Marilina Bertoldi

There are no half-measures with Marilina Bertoldi. Her way of inhabiting music is total. She doesn’t perform; she dives in. From her early days in Santa Fe to her current presence on massive stages, art has been a form of emotional survival. Her passion isn’t an accessory—it’s the structure. Everything in her resonates through sound. That complete surrender is what makes every song and every show feel vital.

First chords with a hunger to express

In Sunchales, the environment didn’t offer many musical role models. Still, Marilina found in the guitar a way to channel inner questions. Influenced by her sister Lula and bands like Rage Against the Machine, she began shaping a personal language. Since adolescence, music was more of a refuge than a goal. Her way of playing reflected discomfort and a desire to say something different.

The Connor Questa era: raw power

For five years, Bertoldi fronted Connor Questa, an intense band that blended alternative rock with raw stage energy. Much of her artistic identity was forged there. The shows were visceral and unfiltered. There were no commercial strategies—just sweat and truth. That stage helped her refine her physical stage presence and confirmed that her connection with the audience wasn’t a trend but a mutual need.

A solo artist without a safety net

When the band dissolved, Marilina chose not to repeat formulas. Her solo career was a dive into intimacy, instinct, and ambiguity. Her albums began to incorporate more diverse sounds, more open lyrics, and a more sensual aesthetic. She wasn’t trying to please anyone. Her aim was to reflect her internal processes. That authenticity created a powerful bond with an audience also seeking something beyond the obvious.

Awards that don’t alter her rhythm

Recognition came strongly in 2019, when she won the Gardel de Oro for Prender un fuego. She was only the second woman in Argentine history to receive the award. Though grateful, she never let the prize dictate her path. She didn’t adapt her sound to what sells. She continues to compose with the same intensity and freedom. For Marilina, success isn’t measured in trophies but in the impact her music has on listeners.

Speaking from experience, without filters

Marilina has never hidden who she is. She speaks openly about her sexual orientation, desire, pleasure, and fear—with a clarity that disarms. She doesn’t present herself as an icon, but many see her as one. That sincerity, far from being a marketing move, is part of the same impulse that drives her to create music. There are not two Bertoldis—the one on stage and the one off it are the same. With contradictions, but no masks.

An ethic more than an aesthetic

Marilina is not just an artist with a sonic identity—she proposes a different way of inhabiting music. She doesn’t accept impositions, doesn’t obey algorithms, doesn’t work to fit in. Her career is a string of uncomfortable but honest decisions. In a world that rewards predictability, she chooses risk. That’s what makes her a unique voice in today’s Argentine rock—not just for what she sings, but for how she lives it.

A path still being written

Despite the recognition, Marilina still feels like everything is yet to come. She moves with the energy of someone just starting out. She doesn’t look back. She doesn’t aim to repeat past triumphs. Every project is a leap without a net. Her passion hasn’t been tamed—it’s been sharpened. Her music remains the place where she can say what doesn’t fit anywhere else. As long as that continues, her work will keep growing with her.