After years in France, Cuban singer Niuver returns to her roots for new album
Cuban singer-songwriter Niuver is, from the start, an evocation. Even her name has a fleeting, cloudlike quality to it—light and musical, stretching delicately like the rolling “r”s in the songs of Mireille Mathieu, the French chanteuse known in the 1960s and ’70s for her powerful, crystalline voice and signature pageboy haircut. And if we’re speaking of French icons, Niuver also calls to mind a young Jeanne Moreau—not for her voice, but for her full, curly, blonde hair and magnetic presence, reminiscent of the legendary actress in François Truffaut’s classic film “Jules et Jim.”
Why all these French comparisons for a singer born in Bolondrón, in Cuba’s Matanzas province? Because Niuver spent nearly two decades living and performing in France. Though she now calls Miami home—and will give a concert Oct. 1 at the Koubek Center—she brings a distinctly French elegance and softness that infuse her interpretations of the Cuban rhythms she’s reconnecting with.
Anyone who listens to her voice on “Quiéreme mucho,” the title track of her 2010 debut album, produced by Raúl Paz, can hear it instantly.
“Niuver is the kind of artist you find with no expectations and then can’t stop listening to,” reads a YouTube comment under the track.
This “Quiéreme mucho” is an original composition by Raúl Paz—not the famous 1911 bolero by Gonzalo Roig. Through it, Niuver brings the emotional weight of her years in exile in France: a modest Paris apartment, but a city that became her artistic playground.
Audiences in Turkey have embraced her, her song “C’est toi que j’aime” has been featured in several TV series, singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona invited her to join his tour, and her duet with Vanito Brown on “Arrímate” leaves listeners wanting more, making her new album worth a close listen. “Vivir,” produced by celebrated Cuban musician Yadam González—co-author of “Patria y Vida”—is filled with those spine-tingling moments, like the line he’s credited with writing: “Eres tú mi canto de sirena.”
El Nuevo Herald chatted with Niuver before her upcoming show.
You’ve collaborated with Cuban artists like Yadam González, Vanito Brown and Raúl Paz. What were those experiences like?
We are united by love for Cuba, but also by sincere friendship and the desire to create from our own identity without imitating anyone. Each collaboration has left deep marks on me: the complicity with Yadam in the studio is intense—with him I can be 100% myself. From Vanito I admire the rhythmic power of his lyrics—his sonorous rhymes are a masterclass in composition.
From Raúl I learned freshness and his advice for facing the fears and challenges of this profession. He discovered me when I was very young. I especially owe my success in France to him, thanks to the wonderful songs he wrote for “Quiéreme mucho.”
What should audiences expect at Koubek Center concert?
It’s a very special gathering because, although for many it will be the first time they hear my repertoire, I will be celebrating the return of a long career that began in Cuba and continued in Europe—especially in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and later in Mexico. I will reveal songs from my new album “Vivir,” which is the most Cuban I have ever written. After many years fusing Cuban music with French influences, on this record I return to my roots, to Cuba and to Latin America.
The show will have guests, surprises and, above all, the opportunity to connect with the Miami audience, who know how to recognize and support their own. It’s a rebirth after surviving a cancer that almost made me lose my voice.
How has your time in Cuba, France and Miami shaped you as an artist?
I carry Bolondrón (Matanzas), my little town, in my heart. Martí said that “the countryside makes men noble,” and that nobility accompanied me to France, where I had the opportunity to complete my musical and intellectual education and to broaden my cultural horizons.
Today in Miami I feel my music blooming with the strength of my natural community, the one I longed for from the other side of the world. I am a bridge between all those universes.
You have said that you are inspired by Brazilian music, and your songs have also been popular in Turkey. How did that happen?
I’ve always felt very close to Brazilian music: I love that it’s both popular and so complex at the same time. I don’t believe in borders; I believe music reflects the soul of the world and allows us to connect with anyone, placing us all in the same spot—our humanity—even if we don’t speak the same language. That is very powerful.
My songs reached Turkey thanks to a concert I gave there, and it turned out I have a huge viral community of listeners in that country. Even in airports my songs are played. I always joked that in another life I had been Turkish, and suddenly I found an audience there that doesn’t speak Spanish, super exotic.
What is the inspiration for your new album, “Vivir”?
“Vivir” is born from my need to sing the joy of finally being back with my own people, my family. I was also inspired by my losses, leaving behind my life in France and my rebirths. It’s an intimate record that’s also full of strength. It speaks of healing, of getting up, of finding beauty even in the toughest moments, for example in the song “Baila.”
It also speaks from a woman’s point of view, of desires, of uncontrollable passions. It will be available very soon, and I’m very excited to share it.
You’ve been a guest artist in Ricardo Arjona’s concerts—how has the Guatemalan singer-songwriter influenced you?
Arjona taught me to fill the stage without fear and, at the same time, the importance of staying close to the audience and not losing authenticity. It’s a masterclass to see how he connects with millions of people. He is and will always be a great inspiration. That experience gave me more confidence as an artist and, without a doubt, changed the course of my life forever.
On my new album there will be a duet with him. I don’t hide how fortunate I feel with this new collaboration. This fact sums up the solid and sincere ties that continue to unite us.
Niuver in concert presented by U.S. Century Bank Presents, co-produced by ArtesMiami and MDC Koubek Center.
If you go:
What: Niuver in concert
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Koubek Center, 2705 SW Third St., Miami
Cost: $17.51 at https://www.squadup.com
This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 12:57 PM.
