In most of Latin America, if you are by the sea, there is bound to be a place called Miramar (“Look to the sea”) close by. It will typically have a postcard view of the ocean – and if music is playing, chances are it will be boleros, the romantic music genre that originated in Cuba and was popularized during the 1950s across the Americas, specifically through the collaborations of Puerto Rican, Mexican, and Cuban musicians. 

When Puerto Rican singer, Reinaldo Alvarez, was naming the group, he searched for something simple that would be familiar to Spanish speakers, a name that would reflect the humble poetry of everyday life. Miramar seemed perfect: a romantic snapshot of a place both familiar and far away from home. 

Miramar captures that poetry through their music with new interpretations of golden-era boleros and original songs that infuse the bolero with a variety of musical influences. They are associated with the Nuevo Romantico movement and carry the torch of Balada Rockmántica or Bolero-Beat, a popular genre defined by its blend of traditional boleros, psychedelic funk, and rock.  
 
The band is led by the incomparable singing duo Laura Ann Singh with Rei Alvarez - who is also the group’s songwriter - and pianist/arranger Marlysse Simmons-Argandona. They often perform with the addition of strings which has led to regular collaborations of local string players while on tour around the globe.  Miramar was also a feature artist with The Richmond Symphony during the 2020-21 season. 

Miramar has performed across the United States, Europe, and in March 2020 - just before the pandemic - completed an embassy-sponsored tour of Russia. They have released recordings on two of Brooklyn’s most famed indie-labels, Barbès and Daptone Records. Performance highlights include NYC’s globalFEST, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Kennedy Center Millenium Stage, and multiple features on NPR programs such as Tiny Desk and All Songs Considered.

In September 2024, Miramar’s new single and video “Un Astro” was released by the legendary Latin music label, Ansonia Records.

Watch Un Astro Here