Born in the "City of Palaces" (Mexico City), Eugenia Leon discovers her musical calling at the College of Sciences and Humanities in Naucalpan, where she lent her voice for the compositions of her schoolmates.
During the turbulent 70's, young people started to identify with the musical movement known as La Trova, singing about Latin American life, liberty, and soul.
Those influences defined her style and her future path, and she never looked back.
When she turned 18, she decided to study at the National School of Music. Those were hard times, constantly switching jobs, and learning from life's blows and surprises.
Encouraged by her sister, Eugenia Leon formed a musical group called "Victor Jara", with a totally Latin American folk style. Afterwards, she forms the group Sanampay, with the same roots. She left Sanampay in 1982 to pursue a solo career, based on a repertoire of songs from contemporary Mexican composers, and including also boleros and music from Brazil.
She releases her first recording in 1983, "Asi te quiero", and traveled all over Mexico with a small group of musicians playing in various gigs.
Eugenia Leon's career took a definite turn in 1985, when she entered the OTI International Festival at Seville (Spain) representing Mexico, with Marcial Alejandro's song "El Fandango Aqui". As a devastating earthquake hits Mexico City on September 19th, right while she's competing at the Festival, Eugenia transformed the pain of her people into strength, and turned her voice into the utmost expression of courage and hope. She was awarded First Place in the competition.
Since then, she has recorded more than 20 albums, all diverse and unique. Among the composers that have given her songs are Fito Paez, David Haro, Joan Manuel Serrat, Marcial Alejandro, Armando Manzanero, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Francisco Gabilondo Soler and Maria Grever. She has also explored diverse styles such as mariachi, bolero and tango. In 1998, the government of the Mexican state of Veracruz granted her the Agustin Lara award, as homage for her excellent interpretation of the songs of the famous composers.
Commemorating her 30 years as singer, Eugenia Leon staged a concert at the National Auditorium in Mexico City (the largest venue in the country) on November 1st, 2003, selling it out completely. The concert was a spectacular show with Mariachi Vargas and the Orquesta Sinfonica de las Americas, enthralling the audience with samples covering Eugenia's entire career and musical repertoire.
Eugenia Leon is the best Mexican singer according to many, while others also consider Eugenia's concerts and recordings to be a guarantee of high quality. In any case, Eugenia helps to make sure that the musical spirit of Mexico will remain alive and well.
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Eugenia León got her start in the New Song Movement, Latin America's equivalent to the rise of Bob Dylan and company in North America and Europe. With a repertoire that pairs contemporary composers with the creators of the traditional music of Latin America and Mexico, Ms. León is not locked in to any one genre. Rather she seeks to nurture her music with elements of theater, cabaret, and opera. Her association with actors, poets, painters, and writers imparts a distinct and rich dimension to the production and staging of her music.
In 1985, her rich voice and assured stage presence guaranteed her the top prize at the OTI International Song Festival in Spain. Since then she has participated in other prestigious events such as the Pan Pacific Music Festival in Japan, the Kennedy Center’s AmericArtes Festival in Washington, DC, the Latin Festival in New York City, Expo Seville in Spain, and the Americas Summit in Cartagena, Colombia. Ms. León was also invited to entertain the thousands of women gathered for their global summit in Beijing, China.
Back home in Mexico, audiences know that Eugenia León's musical style transcends the trendy ups and downs of the world of commercial music, and she regularly packs the top venues of the nation meeting demands of fans expectant of quality songs passionately delivered. This performer/audience relationship, she believes, leads to ever higher levels of musical culture in a country fairly bursting with song. The end of an Eugenia León concert often finds the entire crowd on it's feet applauding, at once, the Mexican popular music culture, and the artist who has given it a new voice.
With her roots deep in Mexican culture, she has also taken on the task of reaffirming the ties with other Latin American cultures. Her recent live recording of Tangos has renewed Mexico's love affair with this genre.
