Alaska (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alaska
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Alaska in 2024
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Olvido Gara Jova
13 June 1963 Mexico City, Mexico
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| Other names | The Mexican Acid Queen |
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| Years active | 1977–present |
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| Origin | Madrid, Spain |
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Olvido Gara Jova (born June 13, 1963), known professionally as Alaska, is a Spanish-Mexican singer, songwriter, actress, and DJ. She was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and lived there for ten years. Then, she moved to Spain with her family.
In Spain, she started as a guitarist in the band Kaka de Luxe. Later, in 1979, she became the lead singer and songwriter for Alaska y los Pegamoides. With this group, she had her first number one hit song, "Bailando." This made her very famous in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries.
From 1983, she was the lead singer and songwriter for Alaska y Dinarama. This group also released many popular albums. Many of her songs became number one hits. Some of her biggest songs include "Perlas ensangrentadas," "Rey del Glam," "Cómo pudiste hacerme esto a mí," "Ni tú ni nadie," and "A quién le importa."
Alaska has also appeared in many TV shows, movies, and radio programs. One of her most famous roles was in La bola de cristal (1984-1988). This was a TV show in the 1980s that treated kids like adults. It showed the big changes happening in Spain at the time. As an actress, she was well-known for her part in Pepi, Luci, Bom and Other Girls on the Heap (1980). This movie was directed by Pedro Almodóvar. On TV, she was a judge on Lluvia de estrellas (2001) and a host on Alaska y Segura (2014-2015). She also starred in the reality show Alaska y Mario (2011-2018) with her husband, Mario Vaquerizo.
Since 1989, Alaska has been part of Fangoria. This is an electronic music group she leads with Nacho Canut. They started as an underground band and became popular with their album Una temporada en el infierno (1999). Their hit songs include "No sé qué me das," "Dramas y comedias," and "Espectacular."
Alaska is known for her unique and bold style in music, fashion, and performances.
Contents
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Growing Up in Mexico and Spain
Olvido Gara Jova was born on June 13, 1963, in Mexico City, Mexico. Her father, Manuel Gara López, was from Asturias, Spain. Her mother, América Jova Godoy, was Cuban. Her father had moved from Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Alaska is their only child.
When she was 10, in 1973, Alaska moved to Spain with her parents and grandmother. This big change was hard for her. She found comfort in books and comics. She was inspired by artists like David Bowie and Lou Reed. In 1977, Alaska started hanging out at El Rastro in Madrid. She and her friend El Zurdo decided to create a magazine and a music group. Alaska chose her stage name from Lou Reed's song "Caroline Says II," which has the line "All her friends call her Alaska."
Kaka de Luxe and Alaska y los Pegamoides
In 1977, the punk rock band Kaka de Luxe was formed. Alaska played guitar in this group. Their first show was in Madrid. In 1978, they released their first music, an EP called Kaka de Luxe. The band broke up that same year because the members had different ideas.
After Kaka de Luxe, Alaska, Nacho Canut, and Carlos Berlanga formed a new band in 1979 called Alaska y los Pegamoides. They wanted to make music that was different from their old band. Other musicians joined and left the group over time. Alaska eventually became the main singer, and she stopped playing guitar.
In 1980, the band recorded their first single, "Horror en el hipermercado." This song was quite successful. In 1981, some members started other music projects. For example, Nacho Canut and Eduardo Benavente formed Parálisis Permanente. In 1982, Alaska y los Pegamoides released their only album, Grandes éxitos. This album included their famous song "Bailando." The band often changed their look, from colorful pop to a darker punk style.
Alaska y los Pegamoides broke up at the end of 1982. Carlos Berlanga left the group and formed Dinarama with Nacho Canut.
Music Career in the 1980s
In 1982, Alaska joined Dinarama. In 1983, they released their first album, Canciones Profanas, under the name Dinarama + Alaska. For their next album, Deseo carnal, they changed the name to "Alaska y Dinarama." They kept this name until 1989. In 1989, Carlos Berlanga left the band during their tour for their last album, Fan Fatal. This album paid tribute to many bands they admired, like Ramones and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
When "Alaska y Dinarama" ended, Nacho Canut and Alaska decided to form a new group called "Fangoria." They changed their music style to electronic pop. Their first album, Salto Mortal, was released in 1990. After that, they released a series of albums called Un día cualquiera en Vulcano I, II, and III. During this time, Alaska became a big supporter of the LGBT community and was very active in Madrid Gay Pride events.
Fangoria became very popular with their album Una Temporada en el Infierno (1999). Many people consider it a masterpiece of electronic music. Their next album, Naturaleza muerta (2001), also showed Fangoria's talent. In 2004, they released Arquitectura Efímera.
In the late 1980s, Alaska also hosted a children's TV show in Spain called La Bola de Cristal.
21st Century Projects
In 2005, Fangoria visited Mexico to promote their album Arquitectura efímera. Alaska appeared on a Mexican comedy show called Desde Gayola. She played herself in one part and a DJ character named Galaxia in another.
From 2011 to 2018, Alaska starred in the MTV Spain reality series Alaska y Mario. The show featured her and her husband, Mario Vaquerizo.
Collaborations and Film Roles
In 1980, Alaska acted in the Pedro Almodóvar film Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón. She also had small roles in other movies like Airbag.
Alaska has contributed to movie soundtracks. She worked on the music for The Killer Tongue and The Bear Cub. She also sang on Miguel Bosé's album Papito (2007) for the song "Amante Bandido."
In 2025, Alaska was featured on Aitana's fourth album, Cuarto Azul, on the song "LA CHICA PERFECTA."
Discography
Kaka de Luxe
- Kaka de Luxe (1978)
- Kaka de Luxe/Paraíso (1982)
- Las canciones malditas (1983)
Alaska y Los Pegamoides
- Grandes Éxitos (1982)
- Alaska y Los Pegamoides (1982)
- Llegando hasta el final (1982)
- Mundo Indómito (1998)
Alaska y Dinarama
- Canciones Profanas (1983)
- Deseo carnal (1984)
- No es pecado (1986)
- Diez (1988)
- Fan fatal (1989)
Fangoria
- "Salto mortal" (1990)
- "Un día cualquiera en Vulcano" (Super Extended Play 1.0) (1992)
- "Un día cualquiera en Vulcano" (Super Extended Play 2.0) (1993)
- "Un día cualquiera en Vulcano" (Super Extended Play 3.0) (1995)
- Interferencias (1998)
- Una temporada en el infierno (1999)
- Naturaleza muerta (2001)
- Arquitectura efímera (2004)
- El extraño viaje (2006)
- Entre Punta Cana y Monte Carlo (2008)
- Absolutamente (2009)
- El paso transcendental del vodevil a la astracanada (2010)
- "Policromía" (2013)
- "Cuatricromía" (2012)
- "Canciones para robots románticos" (2016)
- "Pianissimo" (2017)
- "Extrapolaciones y dos preguntas 1989–2000 (2019)
- "Extrapolaciones y dos respuestas 2001–2019 (2019)
- "Existencialismo pop" (2021)
- "Edificaciones paganas" (2022)
- "Exprofeso" (2022)
See also
In Spanish: Alaska (cantante) para niños
