Luis Gamarra

Luis Gamarra Mayser (born 15 December 1992) is a Bolivian pop singer and LGBT rights activist. a decision he reversed a year later by returning to his original name, Luis Gamarra. A modest school presentation at the age of 8 marked the beginning of Gamarra's passion for music. At the age of 18, Gamarra left his studies at UPSA and his hometown, Santa Cruz, to pursue his musical dreams in the United States.

Career 2013–2016: Singing competitions and training at Berklee At age 23, Gamarra rose to international fame in 2013 when he auditioned on the twelfth season of American Idol, produced by the Fox television network. His audition in front of celebrities Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban was unforgettable and was captured in a video that went viral. Thanks to these experiences, he entered the Berklee College of Music in 2014, located in Massachusetts, from where he studied music business and management and graduated in 2017. Later, in January 2015, Gamarra presented the video clip of "Murallas" filmed in Rhode Island.

In 2015, realizing that he was the only Bolivian at Berklee, Gamarra decided to found 'Sonidos Bolivianos', a non-profit organization. This production featured the Berklee College of Music and several Bolivian musicians. The music video was filmed in the impressive setting of the Salar de Uyuni. Such was the impact and relevance of this production that the video was shared by the official networks of the Bolivian government in commemoration of the 191 years of Bolivia's independence.

Continuing with his career, in September 2015, Gamarra returned to the music reality show scene by participating in La Banda on the Univision television network in the United States. During his participation in the program, Gamarra impressed musical figures such as Ricky Martin, Laura Pausini and Alejandro Sanz, reinforcing his presence in music. However, his time on the program took an unexpected turn when Gamarra had to leave the competition due to health reasons. Despite his premature departure, Gamarra remained resilient and sent a heartfelt message to his fans. At the end of 2015, after his participation in 'La Banda', Gamarra was recognized as one of the People of the Year and received the Bronze Patujú, the highest award given by El Deber. He shared this honor with television host Anabel Angus. The song was sponsored by the Berklee Institute of Creative Entrepreneurship (BerkleeICE) and featured 50 musicians and dancers from Berklee and The Boston Conservatory.

2019–2022: Foray into film and collaboration with UNICEF In mid-2019, Gamarra lent his voice and lyrics to the official song for "Tu me manques," a film by Bolivian director Rodrigo Bellot. Bellot's film premiered internationally at the Outfest Los Angeles Film Festival, one of the most important LGBTQ+ film festivals in the United States. The musical piece, titled "No cambio por ti," reflects Gamarra's experience growing up gay in Bolivia. In this way, both Gamarra's song and Bellott's film reflect the experiences of gay people in societies that don't accept them.

During the 2020 quarantine, Gamarra, along with Edmar Colón, performed "La Paz," a nearly five-minute musical piece available on YouTube that calls for global harmony. This song is the result of the project “Songs for World Peace”, led by Utako Toyama, a former student at Berklee College of Music. That same year, Gamarra released ‘Entre tú y yo’, a song that fuses pop with Bolivian folklore. The song, which tells of a forbidden encounter between two people, begins with urban-tinged pop sounds and then introduces zampoñas and the cadence of the saya, traditional sounds of Bolivia. This album, recorded between Los Angeles and Mexico City with the collaboration of renowned writers and producers, chronologically narrates his personal story, from the experience of his first love, through the brave act of revealing his sexual orientation, to reaching a state of inner peace and self-acceptance.

In June 2022, Gamarra released the single "De Viaje" in collaboration with UNICEF and the Familia Segura program. The song, which Gamarra composed during a difficult time in his life, seeks to promote the importance of mental health among young people and adolescents. The "De Viaje" campaign also included Gamarra's testimony about his own struggles with mental health. This joint effort sought to further amplify the impact of the original campaign and reaffirm his commitment to humanitarian causes.

2023–present: Brief retirement and transition to Gamay In mid-2023, Gamarra announced his retirement from music. However, at the end of the same year, he returned to the music scene with a new stage name, Gamay. With this change, he released his first single "Encontrándome", a song that combines cheerful pop rhythms with reflective and positive lyrics. The single was accompanied by a music video that told the story of how Luis Gamarra found his true essence being recognized as Videoclip of the Year at the Bolivia Music Awards 2023.

During the month of May 2023, UNICEF Bolivia presented the telethon "Tiempo de Actuar 2023", which took place on June 4 and broadcast through Red Uno de Bolivia. This campaign sought to turn obstacles into opportunities for girls and the country's children. As part of this initiative, Gamarra actively participated in promoting the telethon.

On 9 April 2025, the single "Hey! (¿Estás ahí?)" (Hey! (Are You There?)) was released, a collaboration with Alwa, recognized as Bolivia's first cholita rapper. The song, composed in a context of social and economic crisis, addresses messages of empathy, resilience, and unity, and is part of the thematic focus on mental health and personal development that has characterized his career.

Personal life Sexual orientation In October 2018, Gamarra made his sexual orientation public through an open letter on his Facebook account titled "It Was Always Me." In the letter, Gamarra introduces his partner, Brian, and speaks openly about the struggle he faced due to his sexual orientation.

Gamarra publicly shared his five-year relationship and the process of coming out to his family, a moment that, although painful, resulted in family support. Gamarra opened the march with his song "Libre" and led a list of the marchers. of musicians who participated in the event.

In 2019, Gamarra protested outside the OAS in Washington, D.C., in response to alleged fraud in that year's Bolivian elections. He shared a video of his protest on social media, calling for respect for the Bolivian vote.

Discography Credits taken from iTunes.

Compilation albums 2022: Libre

EPs 2025: Mejor

Singles 2017: 1-800-273-8255 2017: Sigue Pa' delante 2019: Por un Beso 2019: Por un Beso (Remix) 2020: Libre 2020: Entre Tú Y Yo 2022: No Siento Más (Live Session) (featuring SMJ) 2022: De Viaje 2022: De Viaje (featuring Lu de la Tower) 2023: Mi Dosis De Drama 2024: Encontrándome 2024: Dónde realmente estoy 2024: Hey! ¿Estás ahí? 2025: Lo que tenga que pasar (featuring Paola Sulser) 2025: HEY! ¿ESTÁS AHÍ? (featuring Alwa Bolivia)

Awards and nominations

Bolivia Music Awards