C Tangana

Antón Álvarez Alfaro, known professionally as C. Tangana, was born on July 16, 1990, in Madrid, Spain. He initiated his music career in high school under the moniker Crema, releasing his first EP, “Él Es Crema,” in 2005. His early work included rap music, and he continued releasing EPs like “Madrid Files” and “Septiembre” in 2006. After completing his baccalaureate, he studied philosophy at the Complutense University of Madrid. In 2011, he co-founded the band Agorazein, releasing their debut album “Kind of Red” as independent artists. During this period, he adopted the stage name C. Tangana, self-releasing albums “C. Tangana” (2011) and “LOVE’S” (2012). His career saw him work at a Pans and Company and a Vodafone call center before committing fully to music in 2015. Agorazein released their final album, “Siempre,” in 2016.

Pursing a solo career as C. Tangana, he signed with Warner Chappell Music in 2016 and later with Sony Music Entertainment. His collaboration with Rosalía on “Antes de morirme” (2016) became a sleeper hit and was featured in the Netflix series “Élite.” In 2017, his single “Mala Mujer” achieved mainstream success, reaching the top five in Spain, going triple platinum, and gold in the United States. This led to his debut studio album, “Ídolo” (2017). His mixtape “Avida Dollars” (2018) featured the top twenty single “Llorando en la Limo.” He continued to release successful singles such as “Bien Duro” and “Booty,” a collaboration with Becky G, which was certified double platinum in Spain and platinum in the United States. He earned Latin Grammy Awards as a songwriter for Rosalía’s “Malamente” (2018) and for his contributions to her album “El mal querer” (2019).

A significant turning point came in 2020 with the release of “Nunca Estoy,” his first number-one hit in Spain. This preceded his second studio album, “El Madrileño” (2021), which marked a stylistic shift, blending hip hop with traditional flamenco and Latin music. The album broke streaming records, became the best-selling album in Spain in 2021, and earned him three Latin Grammys. “El Madrileño” generated several hits, including “Demasiadas Mujeres” and “Tú Me Dejaste De Querer,” the latter breaking national streaming records. His work extended into documentary filmmaking, starring in and producing “This Excessive Ambition” (2023) and directing “The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortés” (2024), which won a Goya Award. In 2023, he composed “Oliveira dos cen anos” for the Celta de Vigo football club, calling it the most culturally significant piece of his career.