Google Doodle: Google Celebrates Legacy Of Mexican Singer Lola Beltrán
Today, Google Doodle is commemorating the 92nd birthday of Lola Beltrán, a renowned Mexican singer and actor known as "La Grande de Sinaloa" or the Grand Lady of Sinaloa.
So who is Lola Beltrán?
Lola’s Big Break
Born to a working class family in El Rosario, Sinaloa, on 7th March 1932, Lola’s career started when she relocated to Mexico City with her mother at the age of 13. After getting a job as a secretary at a radio station, her big break came when she won an on-air singing contest, which led to her securing a recording contract. Beltrán began covering popular songs on the radio, quickly gaining fame for her powerful, emotive voice and ability to cover multiple genres. This marked the onset of an incredible career, during which she created around 100 albums.
Cucurrucucú Paloma
One of Beltrán’s most well known songs was her rendition of Tomás Méndez's "Cucurrucucú Paloma”. The song became her signature, and eventually her rendition was known as the definitive version of the song. She also became the first Ranchera, a Mexican music genre, singer to perform at El Palacio de Bellas Artes, as well as performing for various world leaders.
The Silver Screen
Lola Beltrán’s talents were not only confined to music, with the actress starring in around 50 films from the 1950’s to the 1970’s alongside household names such as Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete, and Antonio Aguilar, solidifying her status as a cultural icon.
Legacy
A beloved Mexican icon, Lola passed away on 24th March 1996. Google honours her legacy today with an animated Doodle depicting the singer holding a microphone, a fitting tribute to a woman who inspired generations of Mexican signers to embrace folk music.
