National Prize for Flamenco Art of Córdoba 2022, Rafael del Calli is the artistic name of Rafael Plantón Heredia. He is a gitano (Spanish gypsy) singer born in Córdoba on June 11, 1993, into one of the most influential families on the flamenco scene, with a long lineage of artists.
Son of singer José Antonio Plantón Moreno “El Calli”, Rafael began his career at a very young age in the family tablao La Bulería. He took off a few years later, taking his artistic alternative in the tribute to José “El Pipa” at the Góngora Theater in Córdoba, where he shared the bill with artists such as El Pele, Arcángel and El Calli, among others.
He has participated in different renowned festivals, theaters and clubs, such as La Noche Blanca del Flamenco de Córdoba, the Jerez Festival, the Biennale del Flamenco in Amsterdam, the Nice Festival, the Festival de lo Ferro, the Toulouse Flamenco Festival, the Zambra Festival, the Montilla Tasting Festival, the Roman Theater in Sagunto, the Royal Theater in Madrid, the Teatro de la Axerquía in Córdoba, Flamenco Thursdays from Cádiz, the Peña Rincón del Cante from Córdoba, the Peña del Taranto from Almería, the Peña Enrique el Mellizo from Cádiz and the Córdoba Guitar Festival.
Rafael del Calli has been part of the cast of the following shows: Dos cabezas para un sombrero, with Farruquito, El Pele and Dorantes (2015); Orilla del mundo, with pianist Alfonso Aroca (2016); Julio Romero de Torres, with Álvaro Paños and Carmen Manzanera (2017); Na Strastnom, with Javier la Torre (2017-2018); Patrias, with Paco Peña (2018); Réquiem por la tierra, with Paco Peña as well (2018-2021); Ópera flamenca de Carmen, with Óscar de Manuel and Jesús Carmona (2019); A mi tiempo, with Rafa and José del Calli, Jose Maya, Diego del Morao and El Perla (2019); Las quijanas, with Noelia Sabarea and Javier la Torre (2020); Trilogía del misterio, with Javier la Torre, La Moneta, Soleá Morente and Ana la Torre (2020); and Gira de despedida, with Serranito, in Córdoba (2021).
Rafael del Calli has won various music prizes, including the first National Flamenco Art Prize of the Córdoba Contest (2022) and the first prize Cayetano Muriel “El Niño de Cabra” of the Young Flamenco Contest of Córdoba (2014). In addition, in 2020 he was a finalist in the Antonio Mairena National Contest.
(Headline image: Rafael Del Calli – Photo by Toni Blanco)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.