Malena Muyala (born 23 March 1971) is a Uruguayan singer-songwriter who specializes in tango and milonga music. She has released several albums that were certified gold and platinum, and has toured within and outside Uruguay.[1]

Malena Muyala
Background information
Birth nameMalena Muyala
Born (1971-03-23) 23 March 1971 (age 53)
San José de Mayo, Uruguay
OriginMontevideo, Uruguay
GenresTango, milonga, Uruguayan pop
OccupationsSinger, songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
LabelsBizarro
Websitewww.malenamuyala.com

Early life

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Muyala was born in San José de Mayo, Uruguay. She is partly of Lebanese descent.[1] Her family, especially her grandmother, supported her passion for music and theatre.[citation needed] She enjoyed singing to the radio and television.[2] At age 11, she joined Teatro Macció where she took classes in the dramatic arts, and participated in productions for "Nuestro Pueblo" (Our Town) and "Vámonos" (Let's Go).[citation needed]. She learned to play guitar and took singing lessons, and when she was around 12–13, she formed various music groups.[2] including an all-female Murga group.[citation needed] In 1988, she moved to Montevideo to study medicine[2] but also joined the acting troupe[2] Antimurga BCG, which was directed by Jorge Esmoris. She acted and sang[2] in the plays "Entre Locos y Loquitos", "Papitas y Boniatos al Horno", and "Sexo, Chocolate y BCG".[citation needed]

Career

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Muyala's music career took off in 1991 when she won first prize at the First National Tango Contest of Uruguay, which involved 350 participants from all over the country.[3] That same year, she put together a band and toured the country.[citation needed] In 1994 she was invited by singer-songwriter Estela Magnone in the group Seda in a concert for her disc Prismatic Vals at the Vaz Ferreira theater.[4] She was a solo singer[5] and performed with musicians Pitufo Lombardo, Shyra Panzardo,[4] Cinthia Gallo and Estela Magnone.[citation needed]

In 1997, she worked on a project "Malena Tanto Tango y Tanto Amor" ("Malena, so much tango and so much love"), which she presented to the Uruguayan Ministry of Culture and Education. The project was selected to be presented in six cities in the country's interior, as well as Montevideo during 1998.[5] In December 1998, Muyala released her first album, Temas Pendientes through the record label Ayuí. It reached fourth place in the best-selling albums in December according to the Cámara Uruguaya del Disco and received an Iris Prize. In 1999, Muyala worked with Malacara Producciones, who has been working with musician Jaime Roos, on the Ciclo Música del Sol y de la Luna (Music Cycle of the Sun and the Moon) concert series. Her Temas album received a Disco de Oro (Gold Disc).[5] In 2000 she continued touring for Temas in Argentina. She recorded her second album Puro Verso (Pure Verse) in Montevideo and Buenos Aires,[5] and released it that year.[6]

In 2007, she released her third album Viajera (Voyager), which was then certified Gold.[7] In December 2008, she was accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Montevideo for a show called Malena Muyala + La Filarmonica at the steps of the Hotel del Prado to celebrate the tenth anniversary of her first album.[8] She recorded her fourth CD live and her first DVD called Malena Muyala en el Solís at the Solis Theatre; it was released in 2009.[9]

In 2010, she performed on the Palacio Legislativo (Legislative Palace) steps for the new legislators' first day in Parliament.[10] She was invited by Argentinian authorities to participate in a bicentennial celebration. She performed with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Montevideo for the mayor's assumption ceremony.[jargon][citation needed] In 2011, she performed for Uruguay's bicentennials for events concerning Jose Artigas and the Oriental Revolution at Mercedes, Las Piedras and Montevideo.[11] She also recorded alongside other major artists a song for the Fundación Celeste, a nonprofit organization put together by the Uruguay national team to promote sports.[12]

In 2011, Muyala toured the Montevideo neighborhoods, and listened to stories from locals. She documented her experience in a book and album project called Pebeta de mi Barrio.[13] Her tour was declared of interest by the United Nations and UNESCO,[14] and was given an award by Festival Cubadisco 2012.[15][16]

Members

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The members of Muyala's band:

