William Luna

William Luna Moscoso (born 14 December 1967) is a Peruvian singer-songwriter and composer associated with Andean music.

Early life and education Luna was born in Cusco to William Luna Rosas and María Moscoso Ojeda. He spent his childhood in the historic centre of Cusco and in the Andean town of Yucay. He studied at the Salesian School of Cusco, where he was educated by Jesuit and Salesian clergy, and completed his secondary education at the Colegio Nacional de Ciencias del Cusco. During his school years, he sang in his parish's Sunday choir. At the age of eleven, he studied English and, encouraged by his mother and his exposure to English-language music, learned it before learning Quechua.

At the age of fourteen, he learned to play the guitar and began setting to music songs he had started composing three years earlier. He later studied piano and enrolled at the Leandro Alviña Miranda Higher Institute of Music in Cusco, but did not complete his studies. He also attempted university studies at the National University of Saint Anthony the Abbot in Cuzco—in agrotechnics, zoology, biology and systems engineering—because he feared that music alone would not provide sufficient income.

After returning to Peru, he released the album Mírame, which included "Vienes y te vas" and "Linda mi cholita". Press coverage associated the record with a contemporary Andean folklore style described as "trova andina", and Luna's career expanded in the following years.

Luna has performed in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United States and Canada, and in European countries including Sweden, Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, France and Switzerland.

In 2005, he performed in Vancouver at the Norman Rothstein Theatre. He was later invited to the United States by the United Nations for a forum of Indigenous peoples. He was also invited to perform at the Festival de la Cerveza Cusqueña. In 2006, he returned to Canada for the Latino Soy festival and later undertook his first European tour, including Spain and Italy. In 2007 he lived briefly in Stockholm, and in 2008 he appeared at Ecuador's Cantos por la Libertad festival alongside Los Kjarkas.

Christian music and other projects Luna produced what was described as the first Andean symphonic concert in Peru and recorded the releases Lo mejor y nuevo de William Luna and Huaynos tradicionales En serio – Volumen 1. Around that period he converted to Pentecostal Christianity and recorded his first praise album, Refugio, followed by En el nombre de Jesús, which took him to the United States and Europe. He later established a Christian ministry called León de Judá in the Dominican Republic. He also had a minor role as a religious figure in the film La ciudad de los reyes, directed by Antonio Rugel.

Politics, collaborations and television In 2011, Luna was invited by the political party Adelante, led by Rafael Belaúnde Aubry, and stood as a congressional candidate at the 2011 Peruvian general election. He was the most-voted candidate on Adelante's list in Lima and among overseas voters, but the party failed to clear the electoral threshold.

That same year, singer-songwriter Pepe Alva invited Luna to join Proyecto Kuska, a collaboration that brought together Luna, Max Castro, Diosdado Gaitán Castro and Alva. Press coverage identified "Pechito Corazón" as the project's first single and reported concerts in Buenos Aires as part of an international tour. Later coverage described "Valle" as the project's promotional single, with a video shot at Machu Picchu, and said the group planned to take the project across Peru and abroad.

In 2012, Luna recorded the song "Linda Wawita", composed by Juan Carlos Fernández, for the television series Al fondo hay sitio. The song became a success on social media. In 2013, he competed in the dance reality show El Gran Show.

Recognition In 2006, the Asociación Peruana de Autores y Compositores (Peruvian Association of Authors and Composers) named Luna "best folk singer".

Discography

Mírame (1999) Vienes y te vas Linda la cholita Chiriwayra (Quechua: "cold wind") Willka ñusta (Quechua: "sacred princess") Mírame Full Mercedes-Benz El gato gris Te quiero esta noche La mujer de otro hombre Linda la cholita (karaoke) Nuestra promesa (bonus track)

Romance andino (2000) Sin tu amor Nuestra promesa Niñachay ("my little girl") Amor herido Malos caminos Quisiera quererte No me mientas Qosqollay (Quechua: "my little Cusco") De la nada Sufrir y llorar Vuelve Déjate amar (bonus track)

Como si no supiera (2003) Ama kiriwaychu mamita Y tú no me extrañaras La rotonda No vuelvas más Como si no supiera Mi Valentín Puno querido Laguna de Paca Un amor me está matando Paisana Si me dejas

Tu amor ajeno (2004) Como una gota en sequía Yo, tu enemigo Tu amor ajeno De Maras es mi amor Me voy Nada me queda El sabor de tu engaño Sin luz, sin mañana Te amo Te recordaré Respira Ella ya no me quiere Milagro

Hasta el final (2005) Acaso yo Uchu luru ñawisitu Hasta el final Negra del alma Garúa El vuelo del kilincho Valicha Mantaro Nadie me espera Sunqullay (Quechua: "my little heart") Si por mí fuera Norma Como una gota en la sequía (bonus track)

En vivo con la Orquesta Sinfónica (2006) Linda mi cholita Ama kiriwaychu mamita Mírame El vuelo del kilincho De la nada Hasta el final Niñachay Valicha Sin tu amor Respira Vienes y te vas Mi Valentín Garúa Acaso yo Bonus track: Salvapantalla (Valentín Luna M.)

María María (2008) Ella es mía Si la vez Parquecito regocijo El vuelo del kilincho A las orillas del Vilcanota En mi tierra es Navidad Luna, luna María, María Nosotros los tres Viento y arena Mi Valentín ¡Ay! Mi mamacita Ojalá Dime destino

William Luna: Lo mejor en DVD (2008) Niñachay De la nada No me mientas Vienes y te vas Nuestra promesa Linda la cholita Sin tu amor Vuelve Qosqollay Amor herido Hasta el final Te quiero esta noche Niñachay (karaoke) Backstage (behind the scenes) Linda cholita Linda Wawita

Lo Nuevo y Lo Mejor (2014) Lluvia Niñachay Tonta Vienes y te vas Ay mi mamacita De la nada Como si no supiera Linda mi cholita No hay dolor más fuerte que el alma Mi Valentín Ama kiriwaychu mamita No me mientas Acaso porque soy pobre Hasta el final Esquinita linda