Maria del Mar Bonet was born in Palma de Mallorca. She studied ceramics in Barcelona, but soon devoted herself to her real passion: singing. In 1967 she moved to Barcelona to sing with Els Setze Jutges and became part of the Nova Cançó movement. Since then, she has released numerous recordings and has given concerts around the world. Her early successes include Què volen aquesta gent?, L’àguila negra, based on the original by French singer Barbara, and No voldria res més ara, which earned her a Spanish Gold Disc in 1971. She has sung the work of poets and set their poems to music and has worked with many other singers, including Lluís Llach, Ovidi Montllor, Pi de la Serra, Rafael Subirachs, Milton Nascimiento, Manolo García, Georges Moustaki, Amancio Prada, Dulce Pontes, Milva and Quilapayún. Her records include Maria del Mar Bonet (1969); A l’Olympia (1975), live; Cançons de festa (1976); Alenar (1977); L’àguila negra (1981); Jardí tancat (1981); Breviari d’amor (1982); Anells d’aigua (1985); Ben a prop, with Manel Camp (1989); El·las (1993); Salmaia (1997); Primeres cançons (1997); Collita pròpia (2003); Bellver (2010), and Blaus de l’ànima. Més de 20 anys ben a prop, with Manel Camp (2011).
She has received numerous awards, including the Fotogramas de Plata award for best musical activity in 1977; in 1984, the Government of Catalonia’s Creu de Sant Jordi; in 1984, the Charles Cross Academy award for the best foreign recording published in France; in 1992, the Government of Catalonia’s National Music Prize; in 1997, the Palma de Mallorca Council City Medal; in 1999, the Govern de les Illes Ramon Llull Award; in 2003, the Luigi Tecno Award (Italy); in 2004, the Gold Medal of the City of Mallorca; in 2006, the Gold Medal of the City of Barcelona; in 2007, the Parliament of Catalonia Gold Medal, awarded to Setze Jutges; and in 2008, the Maria Carta Award (Sardinia).
She holds a doctorate honoris causa from the University of Lleida and, since 2005, August 5th has been Maria del Mar Bonet Day in Providence (Rhode Island), in the USA.
LiberPress Song Award 2011
Maria del Mar Bonet received the 2011 LiberPress Award for an exemplary life, full of music and songs from her land, for her research into music and her recovery of the poetry, history and folklore of the Balearic Islands to enrich Catalan music and song; for her constant denunciation of injustice and repression; for her coherence in defence of song and the human rights, and for her ability to move people with a tender, incomparable voice.