The female ensemble Labios de María presented their first phonographic work today in the capital, titled Travesía. The production is currently among the nominees for the Cubadisco 2026 Awards in the categories of Best Debut Album and Varied Traditional Music.

The album presentation took place at the Pabellón Cuba, headquarters of the Hermanos Saíz Association. The event was attended by musicologist Élsida González and the director of the Egrem label, Renier Rodríguez, the publisher of this record.

Comprising six members with 16 years of artistic history, Labios de María shared their experiences in an exclusive interview with Prensa Latina. Founded in 2010 in the eastern province of Guantánamo, the group originally emerged under the name Éxtasis and gained notoriety after winning the Grand Prize at the Cuban "Escaramujo" contest in 2012.

Their relocation to Havana marked the beginning of a new stage that now culminates in this album, conceived as a symbol of the personal and artistic journey of its members. Madelaine Sabón, the group’s director, explained that the title Travesía (Journey) reflects the path taken from their studies at the Faculty of Pedagogical Sciences as art instructors to their consolidation on national stages, “leaving behind families and children, because we are all mothers, and betting on music as our destiny.”

The album features nine tracks written by Israel Rojas, leader of the band Buena Fe, revisited through genres such as son, chachachá, changüí, guaracha, bolero, and bachata. Among the included songs are "Sigo cayendo," "Fuego y balacera," "No juegues con mi soledad," and "Volar sin ti."

“For me, the group’s hallmark is the changüí and the eastern sound; when we changed our name, we realized that our acceptance had a lot to do with our identity as Cuban women,” stated percussionist Isis Coy, who highlighted the group's deep connection to traditional music.

For her part, bassist and founder Nidia Bolívar recalled that the collective began as a vocal group and evolved into a broader instrumental format, featuring guitar, tres, clarinet, and percussion. “This album is the result of the expansion of our style and our meeting with Israel in Havana,” she noted.

The lineup of Labios de María is completed by tres player Wendy Guibo, singer Isbel Laime, and clarinetist Aloima de la Caridad Borges; all six members of the group perform as vocalists. The work received the support of producer Vicente Trigo and institutions such as Egrem, which endorse the album as part of the national phonographic heritage.

Travesía has solidified Labios de María within the Cuban recording scene, securing their first nomination in the country's most prestigious music industry event, Cubadisco 2026.