in the art.
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Who is Ñusta Picuasi, the prodigious voice that sings hits by Adele, Bruno Mars and Shakira in Kichwa