María del Pilar Sánchez Luque[1][2] (born 28 September 1978 in Coria del Río, Seville), better known by her stage name Pastora Soler, is a Spanish singer. She is also a songwriter and her compositions usually mix copla or flamenco with pop or electronic music.

Pastora Soler
Pastora Soler (2009)
Pastora Soler (2009)
Background information
Birth nameMaría del Pilar Sánchez Luque
Born (1978-09-28) 28 September 1978 (age 45)
Coria del Río (Seville), Spain
GenresPop, flamenco
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1994–2014
2017–present
LabelsPolygram (1994–1999)
Emi-Odeón (1999–2005)
Warner Music Spain (2005–present)
Website[1]

Soler represented Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan with the song "Quédate conmigo" and came in 10th place.

Career edit

Early years edit

A precocious chanteuse, she started singing coplas and flamenco songs at several events when she was a child. In 1994 she was signed to the record company Polygram to release her first studio album, Nuestras coplas, which consisted of covers of ten classical copla songs by León or Quiroga. Pop and commercial sounds arrived in 1996 with her second album, El mundo que soné, which was the last she published with Polygram.[3]

1999–2004: Fuente de luna, Corazón congelado and Deseo edit

In 1999, she was signed to Emi-Odeón and released her third album, Fuente de luna. This album included her first big hit single, "Dámelo ya", which sold 120,000 copies in Spain and was also a number one hit in Turkey.[4][5]

In 2001, her fourth album Corazón congelado was published, produced by Carlos Jean.[4] The same-titled single was selected to be the official theme of the 2001 Vuelta a España.[6] The album received a platinum certification for its sales. Her fifth album, Deseo (2002), was also produced by Carlos Jean; musically it was closer to electronic music than her previous works. This album was also awarded a platinum certification.[4]

2005–2006: Contract with Warner, Pastora Soler and Sus grandes éxitos edit

In 2005, she changed record company and signed to Warner Music Spain. Her first studio album with Warner, Pastora Soler, produced by Danilo Ballo and recorded in Madrid and Milan, included more mature music and themes. Its first promotional single "Sólo tú" was a dramatic ballad.[7] The album received a gold certification for its sales.[8] The same year her first compilation album was released, Sus grandes éxitos.[9]

2007: Toda mi verdad edit

Her seventh studio album, Toda mi verdad, was released in 2007. Recorded in Tarifa and produced by Jacobo Calderón, it consisted mostly of compositions by Antonio Martínez-Ares. For the first time a composition by Soler herself was included, the song that gives title to the album. The album peaked at number thirteen in the official Spanish album chart[10] and received the Premio de la Música (Spanish Music Award) for Best Copla Album.[11] The tour that followed the release of the album took her to Egypt, where she performed at the Cairo Opera House.[3]

 
Pastora Soler in concert

2009–2010: Bendita locura and 15 años edit

In February 2009, her single "Bendita locura" was released, the single that gives title to the same titled studio album. The album, produced by Pablo Pinilla, consisted of thirteen new tracks, including a duet with Manuel Carrasco and compositions by David DeMaría, Martínez Ares, Esmeralda Grao, Vanesa Martín, David Santiesteban, José Abraham and Alejandro Sanz. It peaked at number eight in the official Spanish album chart.[12]

In September 2010 she released a CD+DVD recorded live at the Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville that celebrated her 15 years of career as a recording artist, 15 años. It includes her biggest hits, as well as duets with Malú, Miguel Poveda and Manuel Carrasco. The single chosen to promote this album was an acoustic version of "La mala costumbre", a song dedicated to her father that was included in her previous work. The album peaked at number eight in the official Spanish album chart.[13] The album was nominated for the 2011 Latin Grammy Award for Best Flamenco Album. In Spain, it won the Premio de la Música for Best Copla Album and was nominated for Best Album of the Year.[14]

