Daymé Arocena at Aspen Ideas Festival

Amid a field of zero-waste inflatable blooms by Australian artist Cj Hendry, Afro-Cuban powerhouse Daymé Arocena brought her ebullient energy to Anderson Park. Backed by vocalist Ayme Canto and trombonist Hilaria Cacao, she blended lush harmonies with a tenacious brass solo under the hot Aspen sun.

Her set spanned playful covers like “American Boy” and originals both tender and fierce—“Mean,” penned at 15, and this year’s “Coda.” Behind the scenes, director Mito Habe-Evans, a crack team of editors, videographers and engineers, and Aspen Institute producers made the whole spectacle shine.

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