Deeply rooted in the rioplatense tradition of murga, a choral-theatrical ensemble characterized by stacked vocal harmonies and prominent percussion, Alejandro Balbis (born on December 4, 1967) is a singer-songwriter, producer, and one of the most beloved figures in Uruguayan contemporary popular music. Balbis developed a passion for murga from a very young age, taking guitar lessons with legendary guitarist Jorge Lazaroff and singing in Firulete, a children’s murga group. Throughout his career, he has been a member of several murga collectives as a singer and musical director, most notably the award-winning Contrafarsa, Falta y Resto, and Don Timoteo. He has also worked extensively as a producer, working with established Latino rock acts like La Vela Puerca, No Te Va Gustar, and Bersuit Vergarabat. Named after Tim Burton’s 2003 film, Balbi’s official studio debut, El Gran Pez (2009), combined rock, milonga, and murga to great critical and commercial acclaim. The album proved hugely successful in his native Uruguay, where it received gold certification shortly after its release. Balbis followed up with Sin Remitente (2013), which also obtained gold status, and two live albums: Sin Remitente En Vivo (2015), and En Vivo (2016). In 2019, he released Sin Maquillaje, his third full-length, which marked a significant shift in style from his previous albums, embracing a more pop-oriented sound with the ever-lingering influence of murga and carnaval.
