Josefa Flores González (born 4 February 1948), known professionally as Marisol or Pepa Flores, is a retired Spanish singer and actress who was an evolving icon in Spain since her first appearance in 1960 as a child star until her retreat from the spotlight in 1985.
Early life
Marisol was born Josefa Flores González on 4 February 1948 in Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. From early childhood, she demonstrated a love of singing and flamenco dance. In 1959 she was discovered by film producer Manuel José Goyanes Martínez, who saw her on television. Marisol became a sensation both in Spain and overseas.
Professional life
A star is born
Her passion for dance and music was passed down to her by her grandmother Victoria. She entered a choir and dance group named Los joselitos del cante belonging to the Sección Femenina's national organization . One of her first televised performances was seen by Mari Carmen Goyanes, daughter of producer Manuel Goyanes, who convinced her father that the girl she had seen on television was the actress and singer they needed. The producer convinced Pepa Flores's parents, and she finally signed an exclusive contract with them that made her a millionaire.
The career of Marisol, her artistic name, had just begun. She was extremely popular in Spain and Latin America. She received dance, acting, and declamation classes taught the best teachers, with the idea of making her the star of children's and youth cinema.
In her first film, Un rayo de luz, a huge merchandising campaign was organized around the new star, with books, dolls, cards, and all kinds of objects with the image of the girl. Each film premiere included a tour of Spain and Hispanic countries to promote it, with all kinds of events creating tumults and crowds at the airports. Televisions, interviews, and hundreds of photo shoots, in addition to the film shootings, prevented her from having a childhood like that of any other girl. Columbia Pictures wanted to buy the rights to Manuel Goyanes to continue exploiting her artistic career, but the producer rejected it.
As a singer
Marisol was a child star during the 1960s, entertaining high-ranking dignitaries (including Francisco Franco). Director Luis Lucia Mingarro propelled her to national stardom in the film trilogy Un rayo de luz (Ray of Light), Ha llegado un ángel (An Angel Has Arrived) and Tómbola (Lottery). The films featured Marisol singing some of her best-known songs, "La vida es una tómbola" ("Life Is a Lottery"), "Corre, corre, caballito" ("Run, Run, Little Horse"), "Bambina", "Ola, Ola, Ola", "Estando contigo" ("Being with You"), "Chiquitita" ("Little Girl") and "Nueva melodía" ("A New Melody"). In 1963 she starred in Marisol Rumbo a Río (Marisol Is Bound for Rio), where she played twins (similar to Hayley Mills in The Parent Trap) and sang "Bossanova junto a ti" ("Bossanova Close to You"), "Muchachita" ("Little Woman"), "¡Oh, Tony!" and "Guajiras". Marisol co-starred with Robert Conrad in the 1964 film La Nueva Cenicienta (The New Cinderella), in which she sang "Me conformo" ("I Am Happy"). Mel Ferrer directed her in Cabriola (Prancer) in 1965, where she sang "Cabriola", "¡Ay, vagabundo!", "Ya no me importas nada" ("You Mean Nothing to Me") and "Sevillanas", and went shopping in Paris with Audrey Hepburn. She appeared in Búscame esa chica (Find Me That Girl) with El Duo Dinámico (a popular duet during the 1960s and 1970s). The film had biographical elements, featuring Marisol singing "Mi pequeña estrella" ("My Little Star"), "Typical Spanish" and "Solo a Ti" ("Only To You"). She had a cameo in La historia de Bienvenido (Bienvenido's Story), a story about a donkey.
As an actress
In 1967, Marisol starred in the comedy Las cuatro bodas de Marisol (The Four Weddings of Marisol), as the daughter of actress Isabel Garcés, and sang "La Boda" ("The Wedding"), "Johnny", "Belen, Belen" (with Catalan flamenco singer Peret), and "La Tarara" (inspired by a García Lorca poem). She appeared in (The Two Alone), where she sang "La nieve" (her most popular song in South America, composed by and Rocío Dúrcal's husband, Júnior). She appeared in the unsuccessful Carola de día, Carola de noche (Carola by Day, Carola by Night). In 1969, Marisol appeared in the musical comedy El taxi de Los conflictos (The Taxicab of Troubles), where she sang "Corazón contento" ("Happy Heart"), a song composed by Argentine singer Palito Ortega.
