On a night dedicated to Uruguayan music, Uruguay XXI, the country’s agency for trade, investment, and nation branding, presented the Female Soloist of the Year award at the Graffiti Awards. This action highlighted Uruguay XXI’s ongoing commitment to supporting local talent and advancing gender equality in creative industries.
“For almost ten years, we’ve been supporting the internationalization of Uruguay’s creative industries—and music is one of the most powerful,” said Mariana Ferreira, executive director of Uruguay XXI.
Uruguay XXI has collaborated with the Graffiti Awards on two main initiatives: creating a Spotify playlist featuring 50 nominated tracks to broaden Uruguayan music’s reach abroad and providing institutional support for the Female Soloist of the Year award. The winner receives assistance from Uruguay XXI to perform internationally as part of its gender policy.
“Only two in ten major Latin American festivals feature women as solo artists or all-female bands. That’s far too few,” Ferreira stated. “That’s why we’ll continue to back every initiative that helps bring more women into music—and supports them in taking their work beyond borders.”
Omaira Rodríguez, Creative Industries specialist at Uruguay XXI, addressed attendees during the ceremony: “Last year, we travelled with Flor Sakeo to Santiago, Chile. This year, we’re heading to Brazil with the winning artist of this category. The performance will take place at SESC São Paulo, a venue that has welcomed many Uruguayan musicians who began their international careers there.”
Rodríguez also expressed appreciation for all nominees: “We want to thank all the nominees for making their voices heard and for reminding us how much better music becomes when more women are part of it.”
Florencia Núñez was then announced as Female Soloist of the Year. Born in Rocha on Uruguay’s Atlantic coast, Núñez has developed a career blending pop, folk, and singer-songwriter traditions. Her album “Fe” (Faith), released in late 2024 after a four-year hiatus from studio albums, received eight Graffiti nominations and won five awards including Female Soloist of the Year.
Núñez told those present: “The fact that I’m here, receiving this award, and that my face is the one in the photo, doesn’t mean this isn’t a collective effort. Being a solo artist is wonderful when you’re supported by the people you love—and who love you back.” She thanked her collaborators before adding: “As women, we often have to push a little harder. But we must keep going—because that’s the only way forward.”
In later comments shared with Uruguay XXI about her upcoming performance in Brazil through agency support she said: “Brazil was a territory we’d long wanted to develop in a sustained way. This momentum comes at just the right time.” Núñez noted this aligns with changes in her professional life including new management strategies and emphasized how institutional backing can accelerate progress toward greater inclusion.
“Hopefully, in time, these opportunities will become natural for everyone,” she added. “But for now, support like this is still necessary to help dismantle the structures that weigh on women artists.” She underlined ongoing challenges regarding female representation on large stages: “The numbers speak for themselves. There are still fewer female projects on big stages. That’s why this kind of support matters—it helps representation grow and become part of everyday life.”
Uruguay XXI’s involvement extends beyond individual awards; last year it supported Flor Sakeo’s concert debut abroad at La Furia del Libro event in Santiago de Chile where her song became an official theme song for that edition—marking another step toward gender-focused policies within Uruguayan music circles.
A new agreement between Uruguay XXI and SESC São Paulo ensures continued international exposure by facilitating performances by winners such as Núñez abroad next year—a move described by Heloisa Pisani from SESC São Paulo as follows: “It’s a great honor to collaborate with Uruguay especially in promoting gender equity in the music field.”
This initiative fits into broader efforts by Uruguay XXI aimed at positioning creative sectors as key contributors to national exports via digital promotion campaigns and partnerships bridging public institutions with private actors within cultural industries.
“Every mission we lead abroad is also a fantastic opportunity to present Uruguayan artists to new audiences,” Ferreira emphasized.
By building connections through events like these both locally and internationally—with recent examples including Flor Sakeo performing in Chile followed now by Núñez preparing for Brazil—Uruguay XXI continues working toward increased visibility for female musicians while seeking lasting change across industry norms.
