Diana Navarro Ocaña is a famous Spanish singer from the Andalucía region of Spain. Born in Malaga on April 21, 1978, she is now one of the known faces in the Spanish music scene with speciality in the traditional folk genre, including flamenco.

Although she sings flamenco, but her singing exhibits different musical styles such as Andalusia folk songs, flamenco, ballad, saeta, copla, modern, new age, and largely in a fusion of pop, rhythms and electronic, with lyrics full of emotions.

With a strong musical background from her family, she grew up with the influence of flamenco, which was quite obvious as Andalucía is the birth place for flamenco. And, when she was just nine years of age, she performed for the first time as a solo singer with the group “Renacer”.

From there on, Diana Navarro started her singing career and participated in numerous events and competition. However, in between, she took classes and learned different kinds of music before moving to the professional world.

A young unknown until 2005, the year when she released her first album “No te olvides de mi” (Don’t Forget Me) that sold over 200,000 copies, her talent and amazing voice has already signalled the rising of a new star in the Spanish music industry.

However, before the release of Don’t Forget Me as her first national album, she was working with a local production company (Bahía Records) where she made two albums: “Noche de Coplas” and “Homenaje”, and both are quite popular till date.

“No te olvides de mi” earned her the reputation and recognition she needed for the years to come. She not only clinched the award Premio Ondas (Artista Revelación), but also received 6 nominations to the Premio de la Música, Premio Dial in 2006, and nomination at the Latin Grammys as new artist, among many others.

After the release of Don’t Forget Me, Navarro collaborated with some international artists and performed extensively in Spain and other parts of Europe before bringing out her second album “24 Rosas” (24 Roses) in 2007. The album, as she says, is an extension to the first one with little more lyrical.

There are 14 tracks in the album “24 Roses” and in each one, her singing and the rhythm offers you something new to look for others. Both of her albums established that Navarro is more inclined towards copla than flamenco, although the origin of the two is same.

In 2008, Diana Navarro came up with her next album “Camino Verde” (Green Path) to pay homage to her most admired flamenco singers. With each composition she has reached a remarkable musical maturity and as someone, who has reinvented the flamenco style from within the tradition.

Born in Madrid in 1967, Aida Gomez is one of the most known faces in the Spanish ballet and flamenco world. With many national and international honour and recognition to her credit, Aida Gomez is regarded as one of world’s greatest flamenco dancers.

At the mere age of 12 she obtained an honorary graduation in Spanish classical dance that showed her passion towards dance, and also for someone who saw ‘dance’ as a motivation to life and not just a career option.

Although Gomez learned all kinds of Spanish traditional/classical dance styles in the initial stage, she became more inclined towards flamenco because of the freedom of expression and also because of the unique rhythmic combination with guitar and vocals in this form of dance.

At fourteen, she joined the National Ballet Company under the guidance of Antonio El Bailarín and performed many leading roles. She also starred alongside the great Antonio Gades in a popular play “Bodas de Sangre” (or Blood Wedding).

In 1989 she played the character of “Doña Inés” in the ballet “Don Juan”, written by Miguel Narros with choreography by Jose Antonio. In the same year Aida Gomez also participated in the Antonia Merce – La Argentina – centenary celebration held at the Teatro Maria Guerrero in Madrid.

Besides, she has also performed with some of the greatest names in Flamenco while touring different parts of the world, before she was appointed as the Artistic Director by the Spanish Ministry of Culture in 1997. This makes her the youngest ever Director of the National Ballet.

She later made her own dance company with self-choreographed production, and the documentary film directed by Carlos Saura on the making of “Salome” also awarded her the Best Artistic Contribution prize at the Montreal International Film Festival.

Whether it’s the tragic tale “Salome” or the tale of betrayal “Carmen”, Gomez’s dance truly represents human emotions with some unique dance techniques those identify herself among other flamenco dancers.

With her immense artistic contribution, Gomez is not only a celebrated face in the Spanish flamenco dance scene but also in the performing arts community across the world. Her dance company, with dancers and musicians, today travels all across the world performing and promoting this vigorous and rhythmic dance form of flamenco.

Born in 1955 in Santiago (Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz), José Soto Soto, popularly known as Jose Merce, is a very renowned figure in the world of flamenco. Ever since he recorded his first album at the tender age of 13, he continues to enthral the music lovers.

His artistic talent certainly comes from his family members who were deeply associated with this style of Andalusian music and dance. Jose is the great-grandson of Francisco Valencia (Paco la Luz), a maestro in Siguiriyas, and also the nephew of Manuel Soto, the patron of Jerez flamenco.

Jose’s nickname comes from his first appearance in the choir of the Basilica de la Merced when he was just a boy. Even that time he accompanied some of the best known flamenco cantors, guitarists and dancers on several tours.

He worked with the famous “Madrid Trio” (the contemporary flamenco trio: Mario Maya, El Güito and Carmen Mora), and in a decade long association with flamenco dancer Antonio Gades and his company, he toured different parts of the world.

After performing in Ballet Nacional and few other national events, he started teaching flamenco music in cultural centres and also joined the International Courses of Flamenco Art in the Faculty of Flamencology and Andalusian Folk Studies as a teacher. In 1986, he won the Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco (National Flamenco Competition).

Jose also took part in the film Bodas de Sangre, by Carlos Saura, besides working with guitarist Enrique De Melchor, Tomatito, Vicente Amigo and Moraito that amplified his popularity chart with several albums, including Verde Junco (1983), Caminos Reales Del Cante (1987), Hondas Raíces (1991), Desnudando el Alma (1994), Del Amanecer (1998) and the 2000 hit Aire.

