Huge torrent of Cubaness, voice carrying beautiful feelings and undoubted
scene domain are the main adjectives to qualify Haila María Mompié
González, artist that is currently classified as one of the most
outstanding Cuban interpreters, faithful defender of Son, musical genre
created in Cuba and well-known around the entire world.
Born in January 28, 1974, in Las Tunas, eastern province of Cuba, daughter of a singer father and a stylist mother, Haila started to feel devotion
towards music since her early years and although she jumpstarted dancing
firstly, she always felt a deep passion for singing.
After diverse years busy on dancing studies, as leyend says, in 1991,
a young dancer raised her voice with an amazing tuning and a very special
melody in such a way that Yaquelin Castellanos, famous Cuban singer,
was astonished and proposed this girl, named Haila, to be
part of her group, in this way, she made her bow in music as singer of Tradition
Septet, cultivating Cuban traditional music.
A year after. she debuted as solo artist at ''Las Avenidas'' Cabaret and
later on, she was member of ''Habana Son'' Group directed by saxophonist
''El Chino Lam''. Also in this year, she was requested to participate
at ''Guajira Habanera'' spectacle, touring around various Mexican scenes for the first time.
On September, 1994 she joined the artistic project of Bamboleo, there
she rose above the field due to her excellent vocal qualities and high improvisation level,
becoming one of the greatest soneras from her generation.
As vocalist of Bamboleo she recorded two CDs, made different international
treks to scenes in Italy, Holland, England, United States, Belgium,
France, Peru and Mexico among others, without mentioning the outstanding
work she made in the national arena, achieving with the orchestra one of the top places
of popularity.
After this experience, she decided in 1998 to join the project of musician
and composer Leonel Limonta and then her name appeared as founder of Azúcar
Negra Orchestra dominating musicians, specialists and all audiences` attention.
In this group she played diverse international dates around European and
American countries achieving great success plus the recording that topped
the highest places on Cuban radio and TV lists due to her exceptional
performances. Only to mention an example, the title Andar Andando
sung by Haila became an hymn not only for dance lovers but also for every
kind of public.
On 2001, after returning from a tour around Europe, Haila decided to start
a new stage of her artistic career, as solo artist having as main weapons
her undoubtful talent and her growing maturity as singer. In addition
to this brilliant idea we can add the fact of having recorded for Bis
Music Record Label a disk as solo artist conducted and musically produced
by the famous Cuban interpreter Issac Delgado. In this set, Haila evinced
once again her temper and musical power, her passion about music
and above all, her inner Cuban taste, present not only in this record but also
in each presentation.
Around 2000, 2001 and 2002, Haila has performed as solo artist at various
Japanesse scenes, gaining great appraisal and sharing the scene with luminaries
such as, Cheo Feliciano, Oscar D' León, Rey Ruiz, Celia Cruz, José
Alberto 'El Canario', Gilberto Santarosa, Chucho Valdés, Muñequitos
de Matanzas, Mario Rivera, Juan Manuel Ceruto, David Calzado and Issac
Delgado.
To add more spice, Haila appears as singer at various albums from
Cuban outstanding musicians and in the famous record La Rumba Soy Yo,
winner of Latin Grammy Awards in 2001, in which she demonstrated her huge
versatility.
2002 was a great year for this Cuban young artists because besides her
performance in United Stated with Issac Delgado and his orchestra, she
was selected as guest figure of Tropicana Cabaret, hard proof she succeed,
she also mede concerts at various European countries as part of ''Festival
Son Cuba'' Spectacle and as member of Cuban Grammys Project together with
Eliades Ochoa, Juan Formell, Sampling, Chucho Valdés, Los Papines
and Ernán López-Nussa.
Copa Room Cabaret witnessed in April 25, 2003 at Riviera Hotel various
remarkable events in Haila's artistic life. That night, our ''Diva del
Son'' featured her orchestra with high-quality musicians in a concert
attended by special guests from Culture Ministry, Artex, Musicalia, Bis
Music, E-Commerce Agency, journalists, T.V and radio directors, critics
and general public.
