Florencia Núñez: the award-winning voice Uruguay XXI is taking to Brazil

On a night when Uruguayan music took center stage, amid applause, lights, and guitars, Uruguay XXI—the country’s agency for trade, investment, and nation branding—stepped onto the stage to present the award for Female Soloist of the Year.

It was a symbolic gesture reaffirming its commitment to talent, equality, and global reach.

“For almost ten years, we’ve been supporting the internationalization of Uruguay’s creative industries—and music is one of the most powerful,” said Mariana Ferreira, the agency’s executive director.

Uruguay XXI, which promotes the global projection of the country’s creative sectors, partners with the Graffiti Awards on two key initiatives: a Spotify playlist featuring the 50 nominated tracks, expanding the reach of Uruguayan music abroad; and support for the Female Soloist of the Year award, which—within the agency’s gender policy—includes institutional and logistical backing for the winning artist to perform internationally.

“Only two in ten major Latin American festivals feature women as solo artists or all-female bands. That’s far too few,” Ferreira noted. “That’s why we’ll continue to back every initiative that helps bring more women into music—and supports them in taking their work beyond borders.”

From the stage, Omaira Rodríguez, Uruguay XXI’s Creative Industries specialist, deepened the message:
“Last year, we travelled with Flor Sakeo to Santiago, Chile. This year, we’re heading to Brazil with the winning artist of this category. The performance will take place at SESC São Paulo, a venue that has welcomed many Uruguayan musicians who began their international careers there.”

She concluded with a line that drew warm, sustained applause from the audience:

“We want to thank all the nominees for making their voices heard and for reminding us how much better music becomes when more women are part of it.”

Moments later came the announcement that lit up the room:
“The Female Soloist of the Year is… Florencia Núñez!”

An artist finding her place in the world

Born in Rocha, on Uruguay’s Atlantic coast, Florencia Núñez has built a singular career in which pop, folk, and singer-songwriter traditions meet a voice entirely her own.
Her album Fe (Faith), released in late 2024, earned eight Graffiti nominations and won five awards—including Female Soloist of the Year, Best Pop Album, Song of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.

Fe marked her first studio release in four years: an album of introspection and hope, featuring collaborations with Jorge Drexler, Laura Canoura, and Raly Barrionuevo. Its lyrics and sound weave local roots with a global sensibility—an artistic vision that now aligns with Uruguay XXI’s mission to project the country’s talent internationally.

“The fact that I’m here, receiving this award, and that my face is the one in the photo, doesn’t mean this isn’t a collective effort,” Núñez told the audience. “Being a solo artist is wonderful when you’re supported by the people you love—and who love you back.”

She thanked her band, producers, and arranger Luciano Supervielle, before leaving the audience with a line that captured the spirit of the award:

“As women, we often have to push a little harder. But we must keep going—because that’s the only way forward.”

Speaking later with Uruguay XXI, Núñez reflected on what this new opportunity means for her career:

“Brazil was a territory we’d long wanted to develop in a sustained way. This momentum comes at just the right time.”

The timing, she explained, coincides with a new stage in her professional life—new management, new strategies, new horizons—and the agency’s support makes it possible to move forward faster.

“Hopefully, in time, these opportunities will become natural for everyone,” she said. “But for now, support like this is still necessary to help dismantle the structures that weigh on women artists.”

For Núñez, the challenge isn’t just touring or opening markets—it’s ensuring that female creativity is visible in spaces where women’s presence remains limited.

“The numbers speak for themselves. There are still fewer female projects on big stages. That’s why this kind of support matters—it helps representation grow and become part of everyday life.

A policy that endures

Uruguay XXI’s backing of the Female Soloist category is part of a broader, long-term policy.
Last year’s winner, Flor Sakeo, received agency support for one of her first international performances: a concert at La Furia del Libro in Santiago, Chile, where her song Canción para los planetas was chosen as the event’s official theme.

That milestone marked the start of a gender-focused initiative in Uruguayan music—one that continues this year with Florencia Núñez.
A new partnership with SESC São Paulo will see the 2025 Graffiti winner perform in Brazil in 2026, strengthening cultural ties between the two countries and advancing gender equality in the arts.

“It’s a great honor to collaborate with Uruguay, especially in promoting gender equity in the music field,” said Heloisa Pisani, International Relations Manager at SESC São Paulo, in the agreement signed with Uruguay XXI.

Exporting talent as public policy

The internationalization of Uruguayan music forms part of Uruguay XXI’s wider strategy to position creative industries as a key export sector.
Working with the Graffiti Awards—a mainstay of Uruguay’s music scene for over two decades—the agency connects artistic excellence with tangible tools for international promotion: digital exposure, showcases abroad, and collaboration between public and private partners.

“Every mission we lead abroad is also a fantastic opportunity to present Uruguayan artists to new audiences,” Ferreira emphasized.

The aim isn’t only to showcase talent—it’s to create pathways for women in music to project their careers beyond borders.

With Flor Sakeo in Chile and Florencia Núñez heading to Brazil, Uruguay XXI is consolidating a policy that not only supports artists, but builds the future.
From the Graffiti Awards stage to international venues, Uruguay’s female creators are beginning to take their rightful place—with their music as their calling card, and institutional support paving the way forward.