Los Kjarkas is a Bolivian band from the Capinota Province in the department of Cochabamba, one of the most popular Andean folk music bands in the country's history. An unauthorised translation of their song "Llorando se fue" by French producers Jean Karakos and Olivier Lorsac resulted in Kaoma's hit "Lambada". Don Omar's "Taboo" and Jennifer Lopez's single "On the Floor" also sample "Llorando se fue". After a successful lawsuit, Kaoma paid up and licensed the song. Kjarkas have also founded two schools teaching Andean folk music: the Musical School of Kjarkas (Lima, Peru) and La Fundación Kjarkas (Ecuador). They have toured across Japan, Europe, Scandinavia, the United States, South America and Australia and they have composed over 350 songs composed. Los Kjarkas are the most successful folk band from Bolivia.
The band's leader has always been singer, guitarist and songwriter Gonzalo Hermosa González, who formed the band with his brothers Elmer Hermosa González and Ulises Hermosa González, as well as Gastón Guardia Bilboa and Ramiro de la Zerda. De la Zerda left group to form Grupo Fortaleza and Ulises Hermosa died of cancer in 1992, being replaced by Eduardo Yáñez Loayza, Rolando Malpartida Porcel and José Luis Morales Rodríguez. By 2002, Japanese born Makoto Shishido, Lin Angulo, and Gonzalo Hermosa González junior had replaced Yáñez, Porcel, and Rodríguez. Makoto joined the band after seeing them play in Japan.
In the later 2000s, Elmer Hermosa was diagnosed with diabetes.
In 2010, Edwin Castellanos became mayor of the city of Cochabamba.
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