Arena pop is rarely subtle, which is why Constanza “Conny” Carreón’s appearance as a featured soloist at Ricky Martin’s concert in Santa Cruz felt so striking. In the middle of a large-scale spectacle led by a multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy winner, a Bolivian singer stepped forward and matched the production’s scale while bringing something more intimate and emotionally precise.
When Carreón walked onstage, introduced as one of Bolivia’s standout voices, the expectation might have been that she would simply ride the wave. Instead, she re-shaped it. Her entrance was controlled and warm, and only after establishing a quiet line did she reveal the full dynamic power of her voice.
Among Bolivian vocalists working at this level, Carreón is often described as one of the most influential live performers, a singer whose expressive range sets a standard few can match. That reputation comes from high-stakes appearances: as opener for Julieta Venegas, as lead vocalist of Bajo Xero – one of the most important long-running bands in Bolivia’s music industry, and as a featured voice at large public events. Together these stages underline that she is a recurring first-choice voice when organizers need a top-level vocalist who can hold her own next to international stars.
At the Ricky Martin show her phrasing shifted effortlessly: conversational softness in the verses, cinematic power in the choruses. It’s a technique shaped by years performing in the Municipal Theater Alberto Saavedra Pérez, the Donahue Calvert Theater, and sprawling open-air venues like Real Santa Cruz Stadium and ExpoCruz.
Her stagecraft felt honed: subtle movement, precise timing, and intentional camera awareness. These qualities come from years in nationally broadcast formats. Carreón has performed on Bolivia’s most visible programs and later returned as the Official Vocal Coach on Yo Me Llamo, and as a casting judge who evaluated more than 2,000 singers across major cities.
Her theatre résumé includes central roles in Jesus Christ Superstar, Drácula, El Musical, and Chiquitita: El Musical, performances requiring vocal power and emotional clarity. Rather than treating the collaboration with Ricky Martin as a one-directional co-sign, she shaped the structure of the song almost like a musical scene.
If the evening proved anything, it was that Carreón is not intimidated by scale. Whether fronting Bajo Xero at DinoFest or delivering a ballad at the Miss La Paz gala, her sustained ability at this level has made her an unrivaled reference point for what a modern, versatile lead vocalist can be in Bolivia.
What remains most impressive is not only her ability to deliver under pressure, but her capacity to make stadium moments feel grounded and specific.
A Night of Shinning Collaboration: Conny Carreón with Ricky Martin in Santa Cruz
By Deny Smith
