Niña Pastori
Niña Pastori is a Spanish flamenco singer (cantaora). She was born María Rosa García García in San Fernando (Cádiz) on 15 January 1978. The youngest of five siblings and only daughter of a military man (José) and gypsy flamenco singer La Pastori, she started very young her artistic career. At the age of only six she accompanied her mother in the flamenco tablaos of her neighborhood, "el Boquete". A year later she won a contest in San Fernando, and since then she has been supported by numerous artists that saw a big potential in the "Niña" (Spanish for little girl).
Discography
Among her first mentors was her fellow townsman Camarón de la Isla, whose purist flamenco style she followed in her early years. Later she added a more commercial, pop tone to her image and style without losing her flamenco roots, and artists Paco Ortega and Alejandro Sanz helped her produce her first album, Entre dos puertos (Between Two Ports), when she was seventeen. The single Tú me camelas became an instant hit that made her known all over Spain in summer 1996.
Her second album, Eres luz (You Are Light, 1998) confirmed this position, with songs again by Paco Ortega and Alejandro Sanz, Parrita, Manuel Malou and her brother Paco. In 2000 she published her third album, Cañaílla, produced by Alejandro Sanz and Josemi Carmona of the flamenco group Ketama; it is dedicated to her home town and more flamenco than the previous works. Her album María (2002) evolved to a more personal style, taking part in the lyrics and composition of some of her songs, a trend that she continued in No hay quinto malo, her fifth album (2004).
Her last album to date is Joyas prestadas (Loaned jewels, 2006), where Niña Pastori makes personal versions of songs originally by artists from very different styles and genres. The original artists include Joan Manuel Serrat, Alejandro Sanz, Mexican rockers Maná, Dominican artist Juan Luis Guerra, Antonio Machín, Manolo García of El Último de la Fila, Luz Casal, Armando Manzanero, Los Jeros or Marifé de Triana.
Collaborations
- Entre dos puertos: Antonio Reyes (bailaor); Ricardo Miño, Moraíto Chico, Juan Manuel Cañizares, Rafael Riqueni and Ramón Trujillo (guitarists).
- Eres luz: Moraíto, Juan Carlos Romero, Machuka, Alejandro Sanz, José Antonio Rodríguez and Juan Manuel Cañizares (guitarists); Manuel Soler, El Bandolero and Chaboli (percussionists).
- Cañaílla: Guadiana (cantaor), Antonio Carmona (singer); José Miguel Carmona, Diego Carrasco, Diego del Morao, Moraíto Chico and Vicente Amigo (guitarists); Alejandro Sanz (composer); El Bandolero and Chaboli (percussionists).
- María: Farruquito (bailaor); José Carlos Gómez, Moraíto Chico, Diego del Morao and José Antonio Rodríguez (guitarists); El Bandolero, Chaboli and Tino di Geraldo (percussionists).
- No hay quinto malo: Paquete, Diego del Morao, Juan Carmona and José Miguel Carmona (guitarists); Luis Dulzaides, Tino di Geraldo and Chaboli (percussionists); Carles Benavent (bass); Victor Merlo (double bass).
- Joyas prestadas: José Miguel Carmona and Diego Moreno (guitarists); Chaboli and Angie Bao (percussionist); Antonio Serrano (harp); Nacho Mañó and Antonio Ramos "Maca" (bass); José María Cortina and Santi Navalón (keyboards).
Trivia
- She sang a version of Schubert's Ave Maria during Pope John Paul II's last visit to Madrid on May 2003. Later this version was included in a new edition of her album María released in 2006.
- She is married to Julio Jiménez Borja "Chaboli", co-producer, composer and percussionist in her albums.
- She is the great-granddaughter of flamenco singer Inés "la del Pelao".