Flamenco art among the youth is rewarded. María José Pérez, an outstanding cantaora.

That was predictable. It was just a question of time, very shortly. During this Easter week and those of previous years as well, people listened to her with great admiration signing saetas to some Virgin or Christ image in the Spanish processions. But that was just the tip of the iceberg: experts on flamenco sensed that she would become a cantaora very soon, an important one. She would become an outstanding cantaora.

They sensed it in one of the most important peñas, called El Taranto where María José’s show provoked great admiration. She has been widely applauded in all the peñas she has performed, both in Spain and abroad. She has finally received the recognition she deserves in the Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco (National Flamenco Art Competition) in Córdoba: the most important flamenco competition according to the opinion of both artists and those people who have just started being interested in flamenco.

María José Pérez –Rodríguez is her surname on her mother’s side- has presented her show in Córdoba before an expectant audience. Now I have to pay her some compliments since I owed her a written bunch of praises. She, who without any or little help and no patron, has inspired me to write this article. Listen to me, ladies and gentlemen! Here you have a cantaora for everything you would like. Do you want a compás? Let’s go. Do you prefer something from my homeland? Come on; sing some tarantos and tarantas that remind us of  the lead and silver- coloured mountains of the province of Almería.

An exceptional voice

The Grupo Niña de los peines (Niña de los peines Award), of which she was declared a finalist, was not awarded. But she still had the very coveted Antonio Chacón Award. After two selection processes, just five candidates reached the final, which took place on the ninth day of the present month and year.

The official guitarist of the competition was Calderito, who was on stage with them. María José only needed three different styles merged into two variants to win the prize: granaínas de Vallejo and taranto de Fosforito -two typical flamenco palos- to end with a classic taranta. Two of the members of the jury told me- I am not revealing any secret as the verdict has already been given and the winners declared-: look Antonio- told me one of them- this woman is very, very good according to the palos she has performed today. She has an exceptional, clear voice, full of different ranges and well- pitched. The other one- who had been in the Julián Arcas Competition- corroborated those praises: apart from her voice, which is exquisite and melodious, she is courageous; she does not fear any palo. Are they not enough? I would say the same and I would also add that she is very enthusiastic and hard- working; she sings in tune and she is an expert in the difficult low keys, which she performs brilliantly, without shouting. The most important thing is to sing slowly, there is no need to shout or to rush; we have the whole night ahead of us. She will be really pleased this Saturday, when she receives the certificate and the prize in the Gran Teatro Theatre in Córdoba.

Despite her still short career, she has already won many awards. Without any doubt, the most rewarding one was the Jóvenes Valores de Andalucía en el cante (2005 Andalusia Young Flamenco Star), according to its presence in the media and its great impact among the audience.

Changing the subject, I should say that she has improved her technique after a few months working for the Mario Maya flamenco company. Thanks to all of that, María José’s artistic career is sound, constant and upward. She is not vain but aware of her own difficulties. She respects and learns every day from flamenco experts, either men or women, gipsies or those who are not. Congratulations María José! Here is to health and luck.