Paloma San Basilio

Before embarking on a music career, Spanish vocalist Paloma San Basilio completed studies in philosophy and psychology. Her initial move toward professional singing came in 1975 when she cut a demo of Roberta Flack material and forwarded it to Hispavox. Recording sessions for her debut album, Sombras, followed shortly afterward. After issuing ¿Dónde Vas? in 1977, she reached the Spanish charts with Bebu Silvetti’s “Secretos.” The following year she captured a performance at Madrid’s Teatro Monumental for the live album En Directo and then embarked on a Latin American trek that also included select dates in the United States and Canada. Late in 1980 she added stage acting to her résumé by assuming the title role in the musical Evita; the production earned widespread praise for more than two years, and from June 1983 onward she toured internationally with it. In 1985 she appeared at Eurovisión on Spain’s behalf, delivering the Juan Carlos Calderón composition “La Fiesta Terminó.” Throughout the 1990s and 2000s she maintained an active recording schedule—releasing Clasicamente Tuya in 1997, Invierno Sur in 2007, and Amolap in 2012—while sustaining a steady program of live concerts.