A heart in song.

• Author: Holston, Mark
• Position: Venezuelan singer Floria Marquez; includes a discography

Her smile may be several shades brighter than that of her average fan, and her stride is certainly more confident. But when women throughout the Spanish-speaking Americas hear her voice on the radio or catch a performance on television or live in concert, they see the triumphs and tragedies of their everyday existence reflected and redefined in her radiant image. In facing the challenges of mid-life with a take-charge attitude and strong sense of style, and turning her back on daunting personal setbacks to find success in a demanding and highly competitive arena, Venezuelan singer Floria Marquez has struck a chord that resonates with crystalline clarity with millions of women throughout the world.

Just eight years ago, at an age when few would have dreamed of launching a career in a profession known more for its worship of the transient youth culture than respect for physical and intellectual maturity, the Caracas native had become a reclusive stay-at-home after the death of her husband. Then, one night, at the urging of close friends who wanted to get her out of the house and a perpetually depressed state of mind, she visited a nightclub. Even though she is the sister of popular crooner Rudy Marquez, Floria had never sung anywhere beyond the confines of her own living room. But before the evening was over, she impetuously accepted an invitation to come onstage and try her hand at a ballad or two. The effect was immediate and dramatic.

"It was at once electrifying and liberating," she recalls today. "At that moment, I knew music and performance would become my life."

It wasn't long before Caracas and the whole of Venezuela knew as well. Today, with three albums to her credit and an ever-increasing demand for concert performances throughout the Americas, the singer has affirmed her status as one of la musica romantica's most beloved stars. Her fervent voice, contagious charisma, and ability to translate the intimacy of a cabaret style to the concert hall stage have made her a singular presence in a venerable genre that's today enjoying renewed popularity.

And, in a serendipitous example of life imitating art that seems drawn from the lyrics of one of the ballads she sings or the theme of one of Venezuela's famed telenovelas, the life of Floria Marquez has been enriched both on and off the stage by the new man in her life, her pianist, arranger, band leader, and soul mate, Pedrito Lopez. Recognized as his country's most internationally...