Mirla Castellanos
Encyclopedia
Mirla Castellanos, is a noted Venezuela
n singer with a career spanning over 40 years. Often referred to as "La Primerísima", she started her career as a singer with the band "Cuarteto Los Naipes" in the 1960s before taking up a solo career. Moving to Europe in the late 1960s, she recorded music by composers such as Domenico Modugno
, with whom she later performed a duet of the song "Meraviglioso" during the preliminary of the 1968 Festival San Remo
; she didn’t make the cut for the finals . In 1969, Castellanos won the Benidorm International Song Festival
with a composition by Manuel Alejandro
. After returning to South America
in 1970, she took second place in the Latin American Song Festival. With the support of shows such as Sábado Sensacional
and her own live show "Primerísima," Castellanos furthered her reputation in the 1970s and 1980s, making her first appearance in New York at the Chateau Madrid in 1976.
With the album entitled "Vuelve Pronto", she became the first Venezuelan singer to gain Billboard
recognition in 1983, before going on to release "Venezuela", recorded along with the Venezuelan Symphonic Orchestra. Mirla Castellanos's album "Como Nunca" is a compilation of her greatest hits. Amongst many successful songs there lots emblematic songs for Castellanos, one being an emotional and strong version of a song composed by Alberto Cortez
: "El Abuelo".
Castellanos has taken part, almost every year, in musical presentations for the annual contest Miss Venezuela
, produced by Joaquín Riviera. The use of expensive costumes and sparkling choreographies were aspects well managed by Mirla during the "golden years" of Venezuelan television. At the time, and still, she was realized as an authentic "Diva & Primadonna" in the Venezuelan musical scene.
Currently, Mirla Castellanos is a respected singer with many awards and international recognition in the Spanish
speaking countries and markets for "Balada romántica" (romantic and popular Hispanic
music).
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n singer with a career spanning over 40 years. Often referred to as "La Primerísima", she started her career as a singer with the band "Cuarteto Los Naipes" in the 1960s before taking up a solo career. Moving to Europe in the late 1960s, she recorded music by composers such as Domenico Modugno
Domenico Modugno
Domenico Modugno was an Italian singer, songwriter, actor, and later in life, a member of the Italian Parliament. He is known for his 1958 international hit song "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu "...
, with whom she later performed a duet of the song "Meraviglioso" during the preliminary of the 1968 Festival San Remo
Sanremo
Sanremo or San Remo is a city with about 57,000 inhabitants on the Mediterranean coast of western Liguria in north-western Italy. Founded in Roman times, the city is best known as a tourist destination on the Italian Riviera. It hosts numerous cultural events, such as the Sanremo Music Festival...
; she didn’t make the cut for the finals . In 1969, Castellanos won the Benidorm International Song Festival
Benidorm International Song Festival
The Benidorm International Song Festival or Festival Internacional de la Canción de Benidorm is an annual song contest which takes place each summer, since 1959, in the city of Benidorm, Spain. The contest, based on the Italian Sanremo Music Festival, was born to promote Benidorm and the Spanish...
with a composition by Manuel Alejandro
Manuel Alejandro
Manuel Alejandro is one of the most popular and sought after composers of Latin love songs, which are better known as ballads. He has written, composed, and arranged songs for the likes of Luis Miguel, Plácido Domingo, Julio Iglesias...
. After returning to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
in 1970, she took second place in the Latin American Song Festival. With the support of shows such as Sábado Sensacional
Sabado Sensacional
Súper Sábado Sensacional is a Spanish-language variety show created in Venezuela, and established on Radio Caracas Television in 1968. The show later moved to Venevisión network in 1971...
and her own live show "Primerísima," Castellanos furthered her reputation in the 1970s and 1980s, making her first appearance in New York at the Chateau Madrid in 1976.
With the album entitled "Vuelve Pronto", she became the first Venezuelan singer to gain Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
recognition in 1983, before going on to release "Venezuela", recorded along with the Venezuelan Symphonic Orchestra. Mirla Castellanos's album "Como Nunca" is a compilation of her greatest hits. Amongst many successful songs there lots emblematic songs for Castellanos, one being an emotional and strong version of a song composed by Alberto Cortez
Alberto Cortez
Alberto Cortez is an Argentine singer and songwriter. Cortez and his wife live in Madrid.Cortez was born in Rancul, La Pampa Province, Argentina, March 13, 1938. At the age of six entered in the elementary school and at the same time to the conservatory Alberto Williams. He begins to compose songs...
: "El Abuelo".
Castellanos has taken part, almost every year, in musical presentations for the annual contest Miss Venezuela
Miss Venezuela
The Miss Venezuela contest is the national beauty pageant of Venezuela and has been held since 1952. It is responsible for selecting the country's representatives to the Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Earth and Miss International pageants .Under the direction of Osmel Sousa, Venezuela has...
, produced by Joaquín Riviera. The use of expensive costumes and sparkling choreographies were aspects well managed by Mirla during the "golden years" of Venezuelan television. At the time, and still, she was realized as an authentic "Diva & Primadonna" in the Venezuelan musical scene.
Currently, Mirla Castellanos is a respected singer with many awards and international recognition in the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
speaking countries and markets for "Balada romántica" (romantic and popular Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
music).