Cecilia (Spanish singer)

There have been posthumous compilations and a re-edition of her songs sung by famous artists like Merche Corisco, Miguel Bosé, Ana Belén, Manolo Tena, and Julio Iglesias in 1996. Some of her songs such as "Un ramito de violetas" and "Dama, dama" have been covered by many artists worldwide: Rocío Dúrcal, David Broza, Manzanita, Natalia Oreiro, Fangoria, Amaral and Pablo Milanés among many others.

On the 2nd of August 1976 Cecilia and the musicians of her band drove back to Madrid after a concert in Vigo, Galicia. Early in the morning, they were involved in a car accident near Benavente. She, along with musician Carlos de la Iglesia, died. She was buried in the Madrilenian Cementerio de la Almudena.

During her musical career as Cecilia, she released 3 LPs and 9 singles that were very well received by Spanish public. Cecilia was also a successful artist in Latin America. Her recordings were released in most Latin-speaking countries. She performed live in Colombia, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. She represented Spain in the fourth edition of the OTI Festival in 1975, which was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico with the song "Amor de medianoche" (Midnight Love). She ended up first runner-up. In 1976 she was working on several artistic projects, such as a tribute to poet Ramón del Valle-Inclán and launching her music career in the U.S. She was also developing some work as a musical producer.

Her first steps in the music field were with the group Expresión, featuring Nacho Sáez de Tejada and Julio Seijas. She wrote and sang in English. This band only published a single in 1970. In 1971 she signed up a contract as a solo artist with CBS-Spain. Julio Seijas remained as a collaborative musician on Cecilia´s band. She tried to launch her career as 'Eva' but that name was already registered and in use by another Madrilenian artist. In those days, the CBS-Spain label had release Simon and Garfunkel´s hit "Cecilia" and Evangelina took on that stage name.

While Spanish singer songwriters such as Mari Trini or Joan Manuel Serrat followed French influences, Cecilia introduced a new style in the 1970s. She brought and combined into her music her American and Middle East experiences and also looked into Spanish folk tradition and literature. She sang in English and Spanish. Cecilia was influenced by The Beatles, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez as she said in several press interviews. She performed and recorded songs of these artists. Her first single as "Cecilia" featured the song "Reuníos" asking The Beatles to get back together as a group. The front cover of her first album Cecilia shows Evangelina wearing a boxing glove, a clear reference to Paul Simon's song "The Boxer".

The daughter of diplomats, she was born in Madrid, spent her childhood in several countries (Spain, The United Kingdom, The United States, Jordan, Portugal) and was raised by an American nun. She attained a bachelor's degree in law in Spain before deciding to dedicate herself to music and composition. Her ironic and lyrical songs, sung in a tiny voice, contributed to the existentialist and feminist movements of Spanish canción protesta (protest songs) of the 1960s and 1970s.

Evangelina Sobredo Galanes, known as Cecilia, (11 October 1948 – 2 August 1976) was a Spanish singer-songwriter. She took her stage name from the song "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel.