A hidden gem and the story that led to Guatemalan singer Gaby Moreno’s Latin Grammy nomination

Guatemalan musician Gaby Moreno was recently nominated for a Latin Grammy for the short film of her song “Lamento” which brings to light a historic location in Guatemala.

“Lamento” revives Moreno’s memoirs of the good times she experienced as a child in Turicentro Likin, a tourist destination in Puerto Iztapa, Guatemala, which is now in ruins. 

In the short film, the location is identified as a place “where the sea has swallowed the earth.” 

Likin, the vibrant beach resort, became popular in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, attracting local and international visitors. There were various activities on weekends and holidays for all ages. However, due to the ocean currents and rising sea levels, the nearby construction became dangerous. 

Over time, the waves advanced, damaging structures and rendering the area uninhabitable. 

Moreno appears playing the piano and singing “Vengo a cantar mis penas en mi soledad” (I’m here to sing my sorrow in my solitude). 

There were “rows and rows of buildings…but then it was all over,” she remembered in the video. The film ends by highlighting that the concrete skeletons remain like ghosts; locals don’t give it more than a few years before it’s all gone. 

Moreno said the short film was something that came out almost like an accident. The idea was just to do a music video, but the project became bigger and at the end, it blossomed and became a tribute to the ruins that still stand. 

“It just became really special to work with people from my country and to be creating this beautiful film. It became a musical short film, because there's no narrative, there's no dialogue,” she said. “It's just me singing in certain sections of it and then it has a sci-fi element to it.”

 Themes include immigration and nostalgia

Moreno said the film has themes of nostalgia, the immigrant experience and of longing for a place that no longer exists. 

“And there are a few different metaphors in there that we played with,” she said.

During a moment of turmoil with the immigration topic, Moreno said it is important to continue highlighting immigrant stories. 

As an immigrant artist she said she has learned to appreciate diversity and it is important to continue celebrating it. 

“I always say that being an immigrant is kind of like having a superpower you are bringing with you, your customs, your culture, your traditions, and creating a beautiful world that's more diverse by sharing different perspectives and experiences,” she said.

“It's a very powerful thing to tell different kinds of stories, to shine a light on different experiences,” she said. 

Moreno came from Guatemala at the age of 18. She currently lives in Los Angeles and while she loves her country and often goes back to visit, she said she wouldn’t go back to live there because of the lack of opportunities.

While Guatemala is facing several challenges including social, economic and political issues, Moreno wanted to focus on some of the beauty that still stands.

“We wanted to show a different side of Guatemala and a different side of the immigrant experience,” she said. “Maybe shine a light on a more of a hopeful theme.” 

In the meantime, Moreno said it is extremely important for all to come together as a community and speak on different issues to create some empathy in the world.

The Latin Grammys 2025 will be held in Las Vegas in November.