Who is Mexican singer Kalimba Kadjaly?

• Who is Kalimba? He has been accused of sexual assault.
• Learn about his solo career and his time with OV7. 
• Can he overcome the scandal to regain his success?

Who is Kalimba Kadjaly? Better known simply as the Kalimba, the singer has had a tumultuous career that began when he was just a child and joined the ranks of the popular group OV7.

In the 2000s, Kalimba’s career took off with several solo albums. However, a scandal stalled his rise to stardom. He hasn’t performed live for years but recently he has dabbled in musical theater and has been working with OV7 again. Learn more about him!

Who is Kalimba Kadjaly?

Kalimba Kadjaly Marichal Ibar is a Mexican singer and actor born on July 26, 1983 in Mexico City. He is the brother of M’balia Marichal, a member of the musical group OV7, and son of Cuban-born jazz player Pablo Marichal, from whom he inherited his taste for music.

At the age of two, he began performing on the children’s show Chiquilladas, where Anahí also appeared. In 1992, he was cast in the telenovela Carrusel and, a year later, he joined Onda Vaselina, which would later become OV7.

The beginnings of his career

Kalimba’s career began when the singer was barely two years old. Both he and his sister M’balia developed a taste for music from a very young age and, thanks to his talent and discipline, he was cast in series and soap operas. Kalimba joined Onda Vaselina, a children’s musical group that would later open the doors to a solo music career.

In 2004 Kalimba left Onda Vaselina to pursue a solo career. He quickly had some hits like I can’t Stop Loving You and Duele. However, in 2010, when he was at the height of his solo career, he was accused of raping a minor.

Kalimba’s first scandal

In 2010, Kalimba was accused of raping a minor. The Mexican Prosecutor’s Office issued a warrant for his arrest. The alleged victim claimed that Kalimba had beaten her but one of her friends told the authorities that the intimate encounter had been consensual.

On January 20, 2011, the singer was arrested in El Paso, Texas and was later turned over to Mexican authorities. Seven days later, the Chetumal state attorney’s office decided to release him for lack of evidence.

Melissa Galindo’s accusations

When everything seemed to be going well again in Kalimba Kadjaly’s personal and professional life, a new scandal made headlines. Melissa Galindo, a former contestant on La Voz…México, accused him of sexual assault.

The investigation is still ongoing, but the singer told the press that he will do everything in his power to prove his innocence. Galindo is confident that her testimony, along with that of six other alleged victims, will help prove she’s telling the truth.