Spanish vocalist and songwriter Carmen Toledo Sanchez, better known as Karmento, was born on July 16, 1981, in Bogarra, Spain. Karmento defines herself as a singer-songwriter, sexologist, lover and addicted to emotional communication. In her music, she brings together the genres of folk singer-songwriter fare, copla, flamenco, world music and the Manchegan seguidillas. Her stage name is made up of the union between her name and the first syllable of her last name, adding a K to give a distinctive touch.
She learned to sing with her grandmother in Bogarra, a town in Albacete province, and the traditional folk music imprint of her region native La Mancha is evident throughout her musical career. Notably, Karmento is a storyteller who began down her artistic path in 2012, starting a new life in Malta, interacting with international musicians and writing the songs that would form her first album.
Back in Spain, she released her first album on May 11, 2015, called Mudanzas (moves or relocations), which reflects her fears for not knowing where she is going in her life with poignant observations on childhood, memory, home, and the conflict between the place you’re from and your own individuality.
In May 2020, she released her second album, Este devenir, under the El Tragaluz label. Songs like “La Manchega en la azotea”, “La juventud”, “Danza sobre la tierra” or “Cri cri” stand out. She participated in the programs ‘A tu vera’ and ‘En compañía’ on La Mancha television.
On October 25, 2022, Karmento was named as one of the artists selected to participate in the Benidorm Fest 2023 and aspire to the Spanish representation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. A few days later, at the presentation gala of the 18 participants, Karmento performed her “Cri cri” song. During her performance, she danced wearing a white dress similar to a traditional crocheted rug and barefoot, blending her modern influences with traditional dancing and singing.
In 2023, she was a finalist in the competition for Spain’s Eurovision entry at Benidorm Fest 2023 with her La Mancha-folklore inspired song, “Quiero y duelo.”
Author: Iliana Cabrera
