Alonso Hernando Álvaro del Río Merino Reyna, also known as Alonso del Río, born in Lima, Peru, in 1962, is a Peruvian musician and healer whose early exposure to medicinal plants shaped his artistic vision. After a formative period in the Amazonian jungle learning traditional ayahuasca practices, he returned to Lima in 1992 and began integrating sonic explorations with spiritual themes, culminating in his debut album Punto de fase in 2001. The following years saw a steady output: Canciones de medicina (2003), Canciones de medicina II (2006), and Canciones de medicina III (2007) established his signature “música medicina” style, while Tawantinsuyo 5.0 (2008) and Ninasonqo (2009) expanded his thematic scope. Subsequent releases-Sri Krishna (2010), Tiempos de flores (2011), Madre serpiente (2014), Amar la vida (2017), Aire (2020), Y si la vida (2020), and Espada de papel (2021) demonstrated a continued evolution of electronic textures intertwined with indigenous motifs. His work has been recognized through cultural festivals, notably the 2014 inaugural “música medicina” festival, and documentary projects such as La medicina del perdón (2005) and Urpillay Sonqollay (2011). His discography and visual media contributions remain influential within Peruvian music and the broader discourse on traditional ecological knowledge.
