Carmencita Lara—born Julia Rosa Capristán García in Trujillo, Peru, on October 8, 1926—emerged as one of the most influential female voices in música criolla, huayno, marinera, pasillo, and polka. She began singing on radio in Lima as a teenager and was discovered in 1955 by Víctor Lara, who became her musical partner and introduced the accordion into the Peruvian waltz. Her first major album release came in 1961 with Así es el Norte, followed by Carmencita Lara y Víctor Lara in 1962, Una Voz Peruana (1965), Una voz... un amor... un bolero (1966), and Aromas Criollos (1967). In 1971, she released the classic album Su Majestad, and in 1973 followed up with the hit collection La Triunfadora... and the waltz standout Olvídala Amigo, later reissued as Alma Herida in 1974. Known for poignant tracks like “Llora, llora corazón” and “Indio,” she innovated by blending harp and accordion with traditional rhythms and singing heart-wrenching lyrics of sorrow and longing. Into the 1980s, she released Vuelve (1980) and Mi Retorno Triunfal (1982), affirming her enduring appeal. Even as compilations like Éxitos de Carmencita Lara (2009) and Carmencita Lara y Sus Amigos (2015) circulated widely, she continued performing until her death on September 18, 2018, leaving a legacy directly influencing Peru’s musical identity. Her voice remains a touchstone for Peru’s criollo tradition, celebrated as “La Reina de las Provincias” and forever remembered for transforming Peruvian waltz and popular song.