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Age is just a number, and Ángela Álvarez stands as a testament to this truth. On November of 2022, at 95 years old, this remarkable Cuban singer-songwriter emerged as the eldest recipient of a Latin Grammy for Best New Artist. She graciously shared this honor with the Mexican artist Silvana Estrada. During her acceptance speech, Álvarez imparted these inspiring words: “I assure you, it’s never to late.”
Born in Cuba on June 13, 1927, Ángela displayed her musical gift from childhood. Although she dreamed of becoming a professional composer and singer, she didn’t have the support of her family. However, that didn’t stop her from continuing to write her songs. While everything seemed to point towards her never becoming an artist, music was always her faithful companion, her escape, and her outlet to face the blows that life would deliver.
She lost her husband prematurely, as well as a daughter. Later, she had to be separated from her children when they were able to leave the island during what was called Operation Peter Pan. She caught up with them years later in the United States, in 1962. Determined to make up for lost time and perhaps without anticipating that it would be in that land of dreams where her greatest aspiration would come true.
The composer Carlos José Álvarez, Ángela’s grandson, was convinced that the extensive repertoire of songs about love, pain, and joy that his grandmother had written over the years should not remain hidden. That’s why he suggested recording the songs she sang at home. In 2021, he released the album Ángela Álvarez, featuring 15 of her songs. Additionally, the documentary Miss Angela (Dir. Paul Toogood, Lloyd Stanton) about her life was also premiered.