Ana Liu Najar (b. 1997, Bogotá, Colombia) is an internationally recognized guitarist, composer, producer, and arranger whose innovative artistry bridges Jazz, Latin, Electronic, and Contemporary music. Her work has garnered critical acclaim and reflects a unique cultural synthesis, establishing her as a rising global talent in modern music.
Ana Liu began her formal guitar studies at the age of 13 under Colombian guitarist Alejandro Zuluaga. She quickly gained public recognition as a performer with the Big Band Juvenil de Bogotá, appearing at leading festivals such as Jazz al Parque (2014, 2015), ToliJazz (2015, 2016), XIV Taller Nacional de Jazz (2015), SeviJazz (2017), and the Masái Festival Jazz (2017). These appearances laid the groundwork for an early reputation as a gifted instrumentalist and arranger.
She was awarded the prestigious Presidential Scholarship at Berklee College of Music—an honor granted to only two international students out of 5,000 applicants globally. At Berklee, she pursued a double major in Guitar Performance and Contemporary Writing and Production and studied under such luminaries as Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Terri Lyne Carrington through the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. She was further distinguished by the Division Achievement Award and the Connaughton Endowed Scholarship for her outstanding academic and artistic excellence.
Ana has collaborated/Performed with several prominent artists, including:
-
Joaquina (Latin Grammy 2023, Best New Artist), recording the track Freno
-
Teo Bok, on the uplifting single Todo Va a Estar Bien
-
Diana Burco, two-time Latin Grammy nominee for Best Cumbia/Vallenato and Best Contemporary Tropical Album
-
Andrés Cepeda, a multi-platinum Colombian singer-songwriter whose influence spans over two decades. Cepeda is celebrated for his romantic ballads and his role as a coach on multiple seasons of the Colombian version of La Voz, cementing his legacy as one of Latin America’s most beloved and influential musical figures.
-
Riza, is a Filipino-Cuban musician from Hollywood, Florida, whose music defies easy characterization, freely melding elements of pop, jazz, folk and R&B.
She further refined her production and songwriting abilities at Art House Academy under the mentorship of 14-time Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winner Julio Reyes Copello—renowned for his work with Jennifer Lopez, Alejandro Sanz, Marc Anthony, and Ricky Martin.
Her original compositions—including Pola, Mi Piacciono le Donne Fighe, and Don’t Wanna Know—exhibit a fearless integration of genres, emotional depth, and compositional integrity. Her arrangement of Avishai Cohen’s The Ever Evolving Etude was featured on Cohen’s official YouTube channel, and her performance of Yamandu Costa’s Samba pro Rafa received personal praise from the artist.
Ana’s impact is also evident in the digital realm. Her YouTube channel has surpassed 150,000 views across 55 videos, reaching audiences across the Americas and Europe. Her work has been aired on international radio stations, including BIG 105.9 and Y100@100.7FM, and has been featured by global music platforms such as The Further, Melody Mine, and The Bandcamp Diaries.
She is endorsed by Kremona Guitars, a Bulgarian luthier recognized for handcrafted instruments since 1924, highlighting her position as a respected figure in contemporary guitar performance.
Committed to education and artistic mentorship, Ana has led workshops through the Berklee Global Jazz Institute at Fundación Danilo Pérez and has launched free music lessons via her community project Art is Creation, underscoring her dedication to accessibility in music education.
Ana Liu Najar exemplifies the combination of technical mastery, artistic innovation, and international recognition required of artists of extraordinary ability. Her evolving career continues to inspire global audiences while shaping the future of cross-cultural music creation.