I
Luz Casal

About:

11 November 1958

Her first name, Luz, means 'light' in Spanish .She was born in Boimorto, La Coruña, and grew up in neighbouring Asturias. She took singing, piano and ballet classes and moved to Madrid to pursue a career as a musician. Her first band was called llamado Los Fannys. The band was no success but it did give Luz a break to perform in the musical Las Divinas. In 1980 she released a first single ‘El ascensor’ which was reggae influenced. In 1981 she started performing with the group Leño but in the end found herself recording her debut album with the band.

The album was followed by Los ojos del gato in 1984 and a European tour with singer Ramoncin. She recorded a cover version of Étienne Daho's French language song 'Duel au soleil' in Spanish called 'Un nuevo día brillará', which became a hit song. Throughout she kept on making typical light pop music. This changed in 1988 when she performed with a more intimate style the TV show Viaje con nosotros and performed at the Sevilla festival with a traditional tango song together with the group 'Pata Negra'. The albums that followed showed a more serious singer songwriter. And not unsuccessful. Her 1991album 'A contraluz' sold more then 400.000 copies in Spain alone.

In 1992 she enjoyed a great success with her appearance in the soundtrack of Pedro Almodóvar's acclaimed film 'Tacones lejanos' singing Agustin Lara's theme 'Piensa en mí'. Her 2002 album 'Con otra mirada' mixed flamenco and folk with pop and took her music to yet another level.

In January of 2007, Luz Casals was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent an operation in Madrid. After recovering she released 'Vida tóxica' about the experience. In 2009 she takes a turn to more jazzy latin material in a tribute to Spanish light music of yesteryear. Short after she is again diagnosed with cancer. A series of second treatments follows and it takes untill 2012 untill she recovers and returns to the studio to record three new songs for the compilation 'Un ramo de rosas' which compiles her soft jazzy material from her career hitching on the succes of La Passion.

On the web:

- Luz' website: http://www.luzcasal.es

If you like this, you probably like... / european counterparts

Marie Fredriksson (Sweden)

Patty Pravo (Italy)

Lis Sørensen (Denmark)

What do we think:

PR: Luz Casal has a beautiful, rich voice. She writes most of her matrial. Het albums are usually a combination of dramatic ballads (in good Spanish tradition) and guitar- orientated pop-/rock songs. With her 2002 album 'Con otro mirada' she turned away from pop music a bit, and recorded more mature and serious singersongwriter material. Since Spains pop scene was marked by the influence of dictator Franco, it has not a lot of great female singers with long/lasting careers. Luz however, is certainly an exception. This is high quality europopmusic at its best!

DB: I saw Luz perform at the Midem in Cannes in 2002. The event was unlucky programmed in a small hall of the Palais des Festival and with a French house act next door. It proves her professionalism that she pulled of a reasonable gig with such trying circumstances and with mostly acoustic material she toured with at the time. Respect for one of Spains more to be taken serious pop artists.

Albums:

♪♪- Luz - 1982

♪♪♪ - Los ojos del gato - 1984

♪♪ - Luz III - 1985

♪♪ - Quiéreme aunque te duela - 1987

♪♪ - Luz V - 1989

♪♪♪ - A contraluz - 1991

♪♪♪♪ - Como la flor prometida - 1995

♪♪♪♪♪ - Un mar de confianza - 2000

♪♪♪ - Con otra mirada - 2002

Sencilla alegría - 2005

♪♪♪♪ - Vida tóxica - 2007

♪♪♪ - La Pasión - 2009

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided