Here's a gif from the Official Yma Sumac Archives to all Sumac fans. Today we celebrate Yma Sumac's 101st birthday and decided to share this beautiful clip of Sumac singing Virgin Of The Sun God in the Mexican film Las Canciones Unidas, released in 1960. This is the first time this clip has been shown in high definition and comes directly from Sumac's own vintage 16mm color film.
That year, alongside 1,558 other Hollywood personalities, Yma Sumac received her Star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She became the first Peruvian-born artist to receive the honor until fellow Peruvian Pepe Barreto was honored with a star in 2007. Several Latin artists received stars simultaneously, therefore it is impossible to say who was the first Latin artist to receive a star. Also in 1960, she started her now legendary tour of the Soviet Union.
Designed by Dori-Eve Gowns of New York, the "Inca" dress Sumac wore in this film (as well as in another Mexican production from 1958 titled Musica de Siempre), remains in her archives. The dress was displayed in two museums to date, in London and Los Angeles.