Pride pioneers Bolton’s Spanish symphony

IN honour of Global Pride Day, which was celebrated on Wednesday, June 28, Marbella City Council gave an award to Francisco Navarro and José Molina who were selected as speakers for this year’s LGBTQ+ Pride Day celebration. Francisco and José joined fellow speaker Francis Guzmán in receiving the award from the council, ahead of the Pride celebrations.

THE global music sensation, Michael Bolton delighted his Spanish fans with his exclusive performance in the country at Starlite Occident’s international festival on Friday, June 30.

This concert was a meaningful date for the American singer­songwriter, as it coincided with the release of his long­awaited new album of original songs, ‘Spark of Light’, his first work in almost 15 years.

Bolton, one of America’s contemporary music legends, returned to his roots by performing his greatest hits, bringing the arena to life. The audience had the opportunity to hear live, for the only time this year on a Spanish stage, songs from his recently released album including ‘Beautiful World’.

Recognised worldwide for his distinctive voice and emotive lyrics, this award­winning singer and songwriter, a Grammy winner, showed why he is a legend in the industry with a performance brimming with charisma.

The climax of the night came when he gave a moving rendition of ‘How Am I Supposed to Live Without You’, with Chrissi Poland.

With a career spanning over 50 years in the entertainment industry, Michael Bolton has sold over 65 million records worldwide, achieving number one in the charts nine times.

City mayor, Ángeles Muñoz presented them with commemorative plaques, highlighting the integral role the trio continue to play in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and their work shaping Marbella into the inclusive , welcoming city it is today.

Francis expressed his enthusiasm for the event, explaining, “Celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Day, beyond our personal experiences, shows how we are embracing diversity. It’s fantastic to see our community taking such a progressive stance.”

He paid tribute to trailblazers like Juan Llamas ‘La Toñi’ and Antonio Pineda ‘La Tanque’, who were honoured during Wednesday’s Pride event. “In a time when it was particularly challenging, they showed tremendous courage and paved the way for a smoother journey today,” Francis added.