2011–2012: Una mujer como yo and Eurovision Song Contest edit

 
Pastora in a concert in 2018

Her ninth studio album was released in October 2011, Una mujer como yo, including twelve new tracks. It was produced by Pablo Pinilla. The album debuted at number No. 3 on the Spanish album chart.[15]

On 21 December 2011 she was selected internally by RTVE to represent Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan.[16] The song "Quédate conmigo", penned by Thomas G:son, Tony Sánchez-Ohlsson and Erik Bernholm, was chosen as her entry in a special live show on 3 March.[17] On 26 May 2012 she finished 10th in the Eurovision final with 97 points. Commercially, "Quédate conmigo" ranked at number 35 on the year-end Spanish singles chart.[18]

2013: El Número Uno and Conóceme edit

In 2013, Soler was hired as a judge for the second season of Spanish talent show El Número Uno along with David Bustamante, Mónica Naranjo and Pitingo. The show aired on Antena 3 from 31 May to 5 July 2013.[19]

On 10 September 2013 Soler released her tenth studio album, Conóceme, produced by Tony Sánchez-Ohlsson.[20] The album was preceded by its first single, "Te despertaré", which was released on 22 July 2013 and debuted at number 17 on the Spanish Singles Chart.[21][22] The album debuted at number 2 on the Spanish Album Chart.[23]

2014–2016: 20 and career hiatus, La Voz Kids edit

On 1 December 2014, Soler announced that she would stop her career for a while citing stage fright problems. On 8 March 2014, Soler had fainted on stage in a concert in Seville, and she had postponed or cancelled a number of events afterwards. The announcement came after she abruptly left the stage during a concert in Málaga on 30 November 2014.[24]

The career hiatus announcement coincided in time with the release of a compilation album to celebrate her 20 years of career as a recording artist, titled 20, on 9 December 2014.[24]

In October 2015, Soler made an appearance as a guest mentor on the second season of Spanish series La Voz Kids (The Voice Kids).[25]

2017–2018: La calma and national tour edit

On 1 February 2017, Soler announced through her social media that she had ended her break from music career and that she would start recording a new studio album, produced by Pablo Cebrián. She also announced a national tour of concerts through Spain for 2017 with stops in Madrid's Teatro Real, Barcelona's Liceu, Seville's Auditorio Rocío Jurado, and Valencia's Palau de les Arts, among others.[26] On 14 July 2017, "La tormenta", the first single of her upcoming album, was released.[27] Her eleventh studio album, titled La calma, was released on 15 September 2017.[28] It debuted at number 1 on the Spanish Album Chart, her first number one with Warner ever.[29]

2019–present: Sentir, La Voz Senior and Mask Singer edit

On 18 October 2019, Soler released her twelfth studio album, titled Sentir and produced by Pablo Cebrián. It was preceded by the promotional single "Aunque me cueste la vida".[30] In December 2019, Soler was featured in the holiday television special Quédate conmigo on La 1 on occasion of her twenty-fifth anniversary as a recording artist.[31][32]

In 2020, Soler became a coach on the second season of Spanish series La Voz Senior (The Voice Senior).[33] Also in 2020, Soler participated in the Antena 3 series Mask Singer: Adivina quién canta (part of the Masked Singer franchise) as Pavo Real (Peacock).[34]

Family life edit

Soler married choreographer Francis Viñolo on 17 October 2009.[35] Together they have two daughters, Estrella (born 15 September 2015) and Vega (born 28 January 2020).[36][37]

