Introduction
María Isabel Llaudes Santiago (4 December 1943) is a Spanish singer who had her biggest success in the late 1960s until the mid-1970s. She was born in Jaén, Andalusia.
Career
After working in television for some years, she recorded her first album in 1964, which was especially successful in Venezuela. She became known to the Spanish audience in 1965 with a hit version of France Gall's Poupée de cire, poupée de son. In 1966, she was awarded the Best Yé-yé Singer Prize. Her songs, like Romeo y Julieta, Las flechas del amor or El baúl de los recuerdos became hits in Spain.
In 1971, she took part in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song En un mundo nuevo, where she placed second, bested only by Monaco's contestant Séverine with her song Un banc, un arbre, une rue. After Eurovision she appeared in the film En un mundo nuevo, which was inspired by her participation at the European contest. At the end of the yé-yé years she moved to Mexico where she became moderately successful singing rancheras. She is still performing today.
Personal life
She has been married four times and has two daughters. In recent years, she was diagnosed with cancer but has since made a full recovery in USA.
Discography
Selected LP
- 1966 "Karina Vol. I"
- 1968 "Karina Vol. II"
- 1970 "Karina Vol. III"
- 1970 "Colores"
- 1971 "Pasaporte a Dublín"
- 1972 "Tiempo al tiempo"
- 1972 "Lo mejor de Karina"
- 1973 "Lo mejor de Karina"
- 1974 "Lady Elizabeth"
- 1974 "Juntos para ayudarte"
- 1978 "Karina"
- 1985 "El disco de oro de Karina"
- 1991 "Soy como soy"
- 1995 "Primera época (1961-1964)"