Katharine Hedlund ('La Rubia Rumbera') is a vocalist and pianist based in San Francisco with a deep passion for salsa music. Katharine originally gained experience in jazz and soul, studying jazz piano performance at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL (United States), with renowned jazz artists such as Jazz at Lincoln Center saxophonist Victor Goines (Wynton Marsalis) and pianist Peter Martin (Chris Botti, Diane Reeves).

As a jazz pianist and vocalist, often compared to figures like Norah Jones and Diana Krall, she has performed across the United States in renowned venues and festivals such as Dizzy's Club Coca Cola (Jazz at Lincoln Center NYC), the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, The Green Mill (Chicago), The Jazz Showcase (Chicago), and Crosstown Arts (Memphis).

However, everything changed when she caught the salsa bug through a spontaneous invitation to go salsa dancing with friends during her last year of studies. The culture, dance, fantastic rhythms, and the energy of the music instantly captured her heart, and thus, ‘La Rubia Rumbera’ was born!

She started by learning to dance, then began playing the piano with salsa orchestras in San Francisco, and now, she will be singing original salsa arrangements in an exciting new project with producer Juan Manuel Rosales, a Peruvian musician who has had the privilege of working in concerts, production, arrangements, directing, and as a trumpeter with Tropical music artists such as Yiyo Sarante, La India, Tony Vega, Andy Montañez, Charlie Cardona, J-Balvin, David Zahan, Grupo Galé, Los Villacorta, Maelo Ruiz, Josimar, Charlie Aponte, Típica 73, Son 14, and many more.

The first video production by ‘La Rubia Rumbera,’ features outstanding musicians from Colombia and Peru including musicians Caliche Sabogal, Óscar Iván Lozano (‘Oilo’), Los Andrade, Los Hermanos Villacorta, Cristian Rios. They have worked with renowned artists including Marc Anthony, Grupo Gale, Grupo Niche.

Katharine is excited to present this new salsa fusion project, which highlights both traditional salsa forms and Katharine's unique vocal sound influenced by jazz and R&B. Get ready to experience salsa like you've never heard it before!