Discography edit

Studio albums edit

Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
SPA
Nuestras coplas
  • Released: 13 September 1994
  • Labels: Polygram
  • Format: Digital download, CD
El mundo que soñé
  • Released: 1996
  • Labels: Polygram
  • Format: Digital download, CD
Fuente de luna
  • Released: 8 June 1999
  • Labels: Emi-Odoén
  • Format: Digital download, CD
1
Corazón congelado
  • Released: April 2001
  • Labels: Emi-Odoén
  • Format: Digital download, CD
  • PROMUSICAE: Platinum[38]
Deseo
  • Released: 28 November 2002
  • Labels: Emi-Odoén
  • Format: Digital download, CD
  • PROMUSICAE: Platinum[38]
Pastora Soler
  • Released: 26 April 2005
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download, CD
17
Toda mi verdad
  • Released: 7 June 2007
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download, CD
13
Bendita locura
  • Released: 21 April 2009
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download, CD
8
Una mujer como yo
  • Released: 18 October 2011
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download, CD
3
Conóceme
  • Released: 10 September 2013
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download, CD
2
La calma
  • Released: 15 September 2017
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download, CD
1
  • PROMUSICAE: Gold[38]
Sentir
  • Released: 11 October 2019
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download, CD
4
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Live albums edit

Title Details Peak chart positions
SPA
15 años
  • Released: 7 September 2010
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download, CD
9
La calma directo
  • Released: 19 October 2018
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download, CD
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilations edit

Title Details Peak chart positions
SPA
Sus grandes éxitos (Greatest Hits)
  • Released: 2005
  • Format: Digital download, CD
20
  • Released: 2014
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download, CD
28
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

EPs edit

Title Details
Especial Eurovisión
  • Released: 2012
  • Labels: Warner Music
  • Format: Digital download

Singles edit

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
SPA
"Triniá" 1994 Nuestras coplas
"Romance de la reina Mercedes"
"Capote de grana y oro" 1995
"La flor de los cantes"
"Lento amanecer" 1996 El mundo que soñé
"Cómo sabré"
"Sike noke"
"Gracias madre" 1998 Non-album single
"Dámelo ya" 1999 Fuente de luna
"La brisa"
"Diki diki" 2000
"Solo por amarte"
"En mi soledad" 2001 Corazón congelado
"Corazón congelado"
"Ven a mí"
"Otra ocupa mi lugar"
"Ese niño es de verdad"
"Guerra fría" 2002 Deseo
"Herida"
"Se me va la vida" 2003
"Café Café"
"Solo tú" 2005 Pastora Soler
"Flor de romero"
"Quién" 2007 Toda mi verdad
"Qué va a ser de mí"
"Por si volvieras" 2008
"20 años" 2009 Non-album single
"Bendita Locura" 34 Bendita locura
"Esta vez quiero ser yo"
"La Mala costumbre" 2010 27 15 años
"Demasiado amor" 2011 23 Una mujer como yo
"Quédate conmigo" 2012 6
"Vamos"
"Te despertaré" 2013 17 Conóceme
"Espérame" 2014
"Vive"
"Con él" Non-album single
"Un ratito más" 2015
"La Tormenta" 2017 La calma
"Ni una más" 2018
"No te atrevas a olvidarme"
"Aunque me cueste la vida" 2019 Sentir
"Al fondo a la izquierda" 2020 Non-album singles
"Charcos de luz"
"Cicatrizando"
"La soledad"
"Mi Luz"
(featuring Blas Cantó)
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References edit

