Between Grammy nods and praise from Leonard Cohen himself, there’s little doubt why Perla Batalla commands such esteem in the industry. Her most recent seminal single, Awakened, from the LP A Letter to Leonard Cohen, which was released on what would have been Cohen’s 90th birthday, proves she needs no coattails to ride upon. Cloaked in a sublime sense of grace, every note carries a cinematic magnetism that draws you into her soul-baring homage to the revered Canadian poet.
Batalla earned her prestigious industry stripes by touring and recording with Cohen for over a decade. Inspired by her upbringing in an immigrant household—an Afro-Mexican mariachi father and an Argentine mother who ran a record store—she developed a genre-blurring palette. In Awakened, her commanding voice glides alongside stirring melodies, reflecting the resilience that fuelled her return to the studio after a catastrophic hard-drive disappearance in Barcelona.
This release follows her first tribute, Bird on the Wire, which Cohen personally supported by attending sessions and contributing ideas. Dedicated to the late producer Hal Willner—known for orchestrating unorthodox musical collaborations—A Letter to Leonard Cohen also features Batalla’s two original compositions and includes special appearances such as Broadway luminary Patrick Page on Democracy, produced by the multi-Grammy Award-winning Mike Elizondo.
From sharing stages with Nick Cave and Rufus Wainwright to hosting sold-out shows worldwide, Batalla remains an essential interpreter of Cohen’s legacy, and Awakened resonates as pure melodic poetry from one of the last true chanteuses.
A Letter to Leonard Cohen is available to stream and purchase on all major platforms, including Spotify.
Discover more about Perla Batalla via the artist’s official website.
Review by Amelia Vandergast