Cuba has been the birthplace of prestigious interpreters of the song of all time. Several singers mark this stage in the history of Cuban music in the 21st century (2000-2011), including: Lynn Milanés Benet, Alexander Díaz, Gardi Vázquez Suárez, Dayanis Lozano, Haila Maria Mompié, Isis Adriana Flores Betancourt, Leoni Torres, Jackeline Velázquez, Haydee Milanés, Mayco Marrero Arencibia, Shamela, Vania Borges, Sory Diana Fuentes, Tania Pantoja, Laritza Bacallao, and Jenny Sotolongo.

Lynn Milanés Benet began her professional career working as a flutist for theater groups such as the Ballet Teatro de La Habana and the Teatro Buendía, which featured live music in their performances. In 1994, she founded the group Aries, a three-part vocal ensemble. She began her singing career in 1997, exploring genres such as pop and blues; she also ventured into two-guitar work with traditional Cuban composers and boleros.

Alexander Díaz has been a member of Cuban orchestras such as Vidrio y Corte. He also performed as a vocalist with Isaac Delgado’s orchestra in 1991, Klimax, Bamboleo, and Paulo FG’s orchestra. In 2005, he participated in the recording project Tres días de Feeling. His repertoire encompasses a variety of musical genres, including Feeling, Son, and contemporary styles.

Gardi Vázquez Suárez, a prominent Cuban performer, began his career in the music world within the amateur movement. He founded the Traditional Septet of the same name. He also participated in the group Otra Visión, led by flautist Orlando Valle. He participated in several jazz festivals, including the 1999 Jazz Plaza Festival. He founded his own group in 2000, with the goal of performing a repertoire comprised of his own compositions and those of other composers. His debut album, Gardi, was recorded in 2002.

Dayanis Lozano’s first musical school was the jazz group Exodo and later the pop group Arkanar, later renamed Luz Verde. She was the lead singer in both groups, and in the latter, she released her songs “Prisionera” and “Con tu Luz,” which quickly became national top hits. With one of the most appealing voices in the genre, she is considered one of the pioneers of the pop music movement in Cuba, although she has also explored other rhythms such as jazz, light jazz, gospel, and blues, among others.

In 1994, Haila María Mompié González joined the musical group Bamboleo as a vocalist, where her magnificent vocal qualities, high level of improvisation, and excellent stage presence made her stand out. Already showing a visible artistic maturity, and combining her talent, she recorded a solo album. In April 2003, she presented her orchestra, made up of talented musicians. Considered one of the most important contemporary Cuban soneras, she has shared the stage throughout her career with prominent national and international figures.

In 2003, Isis Adriana Flores Betancourt made her debut with the video “Llegarás,” a self-composed song. The hit was a huge success and received three nominations for the Lucas Awards, the Cuban Music Video Festival. She began her solo career in May 2007 with the CD “Sola,” directed and produced by David Blanco. In the most recent round of entries for the 2011 Lucas Awards, Isis Flores received five nominations for the music video for the song “Voy a darte.”

Leoni Torres, a prominent Cuban singer, despite possessing an excellent voice, never had the opportunity to study singing. He began his career in Camagüey with a small salsa group called Costa Sur. He was a member of La Charanga Habanera for several years. As a solo artist, he released his first album under the EGREM label, titled “Bajo la piel,” with a style more focused on pop, ballads, and fusion. He is currently working on the production of his new album, which has yet to be titled and which follows the same genre as the CD “Bajo la piel.”

Jackeline Velázquez, popularly known as Jackeline Vell, began her professional career with the Holguín provincial choir Orfeón. She arrived in Havana and began as a member of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT) choir. The artist has now added her professional acclaim to her performances with concerts and tributes to prominent figures in Cuban music, as well as several editions of the Adolfo Guzmán and OTI competitions.

