Many are familiar with Spanish musician Joaquin Sabina. His unique sound and croaky voice draws fans in while his slow singing style makes his message easy for anyone to grasp.
Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s song Despacito has become an international sensation that gets everyone dancing, grooving, and singing along.
Joaquin Sabina
Born in Ubeda, Jaen, Sabina is an accomplished latin, rock and trova singer-songwriter and poet renowned for his poetry that explores themes of love and social injustice in his music. As one of Spain’s foremost musicians, Sabina’s music has found an audience worldwide. He is considered one of the country’s premier performers and his songs have touched many. He is celebrated as an integral member of Spanish musical culture with many fans enjoying his poetic and soulful compositions which often touch hearts across Spain.
At 14, he began writing poetry and composing music as part of a rockabilly band that emulated Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. In 1968, he attended University of Granada but left early due to persecution by Francisco Franco’s regime; there he collaborated in theater productions as well as cultural events; then in 1975 began composing songs and singing at local bars before eventually producing two albums with these names; “Inventario” followed later that same year with “Malas Companias.”
Rocio
Rocio is an appealing gender-neutral name with a lively springtime flair that honors Mary as the Virgin of the Dew – making it an excellent selection for your child.
Rocio Durcal made history when she selected her stage name by blindly pointing blindfolded at a map of Spain when selecting it as her stage name, going from teenage idol to one of Latin music’s most sophisticated and distinguished song stylists over four decades. Unfortunately, she succumbed to uterine cancer at home in Torrelodones Madrid in 2006 before some of her ashes were placed into a crypt at Basilica Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
Alfredo Kraus
Alfredo Kraus was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to a Spanish-naturalised Austrian journalist father and quickly rose through the ranks as an esteemed light lyric tenor during the latter half of the 20th century, becoming best-known as an outstanding performer of Werther in Jules Massenet’s opera under that same name.
After graduating as a technical industrial engineer, he began studying singing both in Barcelona and Milan with Catalonian soprano Mercedes Llopart – eventually winning first prize at Geneva competition to embark upon professional opera career.
Kraus not only performed, but he was also an educator. From 1980 onward, his performances gradually decreased while he focused more on teaching; schools, auditoriums and cultural centres around the country have since been named after him.
Bisbal
Bisbal’s passionate lyrics and dynamic rhythms have won him millions of followers around the globe, particularly in Spain and Latin America, where his songs have become celebration anthems.
Bisbal first auditioned for Operacion Triunfo reality television show in 2001 and finished as Rosa Lopez’s runner-up. As one of three top contestants who advanced to phase two of Operacion Triunfo competition, he represented Spain at Eurovision in Tallinn, Estonia as Rosa Lopez’s backup vocalist.
Corazon Latino was an enormous hit, topping both Spanish charts and reaching diamond status across Latin America. Kike Santander produced his follow up album Buleria; which also topped Spanish charts and sold over two million copies globally.
Marta Sanchez
Marta Sanchez stands out on New York City’s contemporary music scene by mixing vanguard creative jazz with diverse musical traditions, distinguished by three critically-acclaimed quintet releases on Whirlwind Recordings and now SAAM (Spanish American Art Museum) on Whirlwind Recordings; an album full of emotional candor and boundary-pushing compositions.
Pianist-composer Sanchez has assembled an all-star cast to realize her intricate, technical writing – frontline partners Alex Lore on alto and Roman Filiu on tenor trace lines in counterpoint or cross over more moodily while bassist Rashaan Carter and drummer Allan Mednard provide rhythmic momentum.
Sanchez creates beautiful melodies, but also employs simple techniques for striking effects – like cascading saxophone notes on December 11th as a tribute to her mother who died that day.