Karmento, Singer-Songwriter from La Mancha

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). This album 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.”

With La Serrana (2024), the artist from La Mancha embarked on a new phase, mixing avant-garde folklore with her core essence. The ten new songs on this album see Karmento, inspired by the women of her village and her own identity, delving into her Serrana (highlands) roots in an emotional and narrative journey through life and memory.

In 2025, Karmento received the award for Best Folk Album at the Spanish Music Academy Awards (Premios de la Academia de la Música) for La Serrana.

Karmento was one of the main protagonists on October 6, 2025 at the Reina Sofía National Art Center Museum during the +Músicas 2025 Awards, where she won two awards that consolidate her position as one of the most authentic and powerful voices on the Spanish music scene.

The Award for Best Video Clip went to Canto al cansancio, a work with a strong symbolic and poetic charge made together with Bewis de la Rosa. Under the direction of Aroha Morales, the piece, which combines visual narrative, traditional roots and a deeply contemporary look, won over productions of great national projection, standing out for its message of resistance and sisterhood.

In addition, the album La Serrana won the award for Best World Music and Fusion Recording, recognizing Karmento’s ability to weave her own sound language in which tradition, emotion, and experimentation come together. This work, applauded by critics and the public, has been celebrated for its honesty, its lyrical strength and its commitment to a musical identity without labels.

Discography:

Mudanzas (Self-released, 2015)
Este devenir (El Tragaluz, 2020)
La Serrana (El Tragaluz, 2024)