Lena Burke

Lena Pérez traces her roots to the Cuban vocal tradition through grandmother Elena Burke and mother Marlena Burke, both renowned singers, while her father, producer Rey Nerio, further embedded music in her upbringing. Born in Havana, she pursued childhood studies in guitar alongside classical piano, though the latter became her deepest attachment. Voice work also captivated her, sharpening her technique through background vocals on projects by Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Thalía, Jaci Velasquez, Chayanne, and Alejandro Sanz. An introduction to the last of those artists ultimately launched her front-line career. Sanz, struck by the original material she performed for him, connected her with Warner Music Latina, which promptly offered a contract. Her self-titled debut surfaced in 2005 and sparked a tour covering much of Latin America plus select European dates. A couple of years afterward she portrayed legendary Cuban singer La Lupe in the biopic La Mala and supplied every vocal performance on its soundtrack, issued in 2008. In 2010 she collaborated with Spanish singer Alex Ubago and Colombian Jorge Villamizar, ex-member of Bacilos, on the joint endeavor Alex, Jorge y Lena.