Although he is now settled in Madrid, as one of the prominent Flamenco artists in Spain, Jose Merce is a common face in many Andalusia festivals, including the annual Marbella San Bernabé. His recent albums like Lío (2002), Lo que no se da (2006) and the 2010 released Ruido are also very popular in the Spanish speaking world.

For more information visit: www.josemerce.es

Top of the Pops may have just been killed of in the UK but in Spain the “Cuarenta Principales” (top 40) is going from strength to strength with several radio and television stations devoted completely to playing the hits.

In fact in June 15 million people tuned into a 7 hour “Cuarenta Principales “40th birthday concert. Pop music in Spain has never been so popular, exciting and varied!

Modern pop music in Spain started more or less during the sixties and at first it was mainly derivative of the Beatles, American rock and roll and French pop (!). During the seventies Spain came under the influences of the rest of Europe as tourism boomed and money started to roll in.

Kids had more money to spend and they began to get bored with the same safe music-Miguel Rios, The Gypsy Kings, and Julio Iglesias-stuff your mother would approve of! This is about the time punk started in the UK and the “la movida” movement which blossomed in Madrid was similar.

New styles appeared and pop music became more daring. By 1980 bands such as “Alaska and the Pegamoides” and Mecano had hit the charts and Spanish pop really took of. Now, mainstream pop has had to move over and make room for Latino, Hip-Hop, R&B, Indie and of course the increasingly popular Reggaeton!

Flamenco is still very much part of the modern music scene in Spain and there is always at least one or two flamenco stars such as Estrella Morente in the charts.

However mainstream pop is still the favourite and Spain now boasts some of the best pop in Europe-it’s a massive export industry, just think of Enrique Iglesias.

Because of the strong influence of flamenco a lot of pop music here is very melodic and with very distinctive guitar rhythms and therefore it is popular with all generations, not just the under thirties.

Bands such as Estopa, and Pastora and artists like Rosario Flores, and Alejandro Sanz are typical of this middle of the road appeal and radio stations such as Canal Fiesta, which plays non-stop MOR, can be heard blazing out of shops and houses all over Andalucia.

Boy bands, girl bands and family bands are also very en-vogue Good examples are the recent summer global hit Asereje by Las Ketchup a group of sisters, daughters of a famous flamenco guitarist “Tomatito” and Los Caños, from the Costa de La Luz, who were young school friends who took the charts by storm recently with “Niña”.

Now they have sadly split up- but one band member, Kiko has just had a chart hit, “Mienteme” with his sister Shara.. Las Chuches are another great example- 3 little girls from Cordoba who took the charts by storm with “Como ronea”.

We can’t leave out “Operación Triunfo” the Spanish equivalent of Pop Idol. All of Spain seems to be addicted to it (almost as fanatically as to “Gran Hermano” the Spanish Big Brother) and the training and voting is taken very seriously. (well not quite!)

Some very big pop stars have emerged from Operacion Triunfo, especially from the first series; David Bisbal (phoarr!) is now an international star and is currently recording his new album in London. Likewise Rosa, Bustamante, Chenoa and Natalia who all grace the charts and also do very well touring.

Spanish pop is varied, fun and the ideal accompaniment to a day at the beach or pool!

Spain has always been a very musical country and many families still have the tradition of music making in the home. The rural nature of the country probably helped as it meant that the dreaded TV did not get a hold on people’s time and imagination so soon.

The pleasant climate also helps by making outdoor activities such as playing and listening to music in the street very pleasurable (even possible perhaps)!

The ferias which are held in every town and village, also keep older style musical traditions up with dance bands and show bands playing styles from the forties to the present day.

Sevillanas and Pasodobles are the order of the day in the Casetas at the ferias with couples (mixed and ladies only, especially for the Sevillanas) filling the dance floors all-night.

There are a myriad styles of traditional Spanish music ranging from folk music through to flamenco, Copla and Pasodoble . As the Spanish speaking world is so large the more Latin and South American styles of cumbia, maraiachi and salsa. etc are also very popular.

However, whatever the style, it’s the artists that count and some Copla stars have a huge following. Rocio Jurado, who died last month, caused national mourning and page after page of tributes in the press, and not just in the “prensa rosa” (gossip papers)!

Her big rival was, and still is, “La Reina de la Copla” Isabel Pantoja. La Pantoja is also a regular in the gossip papers- more for her association with Julian Muñoz, the ex Mayor of Marbella now under police investigation, than for her music!

Other stalwarts of the Copla who are played regularly on the radio include Raphael and of course, Juanito Valderrama, who died in 2004 but whose shoes are now filled admirably by his son to the delight of many women “of a certain age”. Coplas are songs of romance and passion as are the songs of, Julio Iglesias, the original heartthrob himself.

An interesting fact, that not many people know (got that in!), is that he only turned to singing after giving up a promising career at Real Madrid football club following injury! Julio’s son Enrique is also a heartthrob singer, but with a slightly younger generation of ladies!

Lola Flores , “La Faraona” (the Egyptian Queen- because of her looks and make-up) still holds the hearts of millions of Spanish men and women. With a cinema and singing career that spanned decades she was the symbol of the glamorous side of gypsy flamenco.

She died in 1995, again amidst much national grief, but still has record sales world wide. Her family has also followed in her footsteps and her two daughters, Rosario and Lola, are very successful.

Other flamenco classic stars still popular include Los Chichos and Los Chunguitos

Summer music is always very important in Spain and Georgie Dann “El rey del verano” had massive hits with “Chiringuito and Barbacoa (Beachbar and Barbecue).

He perhaps was responsible for the origins of the increasingly annoying and overplayed Spanish summer songs-think of La Bomba by King Africa and you will know what I mean!