Maria Laura Corradini (known as ''Chenoa'', such nickname means ''White dove'' in Sioux dialect) was born in Mar de Plata, Argentina on June 25, 1975. When she was 8 yrs old her family and she moved to Mallorca, Spain, that's why she considers herself as a Spaniard. Her parents were both musicians and they used to work in hotels as singers in live music shows, so practically Chenoa has lived between music since she was born.
At the age of 16, Chenoa began to sing professionally taking part in her parent's group. However, one day her mother got an illness and Chenoa had to stand in by replacing her.
She graduated as a kindergarten teacher from the university but also parformed in the Casino de Mallorca shows when she was 20 as a part time job. In addition, Chenoa acquired a good stage presence, self-confidence, and experience.
One day there was a casting for the reality show OPERACION TRIUNFO, so she decided to make a casting. When she was in the row waiting, she realized she didn't think about which song to sing for the casting and at the moment it was her turn. she closed her eyes and the first words and music that came to her lips, voice, and mind were this: ''strumming the pain with his fingers. singing my life with his words killing me softly with this song killing me softly.''' (she performed with the song KILLING ME SOFTLY) and that's how she passed the first phase of her casting. The second song she sang was ''Last Dance'', then she had to dance a song. Days later she received a notification letter saying that she was selected to be part of the 16 members of OPERACION TRIUNFO 2001 (OT).
When she got in that reality show she was prejudged and classified as an arrogant and cold-hearted woman just because she had more experience and self-confidence, but her mates realized she was a hard-working woman who wants to reach a dream. During her staying at OT, she never was nominated as a probable person to be ''kicked out'' or eliminated from this reality show, even the judges, people, and professors admired her willingness and eager to success.
Chenoa performed many songs such as ''Escondidos'' (feat. David Bisbal) ''Last Dance'', ''Killing Me Softly'', ''Aprendiz'', ''El Beso'', ''El Hombre del Piano'', ''The Best'', etcetera.
However, Chenoa didn't win the contest, she got the 4th place. David Bisbal got the 2nd place, David De Maria got the 3rd place, and Rosa got the 1st place. Although Chenoa was the last place, she and David Bisbal have been more successful and well-known [than the others] after appearing on the Spaniard TV contest OT, but not only famous in Spain, also in Europe and Latin America.
Her first album was Chenoa, released in April 2002 in Spain. The first single was Atrévete, a song whose English version is also included in the album as Mystify, but the greatest hit of this CD was Cuando tu vas, danced all over Spain in the summer of '02. Chenoa sold over 500,000 copies in Spain after 61 weeks in Top 100 chart, and she was nominated for the Spanish music industry awards Premios Amigo as best female new artist, and best female artist. Year 2002 finished with a Spanish tour that included more than 70 dates.
In April 2003 Chenoa took part in Eurobest, an European song contest where every star from each European country was chosen to participate and she was representing SPAIN. She performed the song "It's raining men'' (cover of The Weather girls and Geri Halliwell), when she finished singing everyone was shocked and surprised because she gave an awesome performance.
While the scores were changing and judges were deciding, she performed the song ''Moi Lolita'' (cover of the Corcisian-French singer Alizée) with the contestants Melanie (Belgium) and Pavel (Rumania), but after some minutes passed in that song, Alizée appears to accompain them in their performance. It was an awesome performance.
After deciding and qualifying the people's votes they concluded that the winner of Eurobest was CHENOA!!!
The unplugged album Mis canciones favoritas was Chenoas second CD. It was recorded in Barcelona in April 2003, and included some of her favorite songs, such as: Man in the mirror, Respect, Chain of fools or Love of my life. This CD+DVD was released on a limited edition of 100,000 copies for fans.
Soy Mujer was the chosen title for her second studio album but third CD release, recorded in Miami and Madrid in 2003. Pop, rock, and latin, arab and anglosaxon sounds are mixed in this CD, which reached number 1 in the Spanish album chart, and sold more than 230,000 copies after 47 weeks in the Top 100. En tu cruz me clavaste, Soy lo que me das, Siete Pétalos, Dame and Soy Mujer were the singles released. Chenoa was nominated again for the Premios Amigo award as best female artist and completed an 80-date tour in Spain.
Chenoa has still been going stronger and in any position number in Spanish Charts and Top 100s. This start is absolutely different and hasnt ended up as most of the other reality TV show stars who die out soon after having ''one minute of fame''.
In 2004, her song ''Dame'' topped the Spanish charts for three weeks.
In 2004 she was nominated for the Tu Música award as best new artist, in Puerto Rico.
In May and June 2004 she started Soy Mujer promotional tour around Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Argentina. In December she visited Panama, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
In April 2005 the Spanish Radio and Television Associations Federation awarded her the Micrófono de Oro 2005. Venezuela has also awarded Chenoa in 2005 with the Mara de Oro 2005 to the best new international artist of the year.
November was the month chosen for the release of Chenoa's third studio album "Nada es igual". In this pop-rock CD we find a new direction in Chenoas music, as it has been produced by Dado Parisini (Laura Pausini, Nek, Tears for Fears), and recorded in Milan. Nada es igual" it's not only a sample of her musical evolution, but also of her new personal challenge. Rutinas is the first single which reached number 4 on its first week, a great achievement in her career.
ADDITIONAL THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT HER:
*She met her ex boyfriend David Bisbal (who was also a contestant) in OT.
*Her music style could be described in the United States mostly as "pop". As a matter of fact, most of her music is in Spanish language, although a few tracks on each album were recorded in English and there's a single demo with one song in portuguese.
*Although her albums are not available in US record shelves as they are in Spain, you can find them on the Internet websites such as Amazon, El Corte Inglés, Portal Mix, etcetera.
