Colombian Artist Ana Liu Makes the Kind of Music That Doesn’t Fit in Boxes

Beauty is what Ana Liu hopes listeners find in her music—a simple yet profound aspiration that drives everything the Colombian guitarist and composer creates. This pursuit of beauty through sound has taken her from Berklee College of Music, where she earned a Presidential Scholarship, to recording studios and stages alongside some of Latin America’s most celebrated artists.

Working with Latin Grammy-winning artist Andrés Cepeda and rising talents like Joaquina on “Freno,” Teo Bok on “Todo Va a Estar Bien,” along with Riza and Diana Burco, Liu has established herself as a sought-after guitarist and arranger. Yet these collaborations represent just one facet of her musical identity.

As a composer, Liu creates original works that refuse to stay within conventional boundaries. Pieces like “Pola,” “Don’t Wanna Know,” and “Mi Piacciono Le Donne Fighe” blend technical complexity with raw emotion—a combination that earned them submissions for the 68th GRAMMY® Awards in 2025. Liu submitted “Pola” for consideration in the Instrumental Composition category, while “Don’t Wanna Know” and “Mi Piacciono Le Donne Fighe” were submitted for the Dance/Electronic Recording category.

“My music is about creating emotions you can feel deeply,” Liu explains. “Sometimes it’s intimate and melodic, other times it’s powerful and electrifying. I like to take listeners on a journey where sensitivity meets modern edge.”

That journey pulls from unexpected sources. Liu points to Brazilian guitarist Guinga, loving “his approach to the guitar, the chords and harmonies he is able to create are amazing.” She’s equally drawn to film composer Alexandre Desplat: “His compositions are magical and have his own distinctive sound.” These influences surface throughout her work, though always filtered through her own creative lens.

The music community has taken notice. Acclaimed guitarist Yamandu Costa has praised her arrangements, while bassist-composer Avishai Cohen has featured her work. Radio stations including BIG 105.9 and Y100 have broadcast her performances, and her YouTube channel has attracted over 150,000 views from listeners worldwide.

Her YouTube presence offers a window into her range as a performer. While there’s plenty more to explore on her channel, several pieces particularly stand out. There’s “Rainroom Guitar,” an ambitious hour-long session where Liu plays guitar with healing frequencies and atmospheric pads—a genuinely unique listening experience that showcases her willingness to experiment beyond traditional formats. Her channel also features her interpretation of Edith Piaf’s “Hymne a l’amour,” and “Samba pro Rafa,” her personal take on Yamandu Costa’s work that brings in other musicians for a particularly engaging performance. A recent upload of “Malena,” the famous 1941 tango by Homero Manzi and Lucio Demare, demonstrates her versatility across genres, with Liu transcribing the arrangement from Ramiro Farb.

This versatility extends to her current work. Liu is preparing to release “Le Soleil,” a composition that complements guitar with a woodwind quartet. “The piece radiates hope and is filled with expressive emotion,” she says of the upcoming single. As an endorsed artist for Kremona Guitars, she continues pushing the boundaries of what the instrument can express.

Behind all this technical achievement lies a philosophy that challenges the perfectionism paralyzing many artists. “Create without judgment,” Liu advises. “Too often, artists hold back—afraid their work isn’t good enough, trapped by perfectionism. Silence that inner critic and allow the pure, innocent spirit of creativity to flow through you.”

This commitment to uninhibited creativity shapes everything Liu produces, from her solo compositions to her collaborative arrangements. As she prepares new music and performances for the coming year, her work demonstrates that technical excellence and emotional authenticity aren’t opposing forces—they’re complementary elements that, when combined, create something genuinely moving.

Perhaps that’s where the beauty Liu seeks actually lives: not in perfection, but in the honest expression of musical ideas that refuse to fit neatly into any single category — and we’re here for it.

Follow Ana Liu’s journey on her website, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify.