Zona 8 R

Zona 8 R is a Colombian vallenato group founded by accordionist and producer Rolando Ochoa (also known as Rolando “R8”), officially launched around 2021 after years of experience backing major vallenato singers and developing his production work. The project features vocalists Jorge Mario Peña and Laura Hamburger, and emerged from Ochoa’s desire to build a group under his own name while honoring his musical heritage (his father being Calixto Ochoa). The group’s first album La Zona Ocho (De Colombia Para El Mundo) was released in 2021, which introduced their style and placed them on the vallenato map. In 2022 they issued the full-length Yo Soy Colombia, with 16 songs that included both originals by Ochoa and works by composers like Diego Daza, Wilfran Castillo, and Omar Geles; this album also signaled the group’s commitment to corralero influences and homage to Ochoa’s roots. Zona 8 R also released Pa'l Bailador (2023) and Sana Nuestra Tierra (La Fania de Cristo) (2023), diversifying both thematic content and venues. Alongside that, they released singles such as “Pon la Hora” (2024), and also live albums like Parranda Entre Amigos (En Vivo) in 2024, showing their strength in performance as well as recordings. In 2024, Laura Hamburger quit the group to pursue a solo career and was replaced by Karito Murra.

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