69-year-old 'Toothless Cindy' turns musical sensation because 'heart has no wrinkles'

A 69-year-old “Toothless Cindy” from Venezuela has turned into a prolific rapper and is becoming a musical sensation on Columbian public transport. According to the Associated Press, Marlene Alfonso, who calls herself “Cindy sin Dientes” in Spanish, is one of the dozens of Venezuelan migrants who work in Bogota’s public bus system every day, selling items like pens, or performing for tips. Her advanced age, comical lyrics and the unusual dressing sense for a rapper have helped her to stand out. 

Alfonso, with her pink Cadigan and thick glasses, often crack up commuters on the Transmilenio, Bogota’s crowded and crime-ridden public bus system. “I’m trying to make something of myself. If you can’t give me money, give me a kiss, that will fix my crocked neck,” she sings while riding on a bus packed with commuters heading into downtown. She has become an inspiration for a group of migrants in Colombia but also suffered recently from discrimination and xenophobic attacks. 

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The 69-year-old said that she was already performing for tips back in her hometown of Caracas. She has worked mostly on subway cars, however, she moved to Colombia because rapping in Venezuela no longer helped her to make ends meet. Alfonso said that she can make about $80 a day from tips on Bogota’s Transmilenio, which enough for her to pay rent and send money home to her daughter. 

“I’m showing people how to not feel defeated,” Alfonso said. She added, “Our hearts have no wrinkles in them. I’m 69 and there’s still a lot of juice to squeeze from this orange.”

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‘Humour is free’

According to AP, Alfonso suffers from glaucoma and cannot see out of her left eye. She doesn’t have enough money to go to a doctor and she moves around with a stick to avoid falling. The 69-year-old can not even see the buttons on her speaker’s remote control properly, so she asks commuters for help to play the right tracks. Despite such obstacles, Alfonso continues to deliver her routine in which she encourages commuters to laugh because “humour is free”. 

The lyrics of her latest song read, “human and not a worm”. “Some of my brothers have come here to do bad things. I’d like to beat them up with my stick,” she sings. “I don’t support that, that’s a step backwards. I’m just rapping to earn some pesos”. 

(Image & Inputs: AP)

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