With a sensitivity that intertwines memory, musical lineage and a deep sense of gratitude, Lena Burke presents “A Celia”, a vibrant and emotional tribute to the eternal Queen of Salsa. The Cuban singer-songwriter and pianist—a Latin GRAMMY winner and daughter of an artistic legacy that marked generations—honors Celia Cruz with a piece that celebrates her life, her strength, and the incalculable mark she left on Latin music. Inspired after seeing the last tribute that Celia received in life, Lena conceived this song as a bridge between the past and the present, bringing together in the same song legendary figures such as Gilberto Santa Rosa, José Alberto “El Canario”, La India, Víctor Manuelle and maestro Gonzalo Rubalcaba, along with a brilliant brass arrangement signed by Cucco Peña.
For Lena, this project transcends the musical: it is an intimate act of family memory and historical gratitude. Her grandmother, Elena Burke, one of the great voices of Cuba, shared the stage and a deep friendship with Celia Cruz from the beginning, when both were part of Las Mulatas del Fuego. That generational bond turns “To Celia” into a deeply personal tribute, a way to thank the iconic artist for her legacy, for opening paths, for representing women with pride and for demonstrating that love and passion can transform art into history.
“A Celia” is part of Lena’s new album, currently in its final stages of creation, a project that synthesizes her own story and that of those who preceded her. In this conversation, Lena tells us about the origin of this song, the emotion that drives these extraordinary collaborations and the place that this tribute occupies within an album that promises to be one of the most significant of her career.
What did you see in that video of the last tribute to Celia Cruz that made you say: “I have to write a song for her”?
I was in the studio mixing my mother’s album when Carlos Álvarez showed me that video of Celia’s last performance. Seeing so many artists embracing her with so much affection moved me deeply.
I got home, I went to bathe and, I don’t know if it was “the healing waters”, but right there the muse came. I remembered that tenderness and began to write: “You came to teach us the melody of flavor…”
Then we finished the lyrics in the studio. For me, Celia is the absolute queen, a universal figure that we all feel like our own, from Cuba to Colombia, Mexico or Peru.
Additionally, there is a very special connection in my family: my grandmother worked with her in the 40s, and her photo is in my living room. I also knew her as a teenager. That affective memory made this inspiration born almost alone.
You brought together four legendary figures of salsa. What did each one contribute to the spirit of the theme?
Each one contributed their unique way of loving Celia.
India recorded in Miami and ended up very emotional: she said that her godmother wanted her to sing that day. Gilberto Santa Rosa, Víctor Manuelle and José Alberto “El Canario” recorded in Puerto Rico and Miami, leaving sounds full of affection.
Gonzalo Rubalcaba enhanced the song to an impressive level. I, being a pianist, gave up that space; I asked him for some technical details and he obliged me with everything.
Musicians from New York, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Miami also participated. It was a labor of love, united by a single feeling: to honor Celia.
Cucco Peña created an arrangement that evokes the Sonora Matancera. What was essential to capture?
I had written another introduction, but maestro Cucco Peña transformed the brass to take us directly to that sound of Celia’s beginnings.
We wanted the tribute to be Latin American, not just Cuban, because Celia is from the world. That’s why we recorded the metals in Puerto Rico.
When Cucco showed me the nod to “Kimbara”, I was moved to tears. It achieved exactly that spirit that I dreamed of.
The song will be part of your next album. What can you tell us about the project?
This tribute is the first single from my new album, which will be released in March. We already have almost 12 songs recorded, all written by me, with a more tropical sound, closer to my Cuban roots.
It has been a challenge to produce my own album with Carlos Álvarez, but I am in every detail.
Showing the song to Omer Pardillo—who cares for Celia’s legacy—was key. That he was excited and said “yes” was the best gift. She even contributed Celia’s voice saying “Azúcar!”, which appears as a surprise in the song.
Your grandmother Elena Burke shared the stage with Celia. How did that connection influence the tribute?
It had a lot of influence. The photo of my grandmother with Celia is in my living room and I feel her presence every time I write.
My grandmother and Celia admired each other: in Cuba we listened to Celia in secret, and in New York Celia listened to my grandmother’s boleros to relax.
There are beautiful anecdotes, like when my grandmother lent Celia some shoes before going on stage.
I met Celia as a teenager and she was always close, warm, like a grandmother. That affection inherited from my family is in every line of this song.
If you could say just one thing to Celia with this song, what would it be?
That this is my love letter to her.
A thank you for all the love he gave to the world and that, with this song, I try to give back a little.
