Karina

Born in Andalusia, Spain on December 4, 1946, María Isabel Llaudes Santiago – known professionally as Karina – emerged as a pop singer in the sixties and embodied the chic and swinging sound of yé yé. Starting out in television, Santiago began recording music in 1964 and experienced success in Venezuela, before winning over her Spanish audience with her hit 1965 version of France Gall's "Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son". Santiago released her debut album, Karina vol. I, in 1966 and was applauded for her contribution to the Southern Europe-born musical style of yé yé, picking up the Best Yé Yé Singer prize that year. Santiago's second and third albums, Karina vol. II and Karina III, arrived in 1968 and 1970 respectively, and during those years she amassed a clutch of hits, including “Las Flechas Del Amor”, “Regresarás", “El Baúl De Los Recuerdos”, “Romeo y Julieta" and more. Santiago represented Spain at the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest, coming second with the song "En Un Mundo Nuevo". Hot on the heels of her Eurovision triumph, she took a starring role in the 1972 film En Un Mundo Nuevo, inspired by her appearance at the contest. Santiago went on to score numerous hits in her homeland, including a Spanish-language cover of "Abergavenny", entitled "La Fiesta", which appeared on her fourth album Colores, released in 1970. Santiago, who is still an active performer, later relocated to Mexico where she became immersed in the tradition of rancheras.

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