Ana Gabriel – singer and songwriter from Mexico, holder of 13 Lo Nuestro Awards.
Ana Gabriel (real name María Guadalupe Araújo) was born in a small Mexican town Gaumuchil on 10 December 1955. She started singing at a very young age. When Maria turned six, she won a local music contest at which she sang the famous Jose Alfredo Jimenez’s song “Regalo A Dios”. Soon the talented girl’s family moved to Tijuana, where she went to school. Even though Maria was busy with homework, she didn’t abandon her singing hobby. She went on to get a bachelor in economics. While getting a degree, Maria adopted a pseudonym Ana Gabriel and started performing at the local clubs.
She continued participating in the talent shows and recorded two LPs Un Estilo, Sagitario and Pecado Original, which weren’t successful. In 1986, the young woman finally got a chance to shine after winning a local OTI contest. She signed a deal with Sony Mexico and went to represent Mexico at the OTI Festival 1987.
In 1990, Ana finally recorded her first successful album Quién como tú. Her beautiful voice coupled with inspiring lyrics about strong women made her a star. In the LP, Ana mixed pop, reggae, and Brazilian music. In 1991, the album was nominated for a Grammy award for The Best Latin Pop Performance. The same year, the singer released her first live album En Vivo, which was recorded together with a rock band and Mariachi musicians. The songs “Hice Bien Quererte,” “Propuesta,” and “Solamente un Vez” conquered the hearts of Ana’s Mexican fans.
