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Maria D'Luz

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Maria D'Luz
Background information
Birth nameDulce Maria Gonzalez Aldaz
Born (1986-08-05) August 5, 1986 (age 38)
Matamoros, Tamaulipas Mexico
GenresPop, Latin music, Tejano, Mexican cumbia, R&B, Jazz
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, pianist
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano, keytar, guitar, cajon
Years active1991–present
LabelsIndependent, Maple Music Chords (BMI)
Websitewww.mariadluz.com

Dulce Maria Gonzalez Aldaz (born August 5, 1986) is a Mexican-born American pianist-singer-songwriter known professionally as Dulce Maria Gonzalez, Dulce Aldaz, and now Maria D'Luz. She was raised in Brownsville, Texas where she began playing the piano before her 4th birthday. She performed with her sisters in a children's educational, bilingual and musical TV show in Mexico by Televisa[1] "Cantos y Cuentos Con Ani", ranking number one in its Saturday morning time slot against other Spanish-speaking programs, and "El Mundo De Los Niños".[2][3][4] Both shows aired in the Northern part of Mexico and in the lower Rio Grande Valley.

Later, she continued classical piano studies that evolved into jazz, vocal performance, and flamenco dancing. At age 9 she participated in "Juguemos A Cantar" (a National Singing Contest in Mexico by Televisa) in the program "Siempre En Domingo" with Raul Velasco, representing the states of Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosí in Mexico.[5][6] At age 14, she performed with her band "Dulce y Sol Latino" at The Millennium Stage at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC., for being the winner of "Hollywood 2000" Texas Talent Showcase BSPA in Brownsville, TX.,[7][8] chosen by judges: Sam Riddle "Star Search", Helen Hernandez "The Imagen Foundation" and Yvonne Vega from Paramount Pictures.

At the age of 15, D'Luz wrote her first song titled "What Is Wrong With The World" which later became part of her first album, "Just Notes", an 11 track CD, all written and composed by D'Luz herself, and was released on August 4, 2007. As a songwriter, she has written "Falsa Felicidad",[9] recorded by Jimmy Gonzalez y el Grupo Mazz, in the album: La Leyenda Continua, Billboard Charts[10] - Latin Album #37, receiving a Latin Grammy[11] for Best Tejano Album in 2008. Shortly after, she releases the Hillary Clinton campaign song "We Need A Woman" and accepts an interview by Soledad O'Brien from CNN.[12][13][14][15]

In 2008, Objetivo Fama Univision Online announced D'Luz the winner of a 2009 Pontiac Vibe for obtaining the highest amount of online votes for her arrangement and video version of "Hasta Que Me Olvides".[16]

The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, a prestigious international competition for songwriters, awarded D'Luz in the Latin category as a finalist for bossa-nova ballad "Lo Solucionare" and an Honorable Mention for Latin-pop tune "No Te Vi" in 2006.,[17][18] 1st finalist with "Podria Ser Un Angel" in 2012[19] and later that year, a finalist for pop tune, "Es".

D'Luz joined the Hermes Music Foundation early 2010, and was invited to join the "Proyecto De Amor - Claro Que Se Puede" CD to benefit Hermes Music Foundation.[20] D'Luz performed in this CD with artists Carlos Santana, Willie Nelson, Los Lonely Boys, El Tri, Elefante, Del Castillo, Alberto Cortez, Deepak Chopra, Reyli, Jorge Guevara, Ramon Ayala, and many more.[21] D'Luz’s vocals can be heard on songs "La Vida Es Un Sueño" and "Amalos," two of 15-tracks on the album. All songs were written by Hermes Music Foundation president Alberto Kreimerman.[22]

D'Luz performed with Elefante for Jugueton ("Toy Marathon") 2010 in Los Angeles and has been an opening act for artists Jose Jose, Leo Dan, King Clave, Yerbabuena & Nick Vujicic. She performed for social activist Dolores Huerta during the celebration of the naming of Dolores Huerta Avenue, the first street in her name.

