ABOUT
Imperio Bamba was born in North London in 2015, when Jules Drade (Peru) and Javiera Limarí (Chile) began creating music that connects their Latin American roots, migrational nostalgia, and futuristic soundscapes.
Their self-defined style, Rebel Chicha, reimagines Peru’s traditional chicha with psychedelic synths, rock guitars, and hypnotic rhythms. Through years of live performance and composition, Imperio Bamba has crafted a vibrant, genre-defying sound that celebrates freedom, identity, and collective joy.
The duo is joined by Ítalo Aráuz, Blosqui, Néstor Rojas, and Iris Kreiman Saldaña, first-generation migrant musicians from Chile, Venezuela, and Spain, whose dynamic presence transforms every show into a ritual of liberation. Together, they create immersive performances that invite audiences to dance freely and challenge fixed ideas of what Latin music can be.
Imperio Bamba’s songs tell stories of migration and belonging, building moments of connection and community, a home far from home. Their bilingual lyrics and use of Spanglish celebrate languages as universes, not as barrier.
Their name, Imperio (empire) and Bamba (Peruvian slang for “fake”), questions global power dynamics, asking what is real and for whom. Their single “Imperio Bamba” embodies this defiant spirit, blending poetic resistance with euphoric rhythm.
Following tours in Peru and Chile, the band has performed at venues including Southbank Centre, Jazz Café, Electric Brixton, Alexandra Palace, Hootananny, and The Jago.
Imperio Bamba have released an EP and a critically acclaimed video of the classic “My Favourite Things”, a bilingual Afro-Peruvian reimagining of the classic song, with a chicha-infused samba twist. This imagery reflects Imperio Bamba’s ongoing journey since 2015: playing live, pushing creative boundaries, and navigating the complexities of belonging and identities.
Move the way you like – go anywhere you want – find the place and space where your body and mind feel free.
LISTEN UP
Imperio Bamba released their debut EP Mis Cosas Favoritas independently in 2020.
The record features four original songs — Summer, Los Amantes, Imperio Bamba, and Camino — alongside their acclaimed bilingual reimagining of the classic My Favourite Things.
Praised for its originality and emotional depth, the EP marks a key moment in the band’s creative evolution. Critics highlighted Imperio Bamba’s ability to blend diverse traditions into a vibrant, contemporary soundscape.
Imperio Bamba’s influences span their Latin American roots and beyond, with chicha, cumbia, salsa, psychedelia and Afro-Peruvian rhythms colouring their unpredictable sound. Their wholehearted advocacy of freedom of movement is not just a statement about migration, but about self-expression and dance too. Read Sounds and Colours Review here.
Soaring guitar riffs isn’t usually what you expect when you think of an urban-style EP but that is precisely Imperio Bamba’s point. Showcasing a diverse range of styles, from salsa to electronica, Imperio Bamba bring the variety of Latin American music to their experimental work. Read Latino Life Review here.
Outro - Performing at Electric Brixton, 2024
Watch
Summer - Performing live at studio, 2023
My Favourite Things - music video
Los Amantes - music video
Outstanding Press
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What this EP feels like is late night at a festival; you have stumbled into a random tent and found a crowd having the time of their lives in the heat of summer, with Imperio Bamba chanting and dancing at the front. It is unexpected but brilliant.
Latino Life
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Imperio Bamba’s influences span their Latin American roots and beyond, with chicha, cumbia, salsa, psychedelia and Afro-Peruvian rhythms colouring their unpredictable sound. Their wholehearted advocacy of freedom of movement is not just a statement about migration, but about self-expression and dance too.
Sounds and Colours
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Ya en 2020 habían lanzado su primera versión (de la canción My Favourite Things), la cual está incluida en su EP, sin embargo, en esta ocasión han florecido con unas figuras que parten de la chicha tradicional y la han fusionado con sintetizadores atmosféricos, guitarras cercanas al rock alternativo, una línea de bajo de cumbia, y una voz cálida y empoderada transitando entre el inglés y el español.
Indie Rocks!
