Origin Havana, Cuba Website [1] Years active 2012–present Name Glenda Glenda | Instruments Vocals, flute Genres Jazz, pop | |
 | ||
Born September 3, 1988 (age 35) ( 1988-09-03 ) Occupation(s) Musician, composer, singer | ||
Song for glenda
Glenda López Exposito (born September 3, 1988), better known by her stage name Glenda, is a Cuban-born singer, songwriter and flute player. She was born in Havana, Cuba into a musical family. Her mother, Bellita (born 1957), is a well-known jazz pianist and singer. Glenda's mother shares her interest in music and Glenda cites her mother as a powerful influence who encouraged her musical expansion. She started attend musical lessons (piano, singing) at the age of 5. Later, she studied at music school of Alejandro García Caturla and from 2003 on Conservatory Amadeo Roldán, both in Havana. She also perfmormed with Orquesta de Flauta, led by influential flute player José Luis Cortéz and in Sinfónica de la Habana as a first flute player.
Contents
- Song for glenda
- Musical beginnings and personal life
- Performing with Jamie Cullum and The Dead Daisies
- Cooperation with Danton Supple and Alan Roy Scott
- References
Musical beginnings and personal life
As teenager, Glenda performed not only in her native country, but also abroad, for example on jazz festival Jazz de Puerto Plata in Dominican Republic or Jazz on the Green Festival in Trinidad a Tobago in 2008 She became a permanent member of band Bellity y Jazztumbata after she graduated on Conservatory Amadeo Roldán in 2007. In June 2011, she got married with Slovak producer Jozef Poláček and started to live also in Slovakia. In November 2011, her son Joshua was born.
From 2012 to 2013 she was performing in original musical Just Dance in Bratislava and appeared on few local festivals, including Cherchez La Femme, Uprising reggae festival or BA City Beats, where Katy B, Wyclef Jean, Aloe Blacc, Rudimental, Hadouken!, Danko Jones and many more artists also performed. She was a guests on concerts of one of the most popular Slovak jazz singer Peter Lipa several times. She also cooperated with many others local jazz musicians, for example Martin Valihora, Michal Bugala, Juraj Griglák or Eugen Vizváry. She also contributed on Bellita's album "Lagrimas Negras", which was released in 2013 as promo only record.
Performing with Jamie Cullum and The Dead Daisies
One of her most memorable momenst came in June 2014, when she appeared as guest on Jamie Cullum's solo show in AEGON arena NTC in Bratislava. A few months later she performed on Bratislava jazz days, the oldest jazz festival in Slovakia, with her mother Bellita. According to report from daily newspaper Pravda, their performance was one of the best on 40th edition of festival. Another memorable moment for her came in February 2015, when she appeared on stage with former members of Guns N' Roses and Whitesnake, which has formed supergroup The Dead Daisies. Guitarist Richard Fortus (Guns N Roses), bassist Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake), keyboardist Dizzy Reed (Guns N Roses), guitarist David Lowy (Mink, Red Phoenix) and drummer Brian Tichy (Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol) performed on February 28 together with Darryl Jones (Rolling Stones, Sting, Peter Gabriel), John Corabi (Mötley Crüe) and Bernard Fowler (Rolling Stones) at the legendary Salon Rosado de la Tropical in Havana. Glenda was their special guest and performed with them two songs including Sympathy for the Devil from The Rolling Stones.
Cooperation with Danton Supple and Alan Roy Scott
Discovered internationally only recently in 2014; Glenda is now being produced by Danton Supple (Coldplay, Morrissey, Patti Smith & Ian Brown etc.) and co-writing/collaborating with former Motown Music veteran Alan Roy Scott who has also written with international talents including Céline Dion, Cher, Allman Brothers & Jonny Mathis etc. They prepared Glenda's debut LP in Havana, Cuba at Abdala Studios, which is studio, where Buena Vista Social Club recorded their epic albums. Glenda's first single from upcoming album, "In Search Of" was released in November 2014.
Glenda's musical inspirations include Esperanza Spalding, Jamie Cullum or Laura Mvula.