In 2013 and 2014, D'Luz was invited to perform multiple times at Houston's House of Blues.[23] She also performed with her band at the Springboard South music festival in Houston on June 2014 at Warehouse Live, a live entertainment venue located in Houston.[24] D'Luz also performs as a duo act with a rumba/flamenco guitarist, Mario Aleman, both performing as "Mario y Maria" where D'Luz sings, dances flamenco and plays cajon.[25]

In August 2014, D'Luz released her second album, "While You Were Gone" including 11 original songs and a remake of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'".[26][27] The album was recorded and mixed at Gospa Studios in McAllen, TX and mastered at Lurssen Mastering, owned by Gavin Lurssen, a world-renowned multi Grammy award-winning mastering studio located in Hollywood, CA. To celebrate the completion of her second album, D'Luz provided her local friends and fans with a CD release party held at Havana Club in McAllen, TX.[28] The album is available for purchase at iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, etc.[29]

On November 26, 2014, D'Luz was featured on The Texas Bucket List show, airing in Texas, Colorado, Nevada and North Carolina. D'Luz participated on March 28, 2015, on Sabado Gigante's "Competencia Internacional de Imitadores" where she impersonated Gloria Estefan and won the public's vote.

D'Luz performs weekly at local venues and teaches music classes. D'Luz also does Spanish voice-overs for a Brazilian cartoon, Bob Zoom, now being streamed on Netflix. D'Luz is currently working on a new Tejano/Tex-Mex CD album which will be released in the winter of 2015 that is being produced and arranged by Santiago Castilo and mixed/mastered by Gilbert Velasquez of Velasquez Music in San Antonio. She currently resides in McAllen, TX and is an online student at Berklee College of Music.

References

  1. ^ "Televisa". Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  2. ^ "Cantos y Cuentos Con Ani Video, 1993". YouTube. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  3. ^ Guajardo, Marcial (July 5, 1995). "Brownsville Herald News Article". Brownsville Herald. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  4. ^ ""El Mundo De Los Niños" Facebook Page". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  5. ^ Guajardo, Marcial (July 12, 1995). "Local girl sings in Mexico City for finals of national contest". The Brownsville Herald. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  6. ^ Guajardo, Marcial (April 19, 1995). "Talented tot headed to Mexico City contest". The Brownsville Herald. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  7. ^ "The Kennedy Center Performance Link". www.kennedy-center.org. Washington, D.C. September 22, 2000. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  8. ^ Moreno, Mary (January 9, 2000). "Brownsville goes Hollywood Hollywood reps on crusade to promote Hispanic talent". The Brownsville Herald. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  9. ^ "Falsa Felicidad".
  10. ^ "Leyenda Continua Billboard". Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  11. ^ "Latin Grammy". Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  12. ^ "We Need A Woman". Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  13. ^ "CNN interview". Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  14. ^ "Don't stop singing about tomorrow". Associated Press. May 17, 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  15. ^ Tillman, Laura (February 24, 2008). ""We Need A Woman" - Political pop song written for candidate Clinton". The Brownsville Herald. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  16. ^ "Objectivo Fama Online Winner 2008". Maria D'Luz. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  17. ^ "John Lennon Songwriting Contest 2006 Finalists". JLSC. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  18. ^ "John Lennon Songwriting Contest Honorable Mention 2006". JLSC. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  19. ^ "John Lennon Songwriting Contest 2012 Finalist". JLSC. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  20. ^ "Proyecto de Amor". Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  21. ^ Olvera, Crystal (June 13, 2013). "Local singer featured on CD with Willie Nelson, Santana". The Monitor. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  22. ^ "NAAM.org - Alberto Kreimerman". NAMM. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  23. ^ "House of Blues Performance, Houston, TX". Maria D'Luz. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  24. ^ "Springboard South Line Up 2014". Springboard South. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  25. ^ ""Mario y Maria" Facebook page". Facebook. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  26. ^ Laura, Garcia (August 4, 2014). "Local musician D'Luz to release second album". Valley Town Crier. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  27. ^ ""While You Were Gone" Album". www.cdbaby.com. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  28. ^ Pedraza Perez, Roman (September 1, 2014). "Maria D'Luz Presento Su Nueva Produccion Discografica "While You Were Gone"". No. Año 16 Vol 192. Revista Expresion McAllen. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  29. ^ ""While You Were Gone" Album Purchase Links". Retrieved 3 March 2015.
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