  1. ^ El Economista
  2. ^ Axesor
  3. ^ a b "Biografía" (PDF) (in Spanish). pastorasoler.es.
  4. ^ a b c "La sevillana Pastora Soler da un paso más hacia el pop y la fusión en su nuevo disco". El País (in Spanish). 2 November 2002.
  5. ^ "Spain: Pastora Soler to represent Spain in Baku!". Esctoday.com. 21 December 2011.
  6. ^ "PASTORA, LA REINA DE LA VUELTA" (in Spanish). Terra.
  7. ^ "Pastora Soler" (in Spanish). LaHiguera.net. 26 April 2005.
  8. ^ "CONCIERTO FIN DE GIRA DE PASTORA SOLER" (in Spanish). LaHiguera.net. 27 September 2006.
  9. ^ "Sus grandes éxitos" (in Spanish). LaHiguera.net. 9 May 2005.
  10. ^ "TOP 100 ALBUMES; SEMANA 23: del 04.06.07 al 10.06.07" (PDF) (in Spanish). PROMUSICAE.
  11. ^ "GANADORES DE LOS PREMIOS DE LA MUSICA" (in Spanish). LaHiguera.net. 4 April 2008.
  12. ^ "TOP 100 ALBUMES; SEMANA 17: del 20.04.2009 al 26.04.2009" (PDF) (in Spanish). PROMUSICAE.
  13. ^ "TOP 100 ALBUMES; SEMANA 36" (PDF) (in Spanish). PROMUSICAE.
  14. ^ "Premios de la Música 2011: Pastora Soler" (in Spanish). Que.es. 19 May 2011.
  15. ^ "TOP 100 ALBUMES; SEMANA 42" (PDF) (in Spanish). PROMUSICAE.
  16. ^ "Pastora Soler representará a España en Eurovisión 2012 en Bakú". RTVE.es (in Spanish). RTVE. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  17. ^ "Spain: Pastora Soler will sing Quédate conmigo in Eurovision 2012" (in Spanish). Esctoday.com. 4 March 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  18. ^ "TOP 50 CANCIONES ANUAL 2012" (PDF) (in Spanish). PROMUSICAE. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  19. ^ "Pitingo, Pastora Soler, David Bustamente y Mónica Naranjo, el renovado jurado de 'El Número Uno'" (in Spanish). Vanitatis.com.
  20. ^ "Pastora Soler vydala dlouho očekávané album "Conóceme"". Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  21. ^ "Spain: Pastora Soler's Conoceme to be released on 10 September". Esctoday.com. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  22. ^ "PASTORA SOLER – TE DESPERTARÉ (SONG)". Spanishcharts.com. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  23. ^ "TOP 100 ALBUMES (SEMANA 37: del 09.09.2013 al 15.09.2013)" (PDF). PROMUSICAE. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  24. ^ a b "Spain: Pastora Soler puts her career on hold". Esctoday.com. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  25. ^ "Pastora Soler, Pablo López y Vanesa Martín, los asesores de 'La Voz Kids 2'". FormulaTV.com. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  26. ^ Santamaría, Igor. "Pastora Soler regresa a los escenarios tras dos años de ausencia". Eurovision-Spain.com. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  27. ^ Santamaría, Álvaro (14 July 2017). "Pastora Soler publica su single de regreso, 'La tormenta'" (in Spanish). Popelera. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  28. ^ Álvaro. "Pastora Soler regresará con 'La calma' el 15 de septiembre". Popelera.com. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  29. ^ "La calma da a Pastora Soler el primer número 1 de su carrera". Eurovision-Spain.com. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  30. ^ "'Sentir' es el nuevo álbum de Pastora Soler". Sandra Pérez Abad (in Spanish). ElRescateMusical.com. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  31. ^ "Pastora Soler protagonizará un especial musical en TVE esta navidad" (in Spanish). ElTelevisero.com. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  32. ^ "TVE emitirá el especial de Navidad de Pastora Soler el lunes 30 de diciembre" (in Spanish). FormulaTV.com. 26 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  33. ^ "Pastora Soler y Rosana, 'coaches' de 'La voz senior'". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 15 October 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  34. ^ "Pastora Soler y Albano Carrisi, desenmascarados de la semifinal de 'Mask Singer'" (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. 17 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  35. ^ "Así fue la boda de Pastora Soler y Francis Viñolo en Coria del Río". ¡Hola!. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  36. ^ "Pastora Soler da a luz a su primera hija". Vanitatis. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  37. ^ "Pastora Soler da a luz a su segunda hija y desvela su nombre". ABC (in Spanish). 28 January 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  38. ^ a b c d Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 955. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 24 August 2019.

External links edit

  Media related to Pastora Soler at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest
2012
Succeeded by
Preceded by OGAE Second Chance Contest winner
2012
Succeeded by