PANAMA 会報 · 日本・パナマ友好協会
No. 40 · 2026
Patricia Vlieg was featured in the bulletin of the Japan–Panama Friendship Association (日本・パナマ友好協会), the organization that brings together Japanese and Panamanian citizens dedicated to the bilateral relationship. The interview spans four pages and covers her path from Panama to Japan, her music as a practice of cultural dialogue, and the work of Bridges for Dialogue.
On language as bridge
日本の方々にラテン音楽を、メロディやリズムからだけでなく、歌詞の意味から届けたいというのが、私の深い願いのひとつです。だからこそ、曲を日本語に訳すことは、最も魅力的な挑戦のひとつでした。
Translation
"One of my deepest wishes is to reach Japanese audiences through Latin music not only through melody and rhythm, but through the meaning of the lyrics. That is precisely why translating songs into Japanese has been one of the most fascinating challenges."
On the 2011 visit to Japan
2011年に初めて日本を訪れたとき、その家族と再会しました。9月30日には東日本大震災・津波の被災者を支援するためのコンサートを東京・ホテルオークラで行い、翌日は小学生のときに出会ったその姉妹のひとりの結婚式に出席しました。深く心に刻まれた時間でした。
Translation
"When I visited Japan for the first time in 2011, I reunited with friends I had known since childhood. On September 30th, I performed at Hotel Okura Tokyo to support survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, and the following day I attended the wedding of one of those childhood friends. It was a deeply meaningful time."
On Japanese songs
日本の歌を歌うとき、まず感じるのは深い親しみです。その曲がどの言語のものかということより、心から響いてくる曲であれば、その瞬間に私自身の言葉になり、個人的な何かを伝える形になります。
Translation
"When I sing Japanese songs, the first thing I feel is a deep sense of familiarity. More than the language it belongs to, if a song resonates from the heart, it becomes my own words in that moment — a vehicle for something personal."
On Bridges for Dialogue and the Peace Boat
直近では、2026年のピース・ボートで横浜からシンガポールへと航海する間、ビルマ・エスキベルとともに招待アーティスト・教育者として乗船し、コンサートや聴衆との対話セッションを行いました。一曲がさらなる探求への本物の興味を呼び起こす—そのことが私は深く信じることを改めて確かめてくれます。音楽は記憶の場であり、祭祀の場であり、平和構築の場であると。
Translation
"Most recently, aboard the 2026 Peace Boat sailing from Yokohama to Singapore, I joined as an invited artist and educator alongside Vilma Esquivel — giving concerts and dialogue sessions with the audience. That a single song can awaken genuine curiosity and the desire for deeper exploration is something I believe deeply, and this experience confirmed it again. Music is a place of memory, of celebration, and of peacebuilding."
Patricia Vlieg's profile as published: "Singer, pianist, guitarist, composer, and arranger from Panama. Studied at Berklee College of Music and completed a Master's in Peace Studies and International Relations at Soka University. Moving freely between jazz, Latin American music, and world music, she creates a lyrical musical world. Her signature work Cabanga, Panamá en el corazón brought Panamanian music to life in a new sound." (Patricia Vlieg さんのプロフィール、PANAMA 会報 No.40)
