Eugenia Leon

by Evan C. GutierrezSince her appearance in 1983, vocalist Eugenia León has gone from a virtually unknown talent to becoming a Mexican cultural icon. Born in Mexico City, León began her career in the 1970s with groups performing the nueva cancíon and political repertoire that gave voice to the concerns of young adults and students, and was popular throughout Latin America. In 1982, she began to appear solo, performing selections written by popular songwriters of her generation such as Marcia Alejandro, Pepe Elorza, and Jaíme Lopez. A shift in León's visibility came in 1985, when she claimed a victory for Mexico at the OTI Festival in Sevilla a short two days after a catastrophic earthquake destroyed a large part of her home town. Emotional though she was León offered Mexicans a sense of victory when they needed it most. As her popularity grew, so did her discography. She recorded nearly a record a year from her 1983 debut until the year 2000. Her status as a Latin American musical icon took her to stages all over the globe; she shared the spotlight with artists like Lola Beltrán, Willie Colón, José José, Mercedes Sosa, and others. In 2007, León released her 22nd original album, Pasional. The record enjoyed a lasting presence on Mexican charts, holding steadily in the Top 40 for months following its release.