Tango is one of the most danced musical genres on the dance floors. So much so that there have even been competitions. Tango is so important that in 2009, Unesco declared it Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Do you want to discover the best Argentine tango singers? Then read on, because today we bring them to you in TopFestivals.
The best Argentine tango singers
Tango was born in the Rio de la Plata region but developed especially in Montevideo and Buenos Aires. That is why it makes all the sense in the world that, if we talk about tango, we talk about Argentina.
It is believed that tango has its origins in the cultural mix that took place in the Rio de la Plata area last century. This is due to the migratory waves coming from Europe. For that reason, in the tango, we can find traces of other regional dances such as the Andalusian tango, the polka, the milonga or the mazurca.
The best Argentine tango singers are:
Carlos Gardel
Undoubtedly, when we think of Argentine tango singers, the first one that comes to mind is none other than Carlos Gardel. In addition to being one of the best tango singers, this Argentinean is a composer and movie actor.
The date and place of birth of Carlos Gardel is an unknown. There are theories that say he was born in Tacuarembó and others that say he was born in Tolouse. However, everyone agrees that, since he was a child, he lived in Buenos Aires, becoming an Argentinean citizen.
Carlos Gardel is the greatest exponent of tango as a musical genre. So much so that, in 2003, his voice was registered by UNESCO in the Memory of the World program. This program is dedicated to preserving documents that belong to the historical heritage of the different peoples of the world.
His interpretation of the song"Mi triste noche", composed by Samuel Castriota, is considered the birth date of the tango musical genre. In addition to that song, Carlos Gardel had many more hits, which led him to position himself as the main exponent of tango at international level, touring Latin America and Europe.
Azucena Maizani
Another of the best Argentine tango singers is Azucena Maizani. She was born in 1902 in Buenos Aires and at the age of 20 she was already a chorus singer in a company that performed El bailarín del cabaret.
Her solo career took off when she sang at a party. There, Pascual Carcavallo hired her. While singing at the theater, she began to record songs and in 1929 she recorded her first movie, directed by Julio Irigoyen. It was a silent movie entitled La modelo de la calle Florida.
Due to her fame, she toured Spain and Portugal in the early 30's for two years.
After this tour, Azucena Maizani returned to Buenos Aires and started acting in several films such as "Tango" or "Monte criollo". In many of her performances she was dressed in male or Creole gaucho attire. This made Libertad Lamarque call her La Ñata Gaucha, a nickname that stayed with her and by which she was known all her life.
Ignacio Corsini
Undoubtedly, one of the best Argentine tango singers was Ignacio Corsini. He was born in Sicily in 1891 and ten years later he arrived in Argentina by ship. Later, he became an Argentinean citizen.
He was a friend of Carlos Gardel, from whom he received influences. Like Azucena Maizani, he participated in films and movies. In addition, he was also director of short films in which his friend and co-worker Carlos Gardel participated.
Mercedes Simone
If we talk about Argentine tango singers, we cannot fail to mention Mercedes Simone. Besides being one of the most important and recognized tango singers, she was also an actress and composer. She was born in Buenos Aires in 1904.
The most curious thing about Mercedes Simone's case is that she started in the tango world by chance. Her husband's group needed a replacement and so she made her debut at the Odeon theater. From that moment on, she started her career in music.
She toured internationally, which made her famous in countries such as Cuba, Colombia, Chile and Brazil. She also starred in one of the first musicals that took place in Argentina, called "Tango".
Adriana Varela
Another of the best Argentine tango singers is Adriana Varela, who is also known as La Gata Varela. She was born in Avellaneda, in 1952. She is one of the youngest tango singers and is internationally recognized.
She started her musical career late, in 1986. This took place thanks to Juan Alberto Badía, a well-known TV presenter and radio announcer in Argentina. However, she did not start directly with tango music, but with rock music.
She heard Roberto Goyenche in the film sur, something that made her debut in tango. Her first album was released in 1991. In addition, her album "Más tango", made her win the title of"Best tango artist" in 2001.
These are 5 of the best Argentine tango singers. In TopFestivales we think they are essential. Which are your favorites? Do you think we have left any out? Tell us in the comments! We'll be happy to read you.
