Rosita Quiroga

Rosita Quiroga was born Rosa Rodríguez Quiroga in Buenos Aires on 16 January 1896 according to Todo Tango and most Spanish-language sources; English-language references sometimes list alternative dates such as 13 January 1899 or 16 January 1901.^[1][2][3] She grew up in the La Boca neighborhood in modest circumstances, absorbing the lunfardo of the port area; her mother was from Córdoba and worked as an embroiderer, her father a Spanish carter.^[1][4] At about age seven she began guitar studies with the neighboring musician Juan de Dios Filiberto and developed a canyengue delivery that mixed spoken cadence with song.^[1][2]

She started recording in 1923 for the Victor label; her first release was the estilo “Siempre criolla,” and her first tango was “La tipa” by guitarist Enrique Maciel with lyrics by Enrique Maroni.^[1][2] On 1 March 1926 she and Victor inaugurated the era of electrical recording in Argentina; that day she cut four electrical sides, the first by matrix number being “La musa mistonga” by Antonio Polito and Celedonio Flores.^[1][2][4] She continued recording until 10 February 1931, when she cut a final four numbers, after which her activity became sporadic.^[1] She was the first woman to sing tangos on Argentine radio (LOX, later Radio Cultura / LR10); a 27 October 1924 issue of La Nación listed her among the principal numbers of the day.^[2][4] The poet Celedonio Flores wrote exclusively for her for many years, producing 24 songs including “Muchacho” and “Beba” (music by Edgardo Donato), “Audacia” (Hugo La Rocca), “Carta brava” (music by Quiroga herself), “La musa mistonga,” and “Contundencia.”^[1][2]

Quiroga’s style was unique among female singers: she sang with the same cadence and accent with which she spoke, intercalating lunfardo, and produced an intimate, almost private atmosphere despite a voice that was not powerful; she continued to “cecear.”^[1][2] The journalist Jorge Göttling called her “La Piaf del arrabal porteño.”^[1] She remained faithful to this manner even after achieving financial comfort.^[1] She formed an early duo with Rosita del Carril and learned guitar by tones from Filiberto.^[1][2] In 1938 her recordings were reportedly the first by any tango artist to be heard in Japan.^[2][3]

After 1931 she appeared only occasionally on radio and in theater (including the Empire in 1930).^[1][2] She returned to the studio in March 1952 for four numbers and, on 14 September 1984—32 days before her death—recorded “Campaneando mi pasado” (lyrics by her friend and physician Luis Alposta, music by herself) accompanied by guitarist Aníbal Arias.^[1][2] In 1970 she traveled to Osaka at the invitation of a peña that bore her name.^[1] She died on 16 October 1984 in Buenos Aires.^[1][2] Quiroga is regarded as the first female singer to embody the arrabalero, canyengue side of tango and as a pioneer of both radio and electrical recording in Argentina.^[1][2][4]

Origins in La Boca and early recordings

Raised in La Boca, Quiroga absorbed lunfardo and studied guitar with Juan de Dios Filiberto.^[1][4] She began recording in 1923 with “Siempre criolla” and the tango “La tipa.”^[1][2]

Electrical recording pioneer and Celedonio Flores

On 1 March 1926 she made the first electrical recordings in Argentina, led by “La musa mistonga.”^[1][2] Celedonio Flores wrote 24 songs exclusively for her.^[1][2]

Style and later years

Her canyengue, conversational delivery and intimate tone remained constant throughout her life.^[1][2] After a long hiatus she recorded again in 1952 and for the last time in September 1984, dying the following month.^[1][2]