Homage | Sofía Bozán
From El Portal del Tango we pay homage to one of the most important female Tango artists
                                                                          

We know that she was born in 1904, although the exact date is not known. Her real name was María Isabel Bergero. Her life was very different from other Tango artist’s life: she was a dressmaker that wanted to try her luck in the artistic world. Who supported her the most in her family was her cousin Olinda Bozán. That is why Sofía adopted her artistic name, as a way of saying thanks. She did not make any artistic heroic act as other female singers at the time, who took advantage of the popularity Tango had and appeared on films and made long tours. She was really different. She made her first theatrical performance at the age of fourteen in the Vittone-Pomar company. After that she became a singer. The first tango she sang was “Canillita” (“Newspaper seller”) in Muiño-Alippi company. She reached popularity when she performed on the Alippi’s one-act farce “Saltó la bola”  (“The ball jumped”), where she sang the tango “Un tropezón” (“A stumbling”). Sofía had a funny and happy personality, and she always had a smile on her lips. The audience loved her, and they showed it, turning her into the “owner” of Buenos Aires stages during more than two decades. She referred to political, economical and social topics, always with a touch of humour. She was really intelligent and knew exactly what she wanted. She was a great singer, and poets like Discépolo used  to create songs especially for her.  Some of the songs she popularised are: “Cambalache” (“Barter”), “Se acabaron los otarios” (“The innocent guys are over”), “Haragán” (“Lazy”). Maybe she will be most remembered because she first sang  Discépolo’s tango “Yira, yira” (“Wander, wander”) at the Sarmiento theatre. She did only one tour around Spain and France, with Bayón Herrera and Romero company, in 1931. That same year the whole company appeared on the film “Luces de Buenos Aires” (“Buenos Aires lights”), on which Carlos Gardel played the main role. Bozán participated in other films after this one: “Goal”, “Loco lindo” (“Nice crazy guy”), “Puerto Nuevo”, “Muchachas que estudian” (“Girls that study”), “Isabelita” (“Little Isabel”), “Los muchachos se divierten” (“The boys are having fun”), “Carnaval de antaño” (“Carnival of old”) and “Elvira Fernández, vendedora de tienda” (“Elvira Fernández, shop seller”), where she sang “Cuando un viejo se enamora” (“When an old man falls in love”). In 1950 she got married with Federico Hess, and left her career to devote herself to form a family. She could only enjoy family life for eight years. She died on July 9th, 1958 in Buenos Aires. 

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