Paulina Álvarez facts for kids

Paulina Álvarez was a famous Cuban singer. She was born Raimunda Paula Peña Álvarez on June 29, 1912, and passed away on July 22, 1965. She was known for singing "danzonetes," which are special songs based on a Cuban dance called danzón. People called her "The Empress of the Danzonete" because she was so good at it in the 1930s. Her most famous song was "Rompiendo la rutina," which was the very first danzonete. She recorded her only full album in 1960.

Life and Music Career

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Paulina Álvarez was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba, on June 29, 1912. When she was just eight or nine years old, she was already singing at parties and school events. In 1926, at age 14, her family moved to Havana. There, she started her professional singing career. She performed in social clubs, theaters, and on radio shows.

Paulina first sang boleros and canciones (songs). But she quickly found her special style: the danzonete. This was a new way of singing the traditional danzón dance music, with influences from son cubano music. In 1931, she became the main singer for Orquesta Elegante. This orchestra was led by Edelmiro Pérez, and Obdulio Morales played the piano.

Becoming a Star

Paulina Álvarez with Orquesta Elegante in 1931.

Soon after joining Orquesta Elegante, Paulina became very famous. This happened with the song "Rompiendo la rutina." This song was the very first danzonete, created by Aniceto Díaz in 1929. Because of this hit song, a radio host named Ruiz del Vizo gave her the nickname "La Emperatriz del Danzonete," meaning "The Empress of the Danzonete."

She also had early hits with boleros like "Lágrimas negras" by Miguel Matamoros and "Mujer divina" by Agustín Lara. It was not always easy for her to succeed. Some band leaders at the time were not used to female singers. Paulina then sang with other orchestras, including those of Luis del Castillo, Ernesto Muñoz, Cheo Belén Puig, Hermanos Martínez, and Neno González.

In 1938, Paulina started her own band. It included Manolo Morales on flute, Everardo Ordaz on piano, Rodolfo O'Farrill on bass, and Gustavo Tamayo playing the güiro. With her own band, she recorded many songs for the Victor record label in 1939 and 1940. These recordings included danzones, but also guarachas and rumbas.

Later Years and Final Performances

By the 1940s, the popularity of danzón orchestras began to fade. Other music styles, like son cubano conjuntos, became more popular. This led Paulina Álvarez to take a break from performing. During this time, she studied music theory and learned to play the guitar and piano. She also worked to improve her singing voice.

After her studies, she formed a new orchestra with her husband, Luis Armando Ortega, who was a violinist. In 1943, they had their own radio show on the CMQ station. Their new band featured famous musicians like flautist José Fajardo and pianist Rubén González.

After another short break in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Paulina started performing again in 1956. In 1959, she recorded a very important version of "Rompiendo la rutina." She was backed by the Gran Orquesta Típica Nacional, led by Gilberto Valdés.

In 1960, Paulina Álvarez recorded her only full album. This album was made at the EGREM studios in Havana. It included famous boleros like "Campanitas de cristal" by Rafael Hernández and "Obsesión" by Pedro Flores. Her last public performance was on May 18, 1965. She sang the bolero "Honda pena" on a TV show called Música y Estrellas. She performed with another famous danzón singer, Barbarito Díez, and the popular Orquesta Aragón. Paulina Álvarez passed away in Havana on July 22, 1965.

Legacy and Influence

Paulina Álvarez is remembered as one of the most important female singers in Cuban music. Even famous salsa star Celia Cruz looked up to Paulina and considered herself a student of Álvarez. In 2010, the well-known bolero singer Omara Portuondo released a tribute album to Paulina Álvarez. It was called Rompiendo la rutina and won a special award at Cubadisco 2011.