After two weeks of pleasure jondoSome with sophistication, the cheerful ones, and others with tight pinches, he arrived with nonchalance at the timbers of the Peña Flamenca Torres Macarena the young flamenco singer Lela Soto, overflowing with age, smiles and spontaneity in a recital brimming with freshness, gypsy spirit and daring.
He accompanied her on the guitar Rubén MartínezJudging by the tiny bit of fretboard where she had to fit the accompaniment, she was practically whistling the falsetas. Lela strained her voice with the capo on the 7th or 9th fret. While others sing with ease, Lela dug deep and pushed forward without breaking, with the same courage she displayed in the melismas, creating new sounds that make her flamenco A current, very Gypsy-like and unique proposal that respectfully reinterprets the orthodoxy that runs through its veins. I buy it. But allow me my only criticism: with half a tone or a tone less, more mid-tone, it might be better, without reaching the limits of stridency, which it narrowly missed, because She doesn't have a fat voice, but an elegant, fine, and sweetly flamenco voice that she roams freely through the high octaves.Even so, it seeped into my flesh, tracing my skin, not to dig its nails in, but to inflict a few gentle scratches and, without a doubt, to enjoy its canteHer gestures, her dancing, her face, and her extraordinary naturalness. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her in person, but she came across as a sweetheart, the kind you just want to pinch. You can tell by those things.
"Lela Soto wove together tender and sensitive moments with the mischievous characters in the tango tientos, with the characteristic sway that suits the subject. She complained like a basket weaver and played with the melodies, bringing them into contemporary territory. As she also dared to reinvent Chacón's milonga without falling into the audacious."
Rubén was almost better than ever, his vocals showing the improvement that comes from experience and performing alongside singers like The Chanquita Or Lela herself, caught up in the Jerez rhythm. She didn't shine for her virtuosity, but rather for her musicality and for guiding the singer, giving her just the right responses, keeping her in her place. Effective and more than worthy, that's how I experienced it.
Lela was visibly moved, completely devoted and grateful to be able to share her art on the sun-drenched stage of the temple of flamenco Sevillian. With Rubén in the Bajañí and the good ones palmas de Reyes Moreno y Juana de los ReyesSmiling and in sync, they formed the picture that brought the door to a close. Week of Pastora blowing fresh air.
With that, he opened with a bambera, without quite turning it into a song, but searching for the contemporary registers in which he felt comfortable. He began to sweeten the guirlache, making the mecías his own, pleasing the audience. "This is imposing." The responsibility didn't prevent him from savoring the thirds by granaína of Vallejo and to link with style the Malagan woman of The TwinShe pointed from her heel to her fringe, which came loaded with a house rhythm, to plunge into the bulería por soleá like a hot new shoot of the Albarizuelos echoes. She wove tender and sensitive moments with the mischievous characters in the tientos tangos, with the characteristic sway that suits the music. She complained like a basket weaver and played with the melodies, bringing them into contemporary territory. As she also dared to reinvent the milonga of Chacon Without falling into boldness, because respect shone through in his trials. He seized the seguiriyas lament to spit out the entrails, skinning himself on each body, chewing the cante, culminating with gusto in the closing flourish. He wanted to lock the door with a flamenco flourish, brimming with taste and rhythm, finished off with the cuplé of TrinityIt was quite a spectacle, complete with a little reprise. But the incessant applause forced an encore, and Lela abandoned the high notes to dig deep into the middle register with a few well-executed fandangos that tasted like pure bliss.
Credits
recital of cante by Lela Soto
VIII Cultural Week of Pastora Pavón
Peña Flamenca Torres Macarena, Seville
November 29th 2025
Cante: Lela Soto
Guitar: Ruben Martinez
PalmasReyes Moreno and Juana de los Reyes