Along these lines, she paid homage to Mexico's most dearly loved children's song composer, Francisco Gabilondo Soler’s Cri Cri (Mister Cricket) with a shimmering recording of many of his most frolicsome melodies. Accompanied by the Baja California Symphony Orchestra, Eugenia León has gifted a new generation of Mexican children with the imagination and identity of this joyfully playful tunesmith.
Llegando a ti
Eugenia León Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Poco a poco la distancia se va haciendo menos
Yo no sé si tú vives pensando en mí
Porque yo sólo pienso en tu amor y en tus besos
Qué bonito es querer como quiero yo
Qué bonito entregarse todito completo
Yo no sé, ni pregunto cómo es tu amor
Pero a ti como a mí no te cabe en el cuerpo
No me digas que no sufriste
Que no extrañaste todos mis besos
No me digas que no lloraste
Algunas noches que estuve lejos
Poco a poco me voy acercando a ti
Poco a poco se me llenan los ojos de llanto
Qué bonito es llorar cuando lloro así
Por tu amor, junto a ti y adorándote tanto
The lyrics of Eugenia León's song "Llegando a ti" convey the journey of gradually getting closer to someone and experiencing the emotions that come with it. The first stanza expresses the incremental progress of approaching the person, symbolizing the diminishing distance between them. It also hints at the uncertainty of whether the person thinks about the singer in the same way. While the singer is consumed by thoughts of love and longing for the other person, they are unsure if their love is reciprocated.
The second stanza highlights the beauty of loving intensely and completely. The singer marvels at the ability to give oneself entirely to someone, demonstrating the depth of their feelings. They acknowledge not knowing the exact nature of the other person's love, but they emphasize the intensity of their emotions, suggesting that the other person may also feel an overwhelming love that cannot be contained.
The third stanza delves into the emotions experienced during periods of separation. The singer pleads with the other person not to deny the pain they must have felt, the longing for the singer's kisses, and the tears shed on nights spent apart. It conveys the idea that distance and absence have affected both individuals, causing moments of sadness and yearning.
Finally, the last stanza describes the ongoing process of getting closer and the eruption of strong emotions. As the singer continues to approach the other person, their eyes well up with tears, portraying a mix of joy, longing, and overwhelming love. Crying becomes beautiful because it signifies the intensity of their emotions when they are with the person they love, accompanied by a sense of adoration and devotion.
Overall, the lyrics of "Llegando a ti" explore the gradual journey of approaching someone, the uncertainty of their feelings, the pain of separation, and the overwhelming emotions that arise when finally near the person they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Poco a poco me voy acercando a ti
Gradually, I am getting closer to you
Poco a poco la distancia se va haciendo menos
Little by little, the distance is becoming smaller
Yo no sé si tú vives pensando en mí
I don't know if you live thinking about me
Porque yo sólo pienso en tu amor y en tus besos
Because I only think about your love and your kisses
Qué bonito es querer como quiero yo
How beautiful it is to love as I do
Qué bonito entregarse todito completo
How beautiful it is to give oneself completely
Yo no sé, ni pregunto cómo es tu amor
I don't know, nor do I ask how your love is
Pero a ti como a mí no te cabe en el cuerpo
But for you, like for me, it doesn't fit in your body
No me digas que no sufriste
Don't tell me you didn't suffer
Que no extrañaste todos mis besos
That you didn't miss all my kisses
No me digas que no lloraste
Don't tell me you didn't cry
Algunas noches que estuve lejos
During some nights that I was far away
Poco a poco me voy acercando a ti
Gradually, I am getting closer to you
Poco a poco se me llenan los ojos de llanto
Little by little, my eyes fill with tears
Qué bonito es llorar cuando lloro así
How beautiful it is to cry when I cry like this
Por tu amor, junto a ti y adorándote tanto
For your love, next to you and adoring you so much
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: José Alfredo Jiménez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind