Balbino Medellin

Balbino Medellín, a French singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose sound carries Spanish influences, issued his first album in 2006. Spanish by heritage, he entered the world on August 11, 1979, in Épinay-sur-Seine, Île-de-France, and mastered singing along with both guitar and violin while still a child. His first commercial appearance arrived in 2001 when the track “Resiste Me” featured on Sergent Garcia’s Sin Fronteras. Bruno “Sergent” Garcia, struck by the guitarist’s skill, asked Medellín to accompany him on the road behind that record. Following roughly two years under Garcia’s guidance, Medellín began working with the band Mano Solo, contributing vocals to “Barrio Barbès” on their Les Animals (2004) and then touring alongside them for another two years in support of the album. He next opened shows for Bernard Lavilliers and lent his voice to “Les Mains d’Or” on the live set Escale au Grand Rex (2005). After five years of guest sessions and road work, Universal Music France extended a solo deal; Medellín’s debut full-length, Gitan de Paname, appeared in 2006. Alain Pewzner produced the Barclay release, which yielded the single “Pigalle ou Tes Yeux” and peaked at number 83 on the French albums chart. Its successor, Le Soleil et l’Ouvrier (2008), included the single “Perpignan” and climbed to number 152.