Francisco Carrasco Carrasco, known professionally as Curro Malena, was born on July 11, 1945, in Lebrija, Spain. He was a Spanish flamenco singer from a gypsy family with a flamenco singing tradition. His professional career began during the Festival de Cante Jondo Antonio Mairena in Mairena del Alcor, where he won awards in 1968 and 1969. These distinctions led to his first recordings with guitarist Niño Ricardo. In 1971, Malena won the 1st prize for soleares at the Concurso Nacional de Córdoba and performed on TV channel 2's program Puro y jondo. Throughout his career, he released numerous albums including Yunque Del Cante Gitano (1971), El Cante Festero De Curro Malena (1975), and Carbón De Caña (1994). He also collaborated with notable artists such as Antonio Mairena. Curro Malena passed away on May 20, 2023, in his hometown of Lebrija at the age of 78.
