Yma Sumac (1923-2008) was born Zoila Augusta Emperatriz Chávarri del Castillo in a heavily indigenous village in Peru and later claimed to be a descendant of Atahualpa, a claim supported by the Peruvian government. Her stage name was derived from the Quechua words “ima shumaq,” translating as “how beautiful.” She embarked on her recording career as a teenager and quickly became famous across the globe for her remarkable vocal range that spanned at least four and a half octaves, far more than most trained opera singers.