Rafael Martos Sánchez (born May 5, 1943), often simply referred to as
Raphael, is a worldwide acclamed
SpanishSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
singer and television, film and theatre 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 follow. His wide-range voice, added to his quality as showman, has entertained and engaged people worldwide for more than four decades.
Childhood
Raphael was born Rafael Miguel Martos Sánchez in Linares, province of
JaénJaén is a province of southern Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is bordered by the provinces of Ciudad Real, Albacete, Granada and Córdoba. Its capital is Jaén city....
(Spain), on May 5, 1943. As a consequence, he is nicknamed both
"El Ruiseñor de Linares" ("
NightingaleThe Nightingale , also known as Rufous and Common Nightingale, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...
of Linares") and
"El Divo de Linares" ("The Divo from Linares"). His family moved to
MadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. It is the third-most populous municipality in the European Union after Greater London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third-most populous city by urban area in the European Union after Paris and London.The city is located on the river...
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.
Professional career
Raphael began his professional career by signing with the
DutchThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
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 dancerFlamenco is a Spanish musical genre with origins in Andalusia. It can be both a musical form, known for its intricate rapid passages, and a dance characterized by audible footwork. The origins of the term are unclear...
or a
bullfighterBullfighting also known as tauromachy , is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, some cities in southern France and in several Latin American countries, in which one or more bulls are ritually killed in a bullring as a public spectacle...
onstage. He also possesses a wide vocal range, which he often used in the beginning of his career as to evoke a
choirA choir, chorale, or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together is called a choir or chorus...
boy approach to some songs.
When he was nineteen, he won first, second and third awards at the famous
Benidorm International Song FestivalThe 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...
, Spain, 1962, with the songs: "Llevan", "Inmensidad" and "Tu Conciencia". After a brief relation with Barclay record label, who produced just an EP, he signed contract with Hispavox recording company, and began a long artistic relationship with the musical director of this label, the late, talented argentinian orchestrator
Waldo de los RíosWaldo de los Ríos was an Argentine composer, conductor and arranger.De los Rios was born as Osvaldo Nicholas Ferrara in Buenos Aires into a musical family; his father was a musician and his mother a well known folk singer; he studied composition and arranging at the National Conservatory of Music...
and intensify the partnership with outstanding Spanish songwriter
Manuel AlejandroManuel Alejandro is the son of one of Spain's most renowned contemporary symphonists, Germán Álvarez-Beigbeder. It was his father, an accomplished musician, professor, and composer, who inspired Manuel Alejandro to pursue music and become a composer...
.
In 1966 and 1967 he represented Spain at the XII and XIII
Eurovision Song ContestThe Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
in
LuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a small, landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany...
, singing "Yo soy aquél" and "Hablemos del amor" and placing both 7º and 6º position, although he did not win. It was the first time that Spain obtained a high place in the competition. This served as a turning point in Raphael's career, making him an international star. He traveled and performed worldwide in Europe, Latin America, the United States, Russia and Japan. Songs such as "Yo soy aquel" (his
signature songA signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
), "Cuando tú no estás", "Mi gran noche", "Digan lo que digan", "Tema de amor", "Estuve enamorado" and "Desde aquel día" cemented his status as a major international singing star.
Raphael also began a lucrative film career, appearing in,
Cuando tú no estás (
Mario CamusMario Camus is a Spanish screenwriter and film director. He won the Golden Bear at Berlin Film Festival with La colmena .- Film director:* 1962 – El Borracho* 1963 – La Suerte* 1963 – Los Farsantes...
, 1966), which was followed by
Al ponerse el Sol (Mario Camus, 1967)
Digan lo que digan (Mario Camus, 1968, filmed in
ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
),
El golfo (1969, filmed in
MéxicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
),
El ángel (1969),
Sin Un Adiós (1970, partially filmed in England) and
Volveré a nacer (1972).
Latin American popularity
As Raphael became a success in Latin America, he made a habit of recording Latin American folk standards including "Huapango torero", "Sandunga" and "Llorona"; they were hits in Mexico.
He appeared live on
The Ed Sullivan ShowThe Ed Sullivan Show was a popular American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from June 20, 1948 to June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan.-History:...
with great success on October 25, 1970, singing (in Spanish, English and Italian) "Hallelujah" and "Hava Nagila." He appeared again on December 27, 1970, with the songs "Maybe"(Somos), "When my love is around" (Cuando llega mi amor) and "The sound of the trumpet" (Balada de la trompeta).
