Encarnita Anillo, flamenco cantaora. Interview

“Ever since I was able to think for myself
I've been up on stage”

Carlos Sánchez. Cadiz, August 2006

Young and cheerful. Modest and contented. An untiring workaholic. The name Encarnita Anillo is starting to shine brightly in the crowded galaxy of flamenco. At just 23 years of age, she has an impressive resumé due to her hard work and dedication to the artform that won her over. In spite of her youth, the list of artists she already worked with includes the likes of Farruco, Farruquito, Belén Maya, Israel Galván, Alejandro Granados, Andrés Marín and Antonio Canales. The knowledge she's built up on these adventures affords her the maturity she needs to embark on her solo career. Her name appears more and more often at key flamenco events. Right now she's busy recording her first album, which will be on the shelves early next year.

Encarnita Anillo with Andrés Marín (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

How was flamenco nurtured at home?

My brother José and I made a career out of this. My grandmother on my father's side also danced, and my mother's father sang very well in the line of Manolo Caracol. There's always been a knack for flamenco at home. My father is a huge fan.

And why did you decide to make your career in flamenco?

Ever since I was able to think for myself I've been up on stage. When I was just five years old I was already dancing por soleá. In those days my brother sang accompaniment while I danced. I started to imitate him and that's how I gradually started to get into cante. At the age of ten I was already singing and dancing. I toured the peñas of Cadiz with a show in two parts: in the first I sang and in the second I danced. And at twelve years of age I went off to work with the Farruco family. That's where I started to work more as a cantaora than as a bailaora. I gave up dance because everybody was calling on me to sing.

Would you like to have been a bailaora?

I'd choose cante, but the truth is I'd also like to have been a bailaora because I love flamenco dance. But anyway, I can't complain.

Was your parents' support critical to your career?

My father is a true flamenco aficionado and my mother loves flamenco. They've always supported us, both my brother and me, in everything we do. They never criticized or interfered. Even when we were at school, they let us choose whatever we wanted to do once we'd done our other work. Both my brother and I finished our studies and decided to dedicate ourselves to this.

How did you end up in the Farruco company?

It was through the guitarist Román Vicenti, who's known me since I was little. He told Farruco there was a girl in Cadiz that sang very well. In those days Farruquito was twelve and I was eleven. So one afternoon they took me to Seville and stuck me in front of Farruco, Farruquito and La Farruca. They started marking the compás and I started singing. It seems they liked me because ever since then I've been with them all. We still work together and the truth is it fills me with pride.

And what other artists have you forged your career with?

	Encarnita Anillo

In the year 2000 a lot of doors were opened to me in Seville thanks to my taking part in Israel Galván's show ‘Metamorfosis’. That year I also worked in the show ‘Colores’ by Rafael de Carmen, Rafaela Carrasco, Pepe de Pura… a truly elite band of artists. These two shows were my chance make a name for myself. Back then I was about fourteen or fifteen. Thanks to that, a lot of artists started calling me - like Belén Maya, Andrés Peña, Alejandro Granados, Antonio Canales and Andrés Marín. I also started doing things on my own.

Which influences does your cante draw on?

The best ones. I like to immerse myself in cantes that give me butterflies in my stomach when I hear them. My male influences include Tomás Pavón, Caracol, Vallejo, Juan Varea, Camarón, Marchena, Fosforito, Chacón and many more. As for women, I could name La Niña de los Peines, Carmen Linares, Isabelita de Jerez, Adela la Chaqueta, La Perla… And out of the cantaores from Cadiz I'd choose Aurelio, Chano Lobato, Manolo Vargas… I like to pick all the good features of each of them.

Are people born with cante in their veins?

Yeah. You can learn the lyrics and the styles, but if you aren't born with the gift of knowing how to perform them you aren't going to get anywhere. You can push yourself and improve little by little, because nobody is born with know-how. But for sure to sing flamenco you need to have some innate talent. For example my father knows all the styles but has no flair for singing. And I'm not just talking about cante because the same is true of guitar and baile.

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