Haydee Milanés began singing and playing the piano at just 6 years old. Her professional career began in 1999 as a pianist for Ernán López Nussa’s cuartero. She traveled to New York in 2001 to begin recording her first solo album. Throughout her career, she has performed on various stages in Cuba and around the world, both in solo concerts and in collaborations with prestigious artists. She has participated in various festivals such as the San Sebastián International Jazz Festival in Spain and La Mar de Músicas in Cartagena.

Raúl Lora Villar’s artistic pursuits have also led him to work as a television host, but acting and music are his greatest passions. With his young group, he has performed successfully as a singer on various stages across the country, exploring genres such as reggaeton, merengue, house music, and cumbia, among others. With this musical endeavor, he has recorded his first album, self-authored and titled “Bonito Pegao.”

Mayco Marrero Arencibia began dancing as an amateur in a group called Primera clase in 1998. He began his career as a singer by joining the Latin pop group Megalo in 2001. At the beginning of 2008, the young performer focused completely on carrying out his dream projects of forming his own group, of which he is the director and in which he is successfully developing his career as a soloist.

Shamela’s first professional singing job was with the group “Son Peregrín.” Her artistic interests prompted her to pursue a new project that would allow her to make her own music and offer a new image as a solo artist, so she created her own eponymous group. The charismatic artist’s magnificent vocal abilities, along with her broad stage presence, which always includes dance, have allowed her and her group to become a favorite with audiences who closely follow the development of contemporary Cuban music.

In 2001, Vania Borges performed the song “Who Told You?” at the OTI (Spanish Association of Latin American and Caribbean Music) competition, and was a finalist in this competition. At the 2002 Adolfo Guzmán Cuban Popular Music Competition, she performed the song “What Do I Do with the Song?”, where the song she performed won the Popularity Award. In December 2006, her self-titled album was released, marking her debut. She has won national awards and, in addition to her recordings with Bamboleo, has appeared on albums in the Buena Vista Rhythms del Mundo collection.

Sory’s debut album was released under the name Sory in 2005. This album was nominated for the 2005 Cubadisco Award. Dagoberto González was responsible for the production and musical direction. The quartet Sexto Sentido and other performers such as Robertón and Jeni, members of Los Van Van, and Tania Pantoja participated in the album.

Diana Fuentes made her first appearances in national piano competitions, where she won several awards. She began her professional career in 2001. She took her first steps as a vocalist in the band Síntesis and with one of the most brilliant creators of fusion music in Cuba: X Alfonso. In 2007, she embarked on her solo career, that year winning the Adolfo Guzmán Grand Prize. She has also ventured into film.

Tania Pantoja began her career performing in various nightclubs. Cabaret was a great school for her, and she also recognizes José Luis Cortés (El Tosco) as one of her greatest mentors. Later, she joined the group Lady Salsa. Later, she joined Azúcar Negra, where she remained for several years, before finally joining Bamboleo. In 2011, she decided to embark on several projects, including her solo work as a performer of Romantic, Bolero, and Feeling genres at her club in Dos Gardenias.

Laritza Bacallao is a Cuban singer who has been part of the Boleros de Oro Festival on several occasions. She has participated in countless events honoring the renowned Cuban singer Beny Moré. She has also appeared at various editions of the Habaneras Festival in Havana. She recently joined the prestigious PMM roster and the Events company, with the aim of launching and developing her career in the United States as a platform for the world.

Jenny Sotolongo, a Cuban singer hailed as a child prodigy of Cuban music, is considered one of the leading young voices in contemporary Cuban songwriting. She made her artistic debut in 1997 with the song “Canto a la naturaleza” by composer Mirtha Selis at the Cantándole al Sol Festival that same year. In a nationwide selection of talents, she was chosen to represent Cuba at the Bravo, Bravísimo!!! Festival, held in Cremona, the City of Violins, Italy. At this event, she performed “La Bamba” and “Damisela Encantadora,” winning third place and the Sympathy Award among child talents from twenty-one countries. As a teenager, she continued studying and singing. Her artistic accolades include other international performances in Brazil, Algeria, Argentina, and Venezuela.