Pitingo was born ago 43 years in Ayamonte (Huelva). His dream was always to become a great artist. His maternal family, of gypsy origin, introduced him to the world of flamenco from a very young age. His grandfather and uncle were dedicated to it and little by little he became more interested in music. However, it was not easy at all.
A childhood in a Civil Guard barracks
Pitingo spent part of his childhood within the walls of a barrackssince his father was a civil guard. A stage in his life that he remembers with fear, due to the rise of ETA attacks. “They told you: ‘You can’t leave.’ Always afraid, a little box anywhere… They were already explosives», he said in an interview on ‘Espejo Público’ in 2021. In that same talk, the Andalusian revealed that he said that his father was a plumber.
His work before dedicating himself to music
Pitingo stopped studying at the age of 12, a decision he regrets. At the age of 13 he sang for the first time in public.. “I couldn’t stop shaking,” he said.
Despite getting on stage early, the music still didn’t feed him. He had to try his luck in Madrid, although first He worked at the Barajas airport carrying suitcases.
The Andalusian did not lose hope and thanks to his aunt his singing career took off. The woman took him to a meeting of the Magi and shared moments with figures of the stature of CArmen Linares either Pepe Habichuela.
He participated in several collaborations and In 2006 he released his first album‘Pitingo Habichuelas’, after signing a contract with Universal Music. Here he began to hybridize soul with bulería, giving rise to the ‘soulería’the genre that would make him unique and with which he would make a difference.
His real name
Although everyone knows it as Pitingo, the truth is that it is actually called Antonio Manuel Álvarez Vélez. His stage name means “presumptuous” in the Caló language and is a nickname that comes from his father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
The love story with his wife
Pitingo met Verónica Fernández Prieto in the bumper cars in Alameda de Osuna. He was 16 years old and she was 15 years old. The artist assures in ‘Ten Minutes’ It was love at first sight. «When I saw her appear, I called her and she told me to leave her alone, that she didn’t want to know anything about me. I got her phone number, I called her at home, I called her mother, I called her friends, I spent the day on her porch. She is the woman of my life“, account.
After twelve years of dating, In 2008 they got married civilly. Popular faces such as Loles León, Juan Ramón Lucas and Imanol Arias attended the ceremony.
Pitingo emphasizes that what he values most about it is that they started when he “was nobody” and He has always been by his side supporting him. In fact, it was Verónica who told him to start singing because “it’s also work.”
Your child’s illness
Manuel came into the lives of Pitingo and Verónica to make them a little happier and strengthen the relationship even more. However, when the little one was only seven yearsthey received the worst news: They told him he had cancer.
The Andalusian singer has told on occasion how those hard moments happened: «When my son got sick, I fell asleep, praying and crying».
They traveled for a month oncology consultations and the doctors were preparing them to face this process in the best possible way. Finally, Manuel did not have cancer, but mononucleosis. Its symptoms were very similar to those of leukemia. “I have saved that diagnosis and when I have a bad moment I look at it and think that this was indeed a problem,” says Pitingo.
‘Masterchef Celebrity 9’, Pitingo’s latest challenge
Pitingo has appeared on several television programs. The challenge he has faced for several weeks: ‘Masterchef Celebrity 9’. The singer has been one of the 16 contestants in the ninth edition of the VIP version, which celebrates its grand finale today, Monday, with Inés Hernand, Marina Rivers, Francis Lorenzo and the singer as contenders for victory.
The Andalusian has admitted on occasion that if he did not dedicate himself to music he would like to be a cook. «I make fabada very well, stewed lentils. “I like everything that’s hot,” he declares. Will Pitingo be as good at the kitchen as he is at the stage?
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