The College of Charleston will host a one-night-only performance by world-renowned artist Fabiola Méndez and her quartet on April 2, 2026.
A singer, composer, poet and documentary producer, Méndez made history as the first-ever graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music to choose the Puerto Rican cuatro as a primary instrument. The cuatro is a traditional 10-stringed instrument, a relative of the guitar known for its bright, percussive resonance and its role as the “voice” of Puerto Rican countryside music.
While deeply rooted in the traditional sounds of trova and jíbaro music, Méndez has gained international acclaim for her ability to “play circles” around genre boundaries. Her quartet’s recent NPR Tiny Desk Concert showcased her sophisticated blend of folk and jazz, but it was her appearance backing up global icon Bad Bunny on his own Tiny Desk set that solidified her status as a bridge between ancestral tradition and modern global pop. During the concert, Bad Bunny acknowledges Méndez’s talent, “¡Puedo estar tó el día escuchando eso!” (“I could listen to that all day long!”)…