Celia Cruz

Celia Cruz (b. 1925–d. 2003) emblematizes one of the most remarkable artists of the second half of the twentieth century, enduring her place in Latin American music and the history of popular music worldwide. Growing up in Havana, Cuba, Cruz received accolades all through her teenage years for her abilities as a singer. In the last years of the 1940s, Cruz sang solo and with Las Mulatas de Fuego in radio stations, theaters, and cabarets, both within Cuba and abroad as part of the popular music circuit. In 1947–1948, Cruz—although a Catholic—recorded a 78-rpm recording for the Parnat label in Cuba, singing Santería chants accompanied by Batá drums and a Yoruba choir. In 1948, Cruz made her first recording abroad in Venezuela and joined the conjunto Sonora Matancera soon after. During the 1950s, this musical affiliation provided her with a solid platform to continue her artistic transformation. Nevertheless, the political climate in Cuba changed with the end of Fulgencio Batista’s authoritarian regime and the beginning of the Cuban Revolution regime in 1959. La Sonora Matancera’s tour of Mexico in 1960 led to the group’s decision to leave Cuba. Cruz’s music was immediately banned by the new autocratic regime and her reentry onto the island was prohibited. This experience changed “La Guarachera de Cuba,” who never fantasized about communism and whose life and music were defined by a love of freedom. Cruz worked in Mexico’s music and movie industries until she settled in the United States. Once in New York City, Cruz, who married fellow band member and boogaloo Pedro Knight in 1962, established a significant recording and performance collaborations with Tito Puente, and later with Willie Colón, Rubén Blades, Ray Barreto, Héctor Lavoe, and Johnny Pacheco, for the labels Tico, Fania, and Vaya. Aside from joining the Fania All-Stars, Cruz’s big break in the United States began with the album Celia & Johnny (1974), after which she grew into a celebrity musician—though always recognized for her humble personality, work ethic, and moral values. As a result, the “Queen of Salsa,” became a global icon in the world of popular music. With her famous “¡Azúcar!” and her musical art, Cruz impacted the salsa music scene and converted it into an international music genre. Over the course of her artistic path, Cruz—an Afro-Cuban woman who embraced and promoted Latinidad—constantly reinvented herself and adapted to new realities without losing sight of her artistic vision.