Albita began her professional career at fifteen in her native Cuba....

Albita began her professional career at fifteen in her native Cuba. Since the beginning her goal was to renew the traditional forms of Cuban music - like Cuban Country and the Son.

With this concept started the composing and singing her originals in a peculiar way. Her first album "Habrá Música Guajira" (1988) shows ten songs on her own and in all of them it is obvious the research and fusion that would characterize her future works. The single "Parranda, Laúd y Son" was number one on the top ten of many Latin American countries and was recorded by other singers and bands. In 1991 she went to Colombia under contract for a local record label. In the albums "Si se da la Siembra" and "Cantaré" from those days, she keeps including both Cuban standards and her originals.

In April 1993 she defected to the United States settling in Miami. Very soon the media and famous names began attending her shows at a venue in Little Havana - Quincy Jones, Madonna, Paco de Lucia, Richard Avedon, Angelica Huston, Oprah Winfrey, Rosie O'Donell, Liza Minelli and the late Gianni Versace- among many others. Emilio and Gloria Estefan also became fans and signed her to their label, Crescent Moon. In 1995 was released her debut album for the United States "No se parece a Nada". The album quickly sold 100,000 copies and Albita toured in the U.S.A., Spain, Panama, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and many other countries. She also performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland and shared billings with Brazilian Gilberto Gil and salsa icon Oscar D'Leon.

The critics praised "No se parece a Nada" and the fierce live shows of the singer. "Her music - said Los Angeles Times - is a complete package of vocal skills, poetry and extraordinary know-how of a group of young Cuban musicians." The New York Times critic wrote that "the punto guajiro tunes of 'No se parece a Nada' fusion smoothly rock, jazz and folk elements in a spicy salsa with conga beat that impress explosively." Paper described the singer as "part Beny Moré, part Marlene Dietrich," and added that "since the first song ALBITA fills the room with the power of her rich and natural voice." That record was nominated to "Lo Nuestro" award of Latin Music.

In September 1996 came out her second album for Crescent Moon "Dicen Qué..." produced by ALBITA and Emilio Estefan Jr. In this record she shows mainly her originals in a variety of styles of Cuban music. Most of the album was recorded live in studio in one take with no sophisticated sequencing or technology. At the 39th edition of the Grammy Awards, "Dicen Qué..." was nominated as best album of tropical music and got the Billboard award as Tropical Album of the Year. Newsweek magazine selected Albita as one of the "100 personalities for the XXI Century." Albita performed at the opening ball of the United States Presiden Bill Clinton, at the Herencia Hispana Awards, and sold out concerts through the United States. Magazines like Vogue and TV shows featured her.

1997 was the year of "Una mujer cómo yo". About this album Albita said "This record is full of new and exciting motivations for me. For the first time I included only festive songs that create a party atmosphere. I opened myself also for the first time to different music styles I have always been enthusiastic about: Colombian Vallenato, Bomba fron Puerto Rico, the rhytmical and tasty Merengue fron Santo Domingo and Cuban music. Counting with the collaboration of Pappo Lucca, Kike Santander, Roberto Blades and Emilio Estefan was a pleasant experience." A new nomination for the Grammy's and a new inclusion at "Lo Nuestro" awards were the results of the production.

Albita was featured in the festivities for the 50th Anniversary of Quincy Jones' career together with stars like Gloria Estefan, Stevie Wonder and Nancy Wilson. Also attended the "Herencia Latina" Awards and once again toured different countries. She is a supporter of charitable causes as AMFAR - to find a cure for AIDS -, and the American Cancer Society and offered several benefit concerts for them in 1997. That same year she was selected best female singer in Peru with the son "El Chico Chévere". Her music has been included in the soundtrack of films such as "Mascaró" from Venezuela, "Café con Leche" filmed in Miami, "The Specialist" and "Dance with me" both produced in Hollywood.