Cabas, a Colombian singer and songwriter, enjoys strong popularity at home while earning respect farther afield. His blend of folk traditions and funky rhythms evokes the sound of compatriot Carlos Vives, yet Cabas projects a younger, more contemporary edge than the former actor turned performer. At just 24 he rocketed to national stardom with the 2000 release of his self-titled debut on EMI, driven especially by the chart-dominating single “Mi Bombón.”
Andrés Cabas, as he is occasionally credited, entered the world on 7 October 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia, the son of Eduardo Cabas, himself a noted songwriter. The same year the younger Cabas turned 24, “Mi Bombón” held the top spot on Colombia’s singles chart for an extended run, and the accompanying album likewise performed strongly, securing a Latin Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2002. His sophomore effort, Contacto, arrived in 2003 and proved equally successful, yielding the further international hit “La Caderona.”
Success continued with Puro Cabas in 2005. Toy Hernández and Sacha Triujeque handled production duties, while songwriter and producer Kike Santander contributed the track “La Cadena de Oro.” That song received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Tropical Song, and the album itself was nominated for Best Contemporary Tropical Album. Capitalizing on the momentum, three newly recorded songs were added to earlier material to create De la Sombra a la Luz in 2006, essentially an expanded edition of Puro Cabas. Two years afterward, Cabas again earned Latin Grammy attention when “Bonita,” taken from Amores Dificiles (2008), was nominated for Recording of the Year.
