The singer from Granada closes the Second Millenium Festival in Barcelona and Madrid

Silvia Calado Olivo

Surrounded by the now unavoidable mass of flashing cameras, Estrella Morente is reaping the benefits of her brilliant debut year in the world of professional flamenco singing. The Sociedad General de Autores de España (SGAE) awarded the singer from Granada a platinum record for the more than one hundred thousand copies that were sold of her first record 'Mi cante y un poema' which is slated to be released throughout Europe on the Real World label, and a gold record for the sixty thousand copies of 'Calle del aire' that have already been sold. The awards ceremony for both prizes where composer Mauricio Sotelo represented producer Enrique Morente, also served as a presentation for two concerts in which the singer closes the second edition of the Millenium Festival in Barcelona and Madrid.

Estrella Morente, with platinum and gold
records (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Firmly decided "to continue working hard, as the art deserves", Estrella Morente is reaping the recognition of her short, but brilliantly successful professional career. On February 12th at Madrid's center of the SGAE, after a lengthy photo-op session uncommon for a flamenco singer, the cantaora from Granada picked up the symbolic records which represent the market's acceptance of her first two recording efforts. The singer dedicated the platinum for one hundred thousand copies of 'Mi cante y un poema', and the gold for 'Calle del aire' which has sold about sixty thousand, "to all the people who protect and support me, and also spur me on" whom she considers "worthier of this recognition" than herself.

Her father, singer Enrique Morente, whose support she says she is very grateful for, was represented at the ceremony by composer Mauricio Sotelo who picked up the corresponding records for the producer and praised the young singer: "This prize is not only for Estrella's voice, which is a miracle, but also for her deep knowledge of cante and music". Javier Liñán, director of Chewaka, the branch of Virgin which released both recordings, employed the same praiseful tone declaring that "Estrella is an outstanding phenomenon within flamenco, since it hasn't even been one year since she made her debut". Liñán added that the singer "is already an international star" as demonstrated by the fact that Real World, Peter Gabriel's 'world music' company is going to release 'Mi cante y un poema' for the European market on February 18th. With regard to Peter Gabriel, Estrella Morente comments that although she hasn't met the British musician and producer yet, "he sent me four bouquets of flowers that are nothing less than four extravagances".

Estrella Morente and Mauricio Sotelo
(Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

International stardom

One indication of the artist's international fame is also her upcoming performance in London. Estrella Morente comments that "I think that having your voice cross frontiers and reach other places is fantastic because it lets you open doors to your particular musical vision". However, this does not indicate a distancing from the classic concept of flamenco singing which the cantaora has been upholding as will be evidenced by the concerts which are closing the second edition of the Festival Millenium organized by Media Festivals and Concerts Studio on February 19th at Barcelona's Palau de la Música, and February 23rd at Madrid's Palacio de Congresos. Both performances had been previously scheduled for last December but were suspended by the singer for personal reasons, as well as programming adjustments by the organization.

In spite of the fact that one of the precepts of the festival is the mixing of cultures, the singer, unlike other flamenco artists such as Cristina Hoyos who provided dancing for Luís Llach's music, will have the stage all to herself. Although she doesn't discount the possibility of participating in other artists' projects in the future, she explains "I get involved with too many dreams on stage, many cultures that are in my mind when it comes time to dream and sing".