Zara Colombo give their songs another language on «Lengua Madre»
Italian-Argentine duo Zara Colombo release Lengua Madre, the Spanish version of Madre Lingua, alongside a bilingual vinyl and Spanish dates.
Translating a song can change much more than its words. Italian-Argentine duo Zara Colombo — singer Zara C. Massaro and songwriter Luca Massaro — release «Lengua Madre» on 30 October 2026. The record revisits their album «Madre Lingua» in Spanish, offering another perspective on the same body of songs rather than a straightforward exercise in literal translation.
Two languages within one creative relationship
Luca often writes in Italian while Zara sings and the pair reshape the music together. Spanish is equally central to their personal life. When a line does not fit the original melody, another phrase must be found — and sometimes the meaning shifts considerably. These adaptations reveal how a song can continue to develop after its first release.
The physical edition makes the dual identity tangible: «Madre Lingua» on side A and «Lengua Madre» on side B of the same vinyl record. The listener is invited to compare not only words but rhythms, emotional emphasis and the sound of language itself.
Family history between Italy and Argentina
«Atlas» draws on voices recorded during early sessions on a trip through Morocco. «Como Cantan Los Cantantes» grew from a family story and an old piano in Patagonia; «Papá Punk» connects Italian memories with Argentina. Elsewhere, «Intervalo» brings a pause through strings and voices, while «La Noche» turns questions of intimacy and distance into a song.
Production by Dumbo Gets Mad and Salvador Colombo, Zara’s brother and a member of Bandalos Chinos, contributes to a sound that moves among melodic pop, cinematic atmosphere and psychedelic arrangements. The project also has a strong visual identity rooted in the artists’ work with design and contemporary art.
Two shows in Spain
Zara Colombo will open for Dumbo Gets Mad on 4 November at Madrid’s Wurlitzer Ballroom and 5 November at Barcelona’s Sala Upload. The performances offer a chance to hear how a repertoire born in two languages works in a live setting.
«Lengua Madre» is an invitation to hear familiar songs differently: a new language can become a new musical decision. Search for «Lengua Madre» on Spotify.