‘Cantaora’ is the title of one of Carmen Linares’ recordings because she is undoubtedly THE Cantaora of our age. Born in Linares (Jaen) she has earned a place of privilege in the flamenco world, having become one of the most internationally recognised and sought after artists.

Her family brought her to Madrid in 1965, where she met the most renowned and veteran cantaores, Pepe Matrona, Juan Varea, Rafael Romero o Fosforito. At the end of the decade, she began her professional journey, in the dance companies of Paco Romero and Carmen Mora, making her record label debut in 1970 accompanied now by Juan "Habichuela". It was now, in a big professional step, she entered the intense world of flamenco bars - Torres Bermejas, Café Chinitas – where she met talents such as: Camarón, Enrique Morente, Perla de Cádiz, Serranito, los Habichuela. That is how it all began.

Carmen was one of the first flamenco artists to perform in the Lincoln Centre, interpreting Falla’s ‘El Amor Brujo’ with the New York philharmonic orchestra. The New York Times critic defined her singing as ‘an extraordinary expressive power’. From her version of ‘Las Canciones Populares Antiguas’ by Federico García Lorca emerged the recorded album that would be later used as a theatre work where she starred alongside the actress Lola Herrera premiering at the Teatro Real in Madrid.

‘Antologia de la Mujer en el Cante’ (1996), is a key part of flamenco discography. It rescues valuable items of the past to project them into the future with a contemporary musical attitude. In 2000 the composer and guitarist Manolo Sanlúcar chose her singing for his last production ‘Locura de Brisa y Trino’, to recover poems by Federico Garcia Lorca harmonised for modern guitar composition. In 2002 Carmen recorded ‘Un Ramito de Locura’ which was nominated for Best Flamenco Album in the Premios de la Musica and the Latin Grammys 2003.

Carmen has looked after her artistic direction meticulously and has earned prestigious prizes such as the Premio Nacional de Musica in 2001 and the Gold Medal of the Bellas Artes in 2006. Last year she completed another great challenge: getting involved with Juan Ramón Jiménez’s poetry. The result is the album ‘Raices y Alas’ in which she worked with the musical composition of Juan Carlos Romero.

Her authentic and powerful cante is enriched by her knowledge of the art of flamenco with which she moves the public in a spontaneous and sincere way…
Without doubt flamenco has grown with her.