Milena Warthon biography: Andean pop beyond Peru

Imagine mixing the huayno your grandparents listened to with synthesizers, anime aesthetics and modern pop. That is exactly what Milena Warthon, the 26-year-old singer from Lima, does. She became known internationally when she won the Silver Seagull at the Viña del Mar 2023 Festival with her song “Warmisitay”. Here is her story, from Lima to an international audience, without abandoning her Andean roots.

Who is Milena Warthon?

Milena Warthon is a Peruvian singer, songwriter and instrumentalist associated with Andean pop —a genre she describes as a fusion of huayno with pop, electronic and contemporary music. She was born on March 21, 2000, in Lima. She is known for winning the Silver Seagull in the Folklore Competition at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival 2023 and the 2025 CapeMúsica Award for Best Folklore Production. In 2026 she was nominated for Best Huayno Producer at the CapeMúsica Awards.

Milena Warthon: quick facts

Milena Warthon’s childhood and early years

Milena Victoria Warthon Tamariz was born on March 21, 2000, in Lima, into a family with several cultural roots. Her father is from Apurímac and has British ancestry, reflected in the Warthon surname; her mother is from Áncash. This mixture of Andean and modern Lima influences became the starting point for her artistic approach.

From childhood, Milena heard Andean folk music at home. Huayno, Andean cumbia and highland rhythms were part of everyday life. She also grew up with pop, K-pop and the visual culture of Japanese anime, influences that would later become visible in her artistic image.

She studied Communication Studies at the Universidad de Lima, specializing in marketing strategies. That training was intentional: from the start, Milena understood that the music she wanted to make needed a strong narrative and a coherent visual identity to connect with younger generations.

Milena Warthon’s professional career

Milena Warthon began to gain attention on Peru’s music scene with original songs combining huayno, pop and electronic music with visual elements drawn from anime and Japanese culture. Her aim was bold: to bring a genre seen as traditional to young urban audiences who might not normally listen to folk music.

Career milestones:

• 2020–2021: Releases her first songs on digital platforms and begins to attract listeners with her Andean pop approach
• 2022: Her name gains attention in Peru’s cultural scene; she appears at festivals of modern folk music
• 2023: Wins the Silver Seagull in the Folklore Competition at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival with “Warmisitay”
• 2023: Nominated for “Best Young Singer-Songwriter” at the CapeMúsica Awards
• 2024: Performs symphonic concerts at the Gran Teatro Nacional in Lima
• 2025: Wins the CapeMúsica Award 2025 in the Best Folklore Production category
• 2025: Releases “Latinchola” and other tracks with millions of plays
• 2026: Nominated at the CapeMúsica Awards 2026 for Best Huayno Producer

Milena Warthon: notable songs and projects

Milena Warthon’s personal life

Milena Warthon is known for keeping her personal life relatively private, although she speaks openly on social media about her influences and creative process. She has not publicly confirmed a romantic relationship.

Her commitment to Peruvian cultural identity is well documented. In interviews, she has described how growing up with roots in Apurímac and Áncash shaped her and became central to her art. Her interest in anime and Japanese culture is also visible in the imagery of her clothing, music videos and social media, where it helps her connect with younger audiences.

She studied communications with a focus on marketing, giving her tools to manage her artistic image independently and strategically. Read also about Daniela Darcourt, another Peruvian artist who has crossed boundaries in Latin American music.

Facts about Milena Warthon

• She won the Silver Seagull at Viña del Mar 2023 with “Warmisitay”, a song in Quechua and Spanish. It is one of Latin America’s most prestigious festivals.
• Her surname Warthon has British origins, inherited from her father’s English ancestry, which reached Apurímac generations ago.
• She combines anime with Andean folk music deliberately: her music videos and visual style include elements of manga and Japanese animation to connect with millennials and younger audiences.
• She graduated in Communication Studies from the University of Lima with a focus on marketing. She manages her own image and narrative with a clear strategy.
• “Warmisitay” means “my little woman” in Quechua. It is the title of her best-known song and the nickname most used by her followers.
• She performed symphonic concerts at the Gran Teatro Nacional, showing that her music reaches beyond genres and can engage with classical and academic music.
• She represents a new generation of Andean artists who see no contradiction between being modern and deeply Peruvian.

Milena Warthon in 2026

The year 2026 has been active for Milena Warthon. Her CapeMúsica 2026 nomination for Best Huayno Producer shows that her work goes beyond performing: she writes, produces and manages her music project with her own vision.

Her presence on digital platforms continues to grow. “Latinchola” and earlier songs keep gaining plays on Spotify, YouTube and TikTok, where short clips with an Andean-pop aesthetic perform well. On Instagram (@milenatokio), she maintains an active community.

New releases and performances were expected in the second half of 2026. Famosix continues to follow her career.

Conclusion

Milena Warthon shows that huayno and pop can work together when paired with talent and artistic vision. She drew on her Andean heritage and turned it into a new musical language for younger generations. Return to this Famosix profile for updates. You may also be interested in the Peruvian singers category to discover more artists shaping the country’s music.

Sources consulted

• Infobae: Milena Warthon, a breakout artist of 2023, conquered Viña del Mar and won her first Silver Seagull
• University of Lima: alumna Milena Warthon won the Silver Seagull at Viña del Mar 2023