Camilo Sesto

Camilo Sesto was born on September 16, 1946 in Alcoy, a town in the province of Alicante, Spain. He grew up in a humble family and showed interest in music from an early age. He sang at weddings and christenings as a child and joined his first pop band, Los Dayson, when he was a teenager. He moved to Madrid with his band in 1965 and won a contest on a television show. He later joined another band, Los Botines, which was influenced by The Beatles and appeared in a film. In 1970, he started his solo career under the stage name Camilo Sesto, which had a numerological significance for him. He met producer Juan Pardo, who helped him launch his first album, Algo de mí, which became a huge hit in Spain and Latin America. He followed with more successful albums and singles, such as Algo más, ¿Quieres ser mi amante?, Perdóname, Vivir así es morir de amor, and Amor mío, ¿qué me has hecho?. He also wrote songs for other artists, such as Ángela Carrasco, Miguel Bosé, Lucía Méndez, José José, and Air Supply. In 1975, he starred in the Spanish version of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, which he also produced and translated. He received praise from Andrew Lloyd Webber for his performance. He continued to perform and record throughout the 1980s and 1990s, reaching new audiences and markets. He also ventured into acting in films and television. In 2008, he announced his retirement from music and embarked on a farewell tour. He received several awards and recognitions for his career, such as the Highest Hispanic Pride medal, the Alcoyana Gold Medal, and the induction into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. He died on September 8, 2019 in Madrid from kidney failure at the age of 72. He left behind a son, Camilo Blanes Ornelas, who is also a singer.