Azúcar Moreno is the duo consisting sisters Antonia “Toñi” (14 March 1963) and Encarnación “Encarna” Salazar (10 January 1961), the singing duo are part of a large family of performers. The Azúcar Moreno sisters began their singing careers as back-up vocalists to their brothers, but in 1982, they were discovered and signed by record label EMI Spain, resulting in two albums with moderate commercial success released in 1984 and 1986.
Azúcar Moreno had their commercial breakthrough in Continental Europe and Latin America after singing their song “Bandido”, at the Eurovision Song Contest 1990, representing Spain. Unfortunately, the start of their performance was marred by sound problems at the arena in Zagreb. “Bandido” went out as entry number one of twenty-two participating countries. The contest was broadcast live to an audience of approximately 500 million viewers – but due to a tape technician not starting the pre-recorded backing track in time both the singers, their band and the live orchestra missed their cues. This resulted in the sisters finally having to walk off stage, make a second entrance and start the song and their dance routine all over.Despite this very unfortunate debacle “Bandido” finished an honourable fifth and the song and its accompanying album, also including follow-up single “Devórame Otra Vez”, became the starting point of the duo’s international career.
