by Evan C. GutierrezSpanish singer Maria Carrasco was born July 15, 1995, in Torrecera, a small town in Cadiz. By age eight, Carrasco had so impressed those around her with her vocal abilities and mastery of the flamenco style that she was encouraged to take part in the television competition Veo Veo. Carrasco went on to take first place on the regional program, which moved her along to the national finals, where she took fourth place. A year later, Carrasco was approached by the producers of Menuda Noche, a children's program that aired on Canal Sur television. Quickly becoming a regular on the show offered Carrasco opportunities to sing alongside well-known artists like Valderrama and José Mercé. In the summer of the year Carrasco received numerous invitations to participate in festivals all around her native Andalusia, including the important Festival del Moscatel de Chipiona and the Festival de la Petenera, where she met several important figures in the flamenco world. Carrasco was invited in 2006 by film director David Serrano to play a major role in his new production, Dias de Cine, in which she would sing two songs, "Falsa Moneda" and "Siete Cascabeles." Carrasco's solo debut record, Hablando con la Luna, was released in 2007, and was welcomed enthusiastically. Hitting number 14, her first outing as a vocalist made a mark on Spanish audiences and the national charts.