The worldwide success of the Gipsy Kings
A journey through the most international rumba
The "Gipsy Kings" are a flamenco-rumba musical group from the French towns of Arles and Montpellier. Its members belong to two different families, that of "Los Reyes", formed by Nicolas, Canut, Paul, Patchai and André, and that of "Los Baliardos", whose members are Tonino, Paco and Diego. They are all descendants of Spaniards who emigrated to France.
Over the years, they have been baptized as the "fathers of musical mestizaje". Their songs are pioneers in the fusion of Catalan rumba with pop, rock and even sounds from Africa and Latin America.
During their adolescence, Nicolás, Canut and Paul Reyes accompanied their father, the renowned artist José Reyes, to his performances. After his death, they joined "Los Baliardos" and began performing in the streets and events of Cannes. At that time, the fusion of rumba with other rhythms from Latin pop was born.
The beginning of Los Reyes
In 1970 they created the group "Los Reyes". For years they performed under this nickname, until a foreign follower suggested translating it into English and they began to call themselves "The Kings".
The first album that brought them to stardom and managed to include them in the world of gypsy rumba was Gipsy Kings in 1987. This album included their first musical hit, Bamboleo. Two years later, their second hit would arrive with Volare. The artists became very popular in France, Europe and the Middle East. In 1988, the group embarked on its first tour in the United States, and managed to position itself in the charts for 40 weeks.
Since its beginnings, the group has not stopped combining Spanish and French with words from the Caló dialect. This particular mixture has given them a unique stamp within their profession.
Awards
Among their most outstanding achievements are the following awards:
-Latin Grammy for best pop album of the year for Love and Liberté (1993).
-Platinum Record for his compilation "The Best of the Gipsy Kings (1995)
-Golden Record Allegria (1990)
-Golden Record Este Mundo (1991)
-Gold Disc Tierra Gitana (1996)
-Gold Disc Cantos de Amor (1998)
-Gold Disc Volare! The Very Bets of the Gipsy Kings (1999)
-After commemorating their 25th anniversary, the artists decided to stay away from the stage until 2013. That same year they released Savor Flamenco and returned stronger than ever. This work constituted the first album written and produced entirely by the band.
Although their place of residence changes constantly due to their world tours, the artists remain settled in the South of France. To date, they have sold more than 20 million records. In addition, their songs have served as soundtracks for such well-known films as Toy Story 3 and The Big Lebowski.
Another Gipsy Kings revival
The group is back in the news again with the release of the album Nací Gitano, a new work by Gipsy Kings by André Reyes that features ten previously unreleased songs. The album's single, La Negra, has left no one indifferent.
After 35 years of musical career, they continue to reinvent their work with the most joyful and innovative rumba.