In this concert, full of surprises, Haila unveiled her contract as exclusive
artist from Musicalia, Agency of Artistic Management from Artex, her Haila Live CD via Bis Music, deals with a concert she made
last year at National Theather of Cuba, having the notable appearance
of Chucho Valdés, Issac Delgado, Mayito Rivera, David Calzado y
su Charanga Habanera, where Haila, shows, one more time, her undoubted
talent singing anthological and contemporary themes, to channel a new dimension
for her voice. This 13-tracks CD was under the musical production and direction
of Juan Manuel Ceruto.
Another reason for joy in that unforgettable night was the featuring of
Haila's web page produced by a professional team from E-Commerce Agency
and a specialist from Musicalia Agency, which you may contact in www.haila.musicaliaonline.com
In June of the same year, Haila made an important tour around European
countries and in July and August, she performed along with David Calzado
y su Charanga Habanera in various Japanesse cities.
On march 2004, Haila made a Canada tour to promote her Haila Live showing great talent to the Canadian public, as a proposal of ARTEX`s
Bis Music label.
La Diva del Son, as she is well-known in Cuba, had the opportunity of
being accompanied by the master Adalberto Alvarez y su Son featuring a
repertoire with tracks belonging to her three CDs and some others that`s
netted her great acceptance of the Japanese public last year.
Haila`s presence was very acclaimed, highlighting the concert made in
Lion D` Or, on March 11.
She undertook also in this year the project Las Divas, making different
performances at notable theaters of the capital.
In 2005, she gave priority to the national and international promotion of her last set. This young artist, who was also present at diverse TV programs, joined Charanga Habanera at some live performances, starting in addittion international treks to capture everyone`s attention.
Besides, she was part of the Cuba canta a Serrat CD, recorded in Havana at the Abdala, Ojalá, PM Record and Frank Fernández studios to honor the peerless composer and singer Joan Manuel Serrat. This set, previously conceived for 12 tracks is currently a double album having more than twenty songs, one of the most discussed records at the 2005 MIDEM Fair in France.
Among the selected bunch of luminaries contributing this CD we can highlight Silvio Rodríguez, Pablo Milanés, David Alvarez, and among the women, Haila underscores due to her unique accent and rhythm.
Haila featured also her new discographic production at Meliá Cohiba Hotel. This was an extraordinary performance in which Haila was critically acclaimed by the audience. This peerless singer topped since many years ago the popularity charts along the entire country.
Haila Diferente
CD, under the production of the notable David Calzado is showing a new stage in Haila`s professional career, the carefully-selected tracks and the way they were mixed in this set earned it value enough to awake more than one desire to buy it, this set is popular not only among young multitudes, people about 40 and 60 also prefer it, because Haila is an artist for all ages.
Fully supported by this last recording production which is already a success, Haila captured the attention of the capital`s audience at diverse performances she offered together with Habana Casino Band, which swathed Haila in a glittering joint during this grown-up phase of her career. All these presentations have been already favorably acclaimed by all audiences, which sincerely appreciate such wide decision.
That is why, it is not rare for anyone her nomination to Cubadisco 2005 as one of the most outstanding contemporary artists from Cuba, some people is inquiring the reason of her nomination on Pop/Fusion category, anyway, all those experts in the subject know that Pop means popular, so we could say Haila is in good position.
But far beyond categories or positions is amazing the accepatance of this set Diferente, which has earned her different emotions and joys since the very date of releasing, improving not only her popularity level but also her professional experience.
A long-expected video clip
is the cool promotion of Haila to keep on supporting her newcomer set Diferente. This video produced under Bis Music Label, recreating in imagery the song Quién Fue, penned by Alfredo Ureta, boasting an undoubted high quality.
High-quality voice, innate professionalism and inner addiction to work are the signature features for
Haila María Mompié who assumed life with the dignity of
those who loves Cuban music. Not by fortune, she is considered
one of the great Cuban contemporary soneras and a member of the new generation
of talents, gaining a prestigious space within the popular
music history.
For more information about this artist, visit her personal website in: www.haila.org
