Kuky

Lucero Rodriguez entered the world in California’s San Fernando Valley, where her mother had immigrated from Sonora, the Mexican region long celebrated as a cradle of exceptional musical talent that has given the nation many of its most celebrated performers. As a child she frequently accompanied her mother on weekend trips to rodeos and festivals across the area, absorbing performances of traditional mariachi songs. During high school she acquired the nickname Kuky, bestowed because of her irreverent and playfully mocking demeanor. Public singing remained rare for her in those years; aside from occasional renditions of the national anthem at athletic contests, she rarely performed. Once she finished school, however, Kuky devoted increasing hours to vocal and instrumental training, often passing spare time inside neighborhood studios where she practiced backup singing and choral work. It was there that she encountered Sergio and Francisco Gómez, the members of the Latin hip-hop duo Akwid. The brothers soon asked her to join them onstage at several local concerts. Impressed by her commanding presence and evident enthusiasm, they urged her to pursue a solo career despite her inexperience. Through their industry ties she secured an introduction to Machete Music, the urban Latino imprint of Universal Music, which extended an offer for a debut album. Although initially hesitant, Kuky undertook the challenge of composing the entire set of Spanish-language material, having grown up speaking primarily English. The resulting self-titled record includes two appearances by Akwid—the first time the pair had collaborated with another artist in their extensive discography—and reached stores in November 2006, presented to urban Latino listeners through the national radio single “Ya No.”