Singer María Mérida Dies At The Age Of 96

María Mérida, considered the lady of canción canaria, has died at the age of 96, as reported by the Valverde City Council (El Hierro).

Born on the island of El Hierro on June 5, 1925, she soon captivated the public with a beautiful voice, winning her first pageant contest at just 12 years old. In her teens, she moved to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where she expanded her learning about folclore canario.

Continuing her musical learning, she traveled to Madrid, where she achieved great successes, coinciding with artists such as Lola Flores, Marujita Díaz, Ava Gardner, Pepe Blanco, among others.

Simultaneously, she collaborated with Radio Madrid, Radio Intercontinental, and Radio Nacional de España, where she worked for seven years making a program for Spanish emigrants that was broadcast throughout Latin America, comforting them with the melodies of their land wherever they were.

During her stay in the capital, she founded El Hogar Canario, in addition to being the first Canarian woman to record an album popularizing the song ‘Palmero rises to La Palma’. In the 1950s, ‘The New York Times’ called her one of the four best voices in the world, while ‘Le Figaro’ called her the ‘ Canarian Edith Piaf ‘.

The best theaters of the five continents have witnessed the art of María Mérida, who throughout her more than 80 years of musical career shared the stage with a select group of world-renowned artists such as Alfredo Kraus, Plácido Domingo, and Monserrat Caballé.

Great promoter of the Canarian musical heritage, Favorite Daughter of the island of El Hierro, throughout her career she received a large number of awards and honors, among which the Canary Islands award in the category of Popular Culture, the Canary Islands Order, stands out. the Taburiente Prize and the Honor Prize of the Spanish Choirs and Dances, crowning its showcase with the 2021 Canarian Music Honor Prize for its entire career.

Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.

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