Zully Murillo

Zully Murillo came up in Barranquilla, Colombia, where her father was a musician. Her debut album in 1986 was called 'Al Que Le Ha Picado La Culebra,' and its title track became a hit. That song, along with others like 'Chocó Tierra Mía' and 'Irresponsable,' established her sound in Colombian folk styles like cumbia and vallenato.

She worked with musicians including guitarist Luis Fernando Ochoa and drummer Ricardo Muñoz. Later albums like 'La Negra' and 'Siempre' followed, and she recorded with artists such as Carlos Vives. Her music often dealt with straightforward themes of love and place, delivered in a direct vocal style that avoided excessive polish.

Murillo faced some early criticism for her approach, but she kept recording through the 2000s with albums like 'De Corazón.' The songs themselves, rather than any grand narrative, are what stuck around. You can still hear 'Amanece' or 'El Día Que Yo Nací' on Colombian radio, played without much ceremony.