  • Fredy Pérez – guitar, vocals, arrangements
  • Mauro Carrero – guitar
  • Juan Rodríguez – cello, arrangements
  • Enrique Anselmi – bass
  • Gustavo Montemurro – piano, accordion
  • Gerónimo de León – drum percussion

Band members when she toured Argentina:

  • Alejandro Ridilenir – guitar
  • Rodrigo Genni – drums
  • Pablo Martín – standup bass

Former members

  • Shyra Panzardo – bass guitar[17]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Certifications (Cámara Uruguaya del Disco) Refs
Temas pendientes (Unresolved issues)
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Ayuí / Tacuabé (Uruguay), Mulato Músicas (Argentina)
  • Format: CD
  • Re-released: 2011
Platinum [18][19]
Puro verso (Pure verse)
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: Ayuí / Tacuabé (Uruguay)
  • Format: CD
Gold [6]
Viajera (Voyager)
(also Muger de Tango)
  • Released: 2006–07
  • Label: Bizarro Records (Uruguay), Los Años Luz Discos (Argentina)
  • Format: CD
Platinum [7][20]
Pebeta de mi Barrio
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Bizarro Records & Santillana (Uruguay)
  • Format: CD+Book
[21][22]

Live and video albums

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Title Album details Certifications (Cámara Uruguaya del Disco) Refs
Malena Muyala en el Solís
  • Released: 2009
  • Label: Bizarro Records (Uruguay)
  • Format: CD+DVD
Platinum DVD [9][23]

Awards and nominations

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  • Spokesperson for the Fundación Álvarez Caldeyro Barcia[year needed]
  • Woman of the Year[year needed]
  • Joven Sobresaliente[year needed]
  • Iris Award / Diario El País[year needed]
  • 2009: Outstanding Citizen of Montevideo[16]
  • 2010: Graffiti Award (Uruguay music award), Best Tango album for Malena Muyala en el Solís[16]
  • 2012: Festival Cubadisco 2012 award, Best International Album for Pebeta de mi Barrio.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Interview to Malena Muyala". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). 20 November 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e Vasquez, Marvin (28 March 2013). "Uruguayan Award-Winning Singer Malena Muyala is A Musical Treat". Campus Circle. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Tango en Bares y Cafés de dos Orillas" [Tango Bars & Pubs in two Shores]. Buenos Aires Ciudad (Government of the City of Buenos Aires) (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  4. ^ a b "A little of history". Shrya Panzardo official site. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d "Intérpretes – Imprimir". Deluruguay.net. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Puro Verso – 2000". Malenamuyala.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Viajera – 2007". Malenamuyala.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Malena Muyala con la Filarmónica Como ninguna". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). 27 November 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  9. ^ a b "En el Solís – 2009". Malenamuyala.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Festejo femenino". Elobservador.com.uy. 15 February 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  11. ^ "La fiesta llega a la capital" (in Spanish). Bicentennial of the Proceedings of the Oriental Emancipation 1811–2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  12. ^ "El verso amargo de Malena Muyala | Artista cantante | EL UNIVERSAL – Cartagena" (in Spanish). El Universal. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  13. ^ "Libro y disco de Malena Muyala Como ninguna". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). www.montevideo.com.uy. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  14. ^ "Music of Uruguay 2011" (PDF). Cluster de Música (in Spanish and English): 155. October 2011.
  15. ^ "Singer and composer from Uruguay promotes the ¡No! to violence against women". UNESCO. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  16. ^ a b c d "Malena Muyala – Schedule". South by Southwest. 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  17. ^ "Shyra Panzardo – SITIO OFICIAL". Shyra.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  18. ^ "Temas Pendientes 1998". Malenamuyala.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  19. ^ "Temas Pendientes – 2011". Malenamuyala.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  20. ^ "iTunes – Music – Mujer de tango by Malena Muyala". Itunes.apple.com. January 2006. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  21. ^ "Pebeta de mi Barrio". Malenamuyala.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  22. ^ Pebeta de mi barrio (Book, 2011). [WorldCat.org]. OCLC 786008038. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  23. ^ "Biografía". Malenamuyala.com. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
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