Passion or Profession: Singer

Period: 1917–1967

Known internationally as the most prominent Chilean folk singer, Parra was a central artist of the Nueva Canción (New Song) movement of the 1960s, in which social commentary was set to traditional Latin American music. Her songs, such as “Gracias a la Vida” (“Thanks to Life”), remain classics of the period, and modern Chilean folk musicians still draw inspiration from Parra's works.