In 1975, Raphael began his own successful program on Spanish Television called "El Mundo de Raphael", where he sang with international stars. He also had a radio program, where he and his wife spoke with and interviewed outstanding personalities, and he starred in soap operas, starting with the Mexican production "Donde termina el camino", shown in the spring of 1978 and later in other countries like
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
and
ChileChile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Raphael succeeded in the early 1980s with songs such as "¿Qué tal te va sin mí?", "Como yo te amo", "En carne viva" and "Estar enamorado." In 1981, he was awarded with the Uranium Disk for exceeded sales over 50 million albums around the world on Hispavox record label. During 1984 and 1985 he recorded two albums with songs written by
José Luis PeralesJosé Luis Perales is a Spanish singer-songwriter and composer who is very popular in Spain and Latin America. He has performed some of his extensive work at Carnegie Hall, New York.-Biography:...
like "Ámame", "Yo sigo siendo aquel", "Dile que vuelva", "Y... Cómo es él" and "Estoy llorando hoy por ti".
In 1984 a parody of
"Yo soy aquél" was used in a radio spot in
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
's gubernatorial race. Then-governor
Carlos Romero BarcelóCarlos Antonio Romero Barceló "El Caballo" is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fifth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the second governor to be elected from the New Progressive Party and also Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001, making him one of the more...
used the parody (complete with a Raphael sound-alike) namely as a jab against opponent, Raphael's namesake, (and noted Spanophile), former governor
Rafael Hernández ColónRafael Hernández Colón is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fourth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for one and two terms, respectively . An experienced politician, Hernández holds the record for being the youngest Governor of Puerto Rico, having won his first term at the age...
. Raphael was surprised by the unauthorized use of the music, but was highly amused by the reference.
In 1987 he left Hispavox and signed a contract with Columbia (now Sony Music), where he again recorded songs written by Roberto Livi like "Toco madera", "Maravilloso corazón". In 1991 he had a hit with "Escándalo" in Spain, Latin America, and in Japan, where it reached number one. At the end of the 90s, after ending a contract with
PolyGramPolyGram was the name from 1972 of the major label recording company started by Philips as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999, it was sold to Seagram and merged with MCA Music Entertainment, to form Universal Music Group....
, he went back to
EMIThe EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
. In 1998 the artist published the first part of his memories: "¿Y mañana qué?", from his childhood until his marriage in 1972.
Raphael took part in the 2000 Spanish version of the stage musical
Jekyll & HydeJekyll & Hyde is a Broadway musical based on the novel, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. The original stage conception was by Steve Cuden and Frank Wildhorn. The music was composed by Wildhorn and the lyrics were written by Leslie Bricusse.The show opened on...
for seven months, with great success.
Personal life
He married journalist and writer Natalia Figueroa, in Venice (Italy) on 14 July 1972. They have three children: Jacobo, Alejandra and Manuel.
Raphael's health faced a major setback in 2003, when his
liverThe liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals; it has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
started failing due to a latent bout with Hepatitis B; he recovered successfully after a
transplantOrgan transplant is the moving of an organ from one body to another , for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or failing organ with a working one from the donor site. Organ donors can be living or deceased...
. Since then he is an active organ donation promoter.
Awards and accomplishments
Raphael can be singled out as one of the most important singers in the Spanish language for the second half of the twentieth century, along with
Joan Manuel SerratJoan Manuel Serrat i Teresa is a Spanish Catalan singer-songwriter.Serrat is considered one of the most important figures of modern, popular music in both the Spanish and Catalan languages...
,
Julio IglesiasJulio Iglesias is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million copies in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music he is one of the top 10 best selling music artists ever...
,
Rocío DúrcalRocío Dúrcal , born as María de los Ángeles de Las Heras Ortíz, was a Spanish singer and actress. Her birth and death both occurred in Madrid, Spain.- Biography :...
,
MarisolJosefa Flores González, better known as Marisol or Pepa Flores, is a Spanish singer and actress.-Biography:Marisol was born Maria Josefa Flores on February 4 1948 in Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. From early on, she demonstrated a great love of singing and traditional flamenco dance. In 1959, she was...
,
Rocío JuradoMaría del Rocío Trinidad Mohedano Jurado , was a Spanish singer and actress. She was born in Chipiona, Cádiz, Spain and was nicknamed "La más grande" . Jurado was once married to boxer Pedro Carrasco, with whom she had a daughter, Rocío Carrasco...
and
Joaquín SabinaJoaquín Ramón Martínez Sabina , known artistically as Joaquín Sabina, is a singer, songwriter, and poet. He has released fourteen studio albums, two live albums, and three compilation albums...
.
External links