Albita

Albita grew up in Havana, Cuba, in a household where she heard Cuban son, bolero, and Brazilian bossa nova. That mix of sounds shaped her approach to music, which she brought with her when she moved to the United States. Her 1994 album 'No Se Parece a Nada' gave her an international audience, with the title track becoming a hit.

Her outspoken views about the Cuban government led to a ban from performing in Cuba for several years. She kept recording anyway, putting out albums like 'Albita Caribe' in 1998 and 'La Cancion de Albita' in 2003. Songs like 'Hoy quiero gritar tu nombre' and 'Corazon Rumbero' show her way of working with Cuban rhythms in a contemporary setting.

She has worked with other musicians including Celia Cruz, Juan Luis Guerra, and Omara Portuondo. Her catalog includes more than twenty albums. She has also dealt with health issues including breast cancer and a pulmonary embolism, continuing to make music through those periods.