A happy 96th birthday to Juana Bacallao

May 26, 2021

You have to love Juana Bacallao just as she is... and there are many reasons to love her. Some may not perceive her artistic stature, but she is undoubtedly one of the great references of Cuban cabaret and humor.

Her art is deeply rooted, very popular, an expression of an overwhelming personality... in the best sense. She is her own character and has been performing extensively in shows, gatherings and radio and television programs. If Juana is there, the spectacle is guaranteed.

That's why she received the National Humor Prize last year (some believe she deserved it long before). That's why she has so many followers, so many admirers inside and outside Cuba. That's why she is so beloved by her people.

Neris Amelia Martínez Salazar, Juana Bacallao, turns 96 today. What defines her is spontaneity, the clever quip. One day someone asked her in a radio interview what her zodiac sign was. She didn't think about it for even a moment: "Oyster!" And they had to pick up the interviewer. And surely many listeners too...