Rocío Banquells

Rocío Banquells (born María del Rocío Banquells Nuñez; 22 June 1958) is a Mexican pop singer, politician, and actress, best known for her work on television, the stage and cinema of Mexico and Latin America. Her mezzo voice is one of the most versatile voices from Mexico. She sings operetta, ranchera, rock, and ballads.

Early life and career
Born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, in 1958, Banquells is the daughter of Cuban actor and director Rafael Banquells and the actress Dina de Marco. She is half-sister of the actress Sylvia Pasquel (daughter of Rafael Banquells and Silvia Pinal). Her other siblings are Jose Manuel, Janette, Mary Paz, Ariadne and Rafael Jr.

Banquells began her career as a special guest in the 1968 Banquells's telenovela Gutierritoz. She moved to the stage in the early 1970s. In 1978 she starred in the musical Sound of Music along with the Mexican singer Lupita D'Alessio. Other stage performances of Rocío are in the Mexican versions of Grease, Evita, and Jesus Christ Superstar.

In 1979, Banquells starred in the Mexican telenovelas's international success Los ricos tambien lloran, alongside Verónica Castro. Banquells's other memorable TV performances are Bianca Vidal (1983) and La fiera (1984). She realized memorable interpretations especially in playing evil characters. In 1985 she began her musical career with the album Rocío Banquells, that includes the 1980s superhits Este hombre no se toca, Luna Mágica and Abrazame.

Banquells continued her musical career during the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1997 a legal conflict caused the Banquells retirement for over 10 years. In 2006, Banquells returned in the Televisa reality show Cantando por un sueño, and in 2007 returned with a new album named Nací para ti, recorded live in the Teatro de la Ciudad in Mexico City. In the same year, she returned to TV in the telenovela Pasión. In 2009-2010 Banquells starred in the Mexican version of the successful musical Mamma Mia! as Donna.

In 2012, Banquells returned with the show Noches de Cabaret, along with the Mexican singers Lucía Méndez and Manoella Torres. For her work in the recording industry, stage and television Banquells' handprints and star have been embedded onto the Paseo de las Luminarias in Mexico City, alongside her half-sister Sylvia Pasquel.

Political career
Banquells was a candidate from the Va por México coalition (made up of the National Action Party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, and the Party of the Democratic Revolution, to which she belonged) for the 14th congressional district of Mexico City based in Tlalpan and was elected in June 2021 after obtaining nearly 40% of the votes. Since 1 September 2021 she has been a federal deputy in the Congress of the Union. In February 2022 she switched from the PRD to the Citizens' Movement party.

Personal life
Banquells was married twice. The first time to Pedro Mendez from 1979 to 1984, father of her daughter Pamela, and the second the producer Jorge Berlanga from 1985 to 2005, father of her son Rodrigo.

Discography

 * 1985: Rocío Banquells
 * 1986: Con él
 * 1987: Entrega Total - First Mariachi album.
 * 1988: En el alambre
 * 1989: Llorarás, llorarás
 * 1990: Un sueño que alguna vez soñe - Includes the Banquells music performances of Broadway musicals like Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar).
 * 1990: Escucha el infinito
 * 1991: A mi viejo - Dedicated to her father.
 * 1993: A la Virgen Morena - Tribute to the Virgin of Guadalupe.
 * 1993: Genio y figura
 * 1995: La fuerza del amor
 * 1996: Coincidir:Grandes Exitos
 * 1998: Recuerdos de un sentimiento
 * 2007: Nací para tí - Live in the Teatro de la Ciudad.
 * 2018: Siempre Regios (album Norteño)
 * 2019: Recuerdos De Oro (album Homenaje a Sonia Lopez)

Collaborations

 * No me puedo escapar de ti - (1987) Duet with Luis Miguel
 * La Bella y la Bestia (Beauty and the Beast) (1992) - Duet with Manuel Mijares
 * Las numero uno (2007) - Duet with many female singers
 * Todo por amor - (2008) Duet with Armando Manzanero