On August 5, 2025, journalist Vicente Vallés received the Castillete de Oro at the International Festival El Cante de las Minas in La Unión. Vallés praised the event for promoting flamenco worldwide, describing it as “a style one carries within” and highlighting its spiritual depth.
The award also honored Vallés’s personal roots. His mother and grandmother, Isabel, gave him Andalusian and Murcian heritage. He first connected with flamenco through a Lole y Manuel album, later deepened by attending a Camarón de la Isla concert, which he called “an epiphany.”
Interviewed by Noelia Arroyo, Vallés recalled a lifelong bond with music. His father, a professional singer, included flamenco in his repertoire, while his mother nurtured his early interest. For three decades, Vallés has reported on the festival through various television outlets.
He credited the festival with expanding flamenco’s reach, noting its influence on artists from other genres. Overwhelmed, Vallés dedicated the award to his family, especially his grandmother, saying she would be proud to see him honored in her homeland.
Murcia’s regional president Fernando López Miras and festival foundation president Joaquín Zapata presented the award, with Zapata naming Vallés an ambassador for the festival, flamenco, and the region. Vallés closed by praising the town: “There is no name more beautiful in the world than La Unión. Never let it lose its meaning.”
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central