Origins & Early Life

Zoila Emperatriz Chávarri Castillo (September 13, 1922 – November 1, 2008), known as Yma Sumac (from Quechua "Ima sumaq", meaning "how beautiful"), was a Peruvian-born vocalist, actress, model, musical composer and producer. She won a Guinness World Record for the Greatest Range of Musical Value in 1956. She has also been called "Queen of Exotica" and is considered a pioneer of world music. Her debut album, Voice of the Xtabay (1950), peaked at number one on the Billboard 200, selling a million copies in the United States, and its single, "Virgin of the Sun God (Taita Inty)", was a big seller in the United Kingdom, becoming an international success in the 1950s.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Subsequent albums including Legend of the Sun Virgin (1952), Fuego del Ande (1959) and Mambo! (1955), were also successful. In 1951, Sumac became the first Latin American and Peruvian female singer to debut on Broadway. In "Chuncho (The Forest Creatures)" (1953), she developed her own technical singing, named "double voice" or "triple coloratura". During the same period, she performed at Carnegie Hall and Lewisohn Stadium.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1960, she became the first Latin American woman to get a phonograph record star on the Hollywood Walk...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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