Raphael (singer)
| Raphael | |
|---|---|
Raphael at the 2014 Miami International Film Festival
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Miguel Rafael Martos Sánchez |
| Born |
May 5, 1943 Linares, Jaén, Spain |
| Origin | Linares, Spain |
| Genres | Pop music, Latin ballad |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actor |
| Years active | 1959 – present |
| Labels | Hispavox, EMI, Sony |
| Associated acts | Bunbury |
| Website | www.raphaelnet.com |
Miguel Rafael Martos Sánchez (born May 5, 1943 in Linares, Spain), often simply referred to as Raphael, is a worldwide acclaimed Spanish singer and television, film and theater actor. A pioneer of modern Spanish music, he is considered a major influence in having opened the door and paving the way to the flood of Spanish singers that followed on the wake of his enormous success. His wide-range voice, added to his quality as showman, has entertained and engaged people worldwide for more than five decades.
Raphael was born Miguel Rafael Martos Sánchez in Linares, province of Jaén (Spain), on May 5, 1943. As a consequence, he is nicknamed both "El Ruiseñor de Linares" ("Nightingale of Linares") and "El Divo de Linares" ("The Divo from Linares") but is also known as "El Niño". His family moved to Madrid when he was nine months old, and he started singing when he was just three years-old. He joined a children's choir at age four. When he was 9, he was recognized as the best child voice in Europe at a contest in Salzburg, Austria. His two idols, when he was growing up, and with whom he announced, on October 6, 2014, his plans to record posthumous duets with, were said to be US singer Elvis Presley and French diva Edith Piaf.
Raphael began his professional career by signing with the Dutch record label Philips. To distinguish himself, he adopted the "ph" of the company's name and christened himself 'Raphael'. His first singles were "Te voy a contar mi vida" and "A pesar de todo", among others. Raphael adopted his own peculiar singing style from the beginning; he is known for acting each one of his songs while on stage, emphasizing his gestures with high dramatic effect. It is not unusual for Raphael to ad lib lyrics as to localize a song depending on the venue he's singing at, wear Latin American peasant costumes and dance folk dances within a song, kicking and demolishing a mirror, or doing the moves of a flamenco dancer or a bullfighter onstage. He also possesses a wide vocal range, which he often used in the beginning of his career as to evoke a choirboy approach to some songs.
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