As Omara Portuondo celebrates her 96th birthday today, various tributes across Cuba honor a life dedicated to the national stage and the vocal talent of a star who is wholly devoted to art and her audience.

It would seem that the Buena Vista Social Club diva has made time her ally, as at her age she remains active and continues to reap success on the international stage.

The recent nomination of her album Eternamente Omara for the 2026 Latin Grammys confirms this, and her joy over it overflows to all who admire her, both in Cuba and abroad.

In exclusive statements to Prensa Latina regarding the news, the artist expressed gratitude for life, her homeland, and every small gesture from an audience that recognizes her as one of the most sublime exponents of music in the country.

The legendary performer brings together figures of the stature of Silvio Rodríguez, Nathy Peluso, Pablo López, and Angélique Kidjo in an album produced by Roberto Fonseca and recorded at the Ojalá studios in Havana.

According to her account, the idea for this work arose during a tour she conducted alongside Fonseca's group, an occasion on which both discussed the possibility of collaborating on a project.

It was not until 2024 that the special collaborations distinguishing the album today were incorporated, such as the participation of Silvio Rodríguez, who agreed to perform the bolero "Demasiado" alongside her—a track they had previously recorded for a film directed by Jorge Perugorría.

The record competes in the Best Traditional Tropical Album category and features a prominent cast of international guests.

Argentina's Nathy Peluso lends her melody to the classic "Quizás, quizás, quizás"; Spain's Pablo López sings alongside her on "Noche de Ronda"; and Benin's Angélique Kidjo lends her voice for "Guantanamera".

Portuondo particularly highlighted the work accomplished with an outstanding team of musicians and sound engineer Orestes Águila, with whom she holds very fond memories.

She also expressed her wish for this project to emerge as a winner at the event, a recognition that, in her view, would constitute a tribute to her extensive career and the shared work with Fonseca.

"In these complicated times, one does not know where one will be," she reflected, considering that an award of such nature would complete a cycle in her career.

In dialogue with this reporter, she recalled the honors received in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as well as the highest honors a cultural figure can hold in Cuba.

Recognized as one of the main practitioners of feeling, the singer thanked the world for welcoming her with love and affection, and everyone who helped her and worked by her side.

She made special mention of the original musicians of the Buena Vista Social Club and expressed her rejection of what she described as "inventions" that emerged around that project.

Her matchless melody brought prestige to that group, with which she toured the world and boosted her recording activity with the labels Egrem (Cuba), Nube Negra (Spain), and World Circuit (United Kingdom).

Among the productions that highlight Omara's career is Vida, winner of the 2023 Latin Grammy in the Best Traditional Tropical Album category.

Beyond an extraordinary musical legacy, she is distinguished by her love for Cuba and for this "strong and dignified people," as well as her ability never to renounce the simplicity of a great artist.

On repeated occasions, she has expressed her commitment to the public and her desire to be remembered as "Omara, the one who greets everyone, simple and always ready for a challenge."

"I have never abandoned my people, those who love me and recognize my work," asserted the performer, who in another interview with this news agency defined herself as a "healthy, flavorful, and Cuban woman."