Addys Mercedes formerly known as "Addys D'Mercedes" is a Cuban[1] pop and worldmusic singer living between Germany and Spain.
She made her UK debut in 2001 at the Guildford Festival and since then has undertaken two British tours.
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Addys was born in Moa, a rural region of Cuba. As a child she longed for becoming a ballet dancer or actress, what was kind of impossible coming from a modest family far away from the capital Havana. Already as a small child she started singing from morning to evening and the neighbours used to come over and ask her to sing for them.
10 years old she had a huge repertoire - from cuban sones and boleros, mexican rancheras up to american pop-songs. The guitar teacher at the local music school fell in love with Addys' voice and started rehearsing for a duo-programm with her that they started performing on any upcoming occasion. Since in school she learned russian she imtated the sound of the english lyrics and enjoyed the moment where everybody thought she could speak english. On the streets people started shouting: "Here comes the singer".
15 years old she started performing with her first professional band "Timbre Latino". Just little later she was asked by the then nationally successful band "Los Neiras" to join them. When her classmates used to meet, Addys daily went to long hour rehearsals and learned from elder experienced musicians. Also musically it was a new experience, since the band mixed cuban music with pop and rock and she was able to perform in front of an international audience.
18 years old Addys became part of a newly founded band having a daily gig in the tourist area Guardalavaca. During the periodo especial where food was difficult to obtain, this was the gig every musician was dreaming of. She had a room in the hotel and was fully catered. With the fee and tip she made she was able to maintain her whole family.
In 1993 Addys was invited to Germany and quickly learned german. She founded her first trio and began writing her own songs. Regullary she visited her family in Cuba but also absorbed the new influences of her new home.
In 1999 she moved to Duesseldorf and connected to the label Media Luna. She began the production of her debut album which was mainly recorded in Havana with musician friends from her hometown Moa. Special guest was Raul Planas.
Mundo Nuevo was released in 2001 on the label Media Luna (Warner) and became a huge success in european media.
2003 Addys released her second album "Nomad" (Media Luna / Sony) that was recorded between Germany and Barcelona and mixed her cuban roots with electronic elements. She did hundreds of concerts and toured through 16 european countries sharing stage with artists like Eric Clapton, Bob Geldof, Mike Rutherford, Gary Brooker, Ringo Starr, Juan Luis Guerra, Los Van Van, Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo,and Tito Nieves.
Singles and Videoclips appeared for her songs Mundo Nuevo, Gitana Loca und Esa Voz. Beside the albums produced by Cae Davis her label Media Luna released several remixes from DJs like Andry Nalin (Afro D'Mercedes), Ramon Zenker (Cha Ka Cha), Tony Brown (Mundo Nuevo), Guido Craveiro (Cry It Out), 4tune Twins (Oye Colombia)
Since 2005 Addys lived between Germany and the canarian island Tenerife / Spain. In Spain she frequently appeared on TV and was played on national TV-stations like Antena3, Tele5, MTV and countless regional stations.
Since 2011 Addys lives in Essen / Germany. In the end of May her new single "Sabado Roto" was released. Produced by Cae Davis and Pomez di Lorenzo (Sasha, Dick Brave) Sabado Roto is the first single out of the third album expected for October 2011. Different from her last Album "Nomad" electronic elements completely disappeared. Acompanied by mandolines, okuleles and a cuban tres Addys sings of a rainy saturday in summer, a Sabado Roto (broken saturday). While singing she forgets about her bad luck (mala suerte) and starts to enjoy her destiny until the angel Gabriel agrees and lets the sun shine. Self-mockingly Sabado Roto describes the life of a cuban used to sun in rainy Europe.
Beside shows with her complete band Addys now also started a Trio with Pomez di Lorenzo (guitar) and Cae Davis - bass under the namen En Casa de Addys. Addys not just sings but also plays guitar, cajon and cuban percussion like maracas, guiro and clave.