Rocío Dúrcal

Rocío Dúrcal, known as María de los Ángeles de las Heras Ortiz, was born in Madrid in 1944. From a young age she sang, although sometimes a bit of rebellion slipped out. Her grandfather supported her in those first steps, and with him she entered radio contests. At fifteen, she appeared in a program called *Primer aplauso* with a song called *La sombra vendo*. There Luis Sanz, a guy who was looking for talent, saw her and was impressed. He asked for her contact, and thus her journey began.

Later, she started acting. In 1962 she entered a movie called *Canción de juventud*. From there she went on to make more films, like *Más bonita que ninguna* or *Amor en el aire*. But in 1977, she decided to leave the cinema and dedicate herself to singing. She went to Mexico, where she began recording with Juan Gabriel. Together they made albums that opened doors for her, like *Rocío Dúrcal canta a Juan Gabriel* and *Canta a Juan Gabriel Volumen 6*. In these discs she included songs of mariachi and ranchera, which brought her recognition beyond the borders of her country.