THIS SPECIAL EDITION RELEASES WITH A COMMEMORATIVE VINYL HONORING THE CULTURAL IMPACT OF THIS MASTERPIECE, ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC WORKS IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
THE SINGLE “500”, THE FOCUS TRACK OF THE PROJECT, IS A TRIBUTE TO THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF SANTA MARTA
PRE-ORDER THE VINYL HERE.
LISTEN TO “LA TIERRA DEL OLVIDO” 30 YEARS (Remastered & Expanded) HERE.
Miami, FL. (July 25, 2025) – The global star of Colombian music, Carlos Vives, celebrates three decades since the release of one of the most influential albums of his career—and of Colombian and Latin American musical history: “La Tierra del Olvido.” As part of this anniversary, the official launch of “La Tierra del Olvido” 30 Years (Remastered & Expanded) is now available on all digital platforms and as a commemorative vinyl. This special edition not only recaptures the spirit of the original album with enhanced audio quality, but also expands it with new songs, modern remixes, and a deeper exploration of the musical roots of the Colombian Caribbean.
One of the highlights is the single “500”, a song that pays tribute to the 500th anniversary of Santa Marta, a city deeply connected to the artist’s identity and the visual and sonic landscape of the original album. Led by Carlos Vives, the song brings together a powerful new generation of artists from Santa Marta: Lalo Ebratt, Bomba Estéreo, Yera, Estereobeat, Laura Maré, Olga Lucía Vives, L’Omy, Gloria Torres, Paola Lacera, Rashid Zawady, and the Arhuaco children. This album, produced by Carlos Vives and Andrés Leal, with Big Band arrangements by Giovanni Caldas, recording engineering by David Dueñas, and vocal production by Juan Sebastián Parra, celebrates indigenous, African, and Spanish roots, the city’s cultural present, and the future vision of Colombia’s oldest city.
Watch the music video for “500” HERE:
The re-release also includes two new collaborations: “Déjala Correr (Agua)” ft. Martin Velilla, Renate & Fabi Hernández, and “Ahí Llego Yo (Pa’ Mayte)” ft. Martin Velilla, Renate & Presi On, which re-imagines the universe of La Provincia through a modern lens.
TRACKLIST “LA TIERRA DEL OLVIDO” (Remastered & Expanded):
- Pa’ Mayté (30 Años)
- Fidelina (30 Años)
- La Tierra del Olvido (30 Años)
- Zoila (30 Años)
- Rosa (30 Años)
- Agua (30 Años)
- La Cachucha Bacana (30 Años)
- Diosa Coronada (30 Años)
- La Puya Puya (30 Años)
- Ella (30 Años)
- Jam en Jukümey (30 Años)
- Sorpresa
- 500
- Déjala Correr (Agua) ft. Martin Velilla, Renate
- Ahí Llego Yo (Pa’ Mayte) ft. Martin Velilla, Renate
A MILESTONE ALBUM IN THE HISTORY OF LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC:
Released in 1995, “La Tierra del Olvido” is a foundational work in which Vives not only paid tribute to his roots but also revolutionized vallenato by blending the genre with pop, rock, and Caribbean rhythms. The result was a fresh and deeply emotional sound that resonated with listeners of all ages, and crossed borders.
Tracks like “Pa’ Mayté” and “La Tierra del Olvido”, which gave the album its name, achieved unprecedented international success, amplifying the cultural richness of Colombia onto the global stage. The music video for “La Tierra del Olvido,” filmed in the stunning Tayrona National Park and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, became a powerful visual postcard of the Colombian Caribbean and reinforced the album’s message as a tribute to the land, identity, and biodiversity. “Pa’ Mayté,” meanwhile, was presented in sepia tones, highlighting the feminine strength the song celebrates. “Fidelina,” originally by Alejandro Durán, was also brought to life with a video filmed at the Convent of Santo Ecce Homo in Sutamarchán. These three tracks were the only ones from the album with official videos and played a key role in establishing Carlos Vives as a musical ambassador for Colombia’s culture.
Produced by Carlos Vives and Richard Blair, the album brought together an array of talent that would later become his band La Provincia: the legendary Teto Ocampo (guitar/composition), Egidio Cuadrado (accordion/composition), Mayté Montero (gaita), Luis Ángel “El Papa” Pastor (bass), Carlos Iván Medina (keyboards), Pablo Bernal (drums), Gilbert Martínez (percussion), and many more.
Among them, Egidio Cuadrado stands out as a key collaborator in transforming traditional vallenato into a modern sound, without losing its authenticity. His artistic bond with Carlos Vives became a symbol of the musical fusion that defines “La Tierra del Olvido.” The only track not sung by Vives, “La Puya Puyá,” was created by Cuadrado himself, whose creativity and virtuosity forever shaped the sonic aesthetic of La Provincia.
Another key figure in this musical journey is Iván Benavides, who co-wrote the album’s title track and also contributed to “Pa’ Mayté,” “Agua,” “Ella,” and “Jam en Jukümey.”
Recorded between Bogotá and Miami, the album features memorable pieces like “La Cachucha Bacana” (a funky version of Durán’s original), “Diosa Coronada” (based on verses by Leandro Díaz), and “Jam en Jukümey”, a tribute to the indigenous cultures of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the legacy of Gerardo Reichel-Dolmatoff and Alicia Dussán, the renowned couple who devoted their lives to studying these communities.
The cover, reimagined by Cristian Sarmiento and based on the original artwork by illustrator Jerry LoFaro using photos by Socorro Arango, is a visual journey through the biodiversity and sacred landscapes of the Sierra and Tayrona Park. It features Carlos Vives and members of La Provincia surrounded by symbols of the fauna, flora, and indigenous memory of the Colombian Caribbean. One symbolic detail is the fire in the background, subtly denouncing the forest burns caused by the drug trade in the 1990s.
With this remastered and expanded edition, Carlos Vives reaffirms the legacy of “La Tierra del Olvido” as one of the most important albums in contemporary Latin American music and a work that opened doors, broke barriers, and laid down a sonic identity for generations.
