Perla Batalla - Bio
We have precious few moments of true musical discovery in our lives, but when that one song or singer lodges in the heart it is a treasure found and to be kept forever.
A rare few artists command such a response; women like Amalia Rodrigues, Edith Piaf, Patsy Cline or Aretha Franklin, perhaps, whose emotional power is equal to their magnificent voices. We merely describe their talents in adjectives that can never match the thrill of hearing them sing. Hearing Perla Batalla's voice for the first time is an epiphany. One may go to hear the songs, but you end up feeling the joy and the pathos in the music like never before. There is a tone, a depth of emotion and a sublime expressiveness along with her transcendent voice that makes the experience unforgettable. 
Long before setting off on her solo career, Perla Batalla's astonishing voice had been in great demand for a host of singers from kd lang, Jennifer Warnes, Iggy Pop, The Gipsy Kings and Was (Not Was). They, in turn, had discovered this native Californian Hispanic songbird from her years with Leonard Cohen, with whom she toured and recorded from 1988-1994. The experience with the renowned poet was a life-changing one for Batalla, in which she took both cues and encouragement from Mr Cohen's vast talent and genuine humanity. 
Perla's road to becoming an artist in her own right has been highlighted by delving into her cultural roots, where rich soil awaited. The homage to her Latin background has opened up an entire world of music and has been an inspiration for some of her finest work. Early on, she merely sang beautifully, now she brings increased power and understanding to the songs she chooses to sing. Words fail when the exultation of music is described, but to hear Perla stand up to a microphone and sing from the heart is an experience to be savored and sought at every opportunity.