Celia Cruz

Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso (21 October 1925 – 16 July 2003), known as Celia Cruz, was a Cuban-American singer and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Nicknamed "La Guarachera de Cuba" in the 1950s, she became internationally known as the "Queen of Salsa". She sold more than 30 million records.

She began in Cuba as the singer of the group Sonora Matancera, an association that lasted fifteen years (1950–1965). She mastered several Afro-Cuban styles, including guaracha, rumba, son and bolero, and recorded numerous singles for Seeco Records.

In 1960, following the nationalisation of the music industry by the Cuban Revolution, she left her country and became one of the symbols of the Cuban exile community. She continued her career in Mexico and then in the United States, where she settled permanently. In the 1960s she recorded "Bemba colorá" with Tito Puente, her signature song. In the 1970s she signed with Fania Records and became closely associated with salsa, with "Quimbara". Later she enjoyed success with "La vida es un carnaval" and "La negra tiene tumbao", and collaborated with Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill on "Guantanamera", which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Duo or Group.

Her discography includes 37 studio albums. She received two Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards, and acted in films and telenovelas. Her catchphrase "¡Azúcar!" has become one of the symbols of salsa. In 2026, she was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an early musical influence.