About
Baccara is a female musical duet that was very successful in the decades of 1970 and 1980. It is known for world-wide famous songs as "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" and "Sorry, I'm A Lady". Its original members, Mayte Mateos (February 7, 1951) and María Mendiola (April 4, 1952), were born in Spain. Its music is a blend of disco and pop styles, with lyrics in English, sung with the peculiar Spanish accent of its two members. In 1976, after leaving the Spanish Television's Ballet, Mayte Mateos and María Mendiola formed the duet Venus. They had their first televised appearance in the Palmarés programme, where they acted in a style reminiscent of the Kessler Sisters. Their elegant style contrasted the traditional style of shows at the Zaragoza theatre where they were performing, and therefore the owner ended the contract Venus had signed. Nevertheless, thanks to her personal contacts, María negotiated some galas in the Canary Islands.
In Tres Islas Hotel, in Fuerteventura, a providential encounter with Leon Deane, producer of the German RCA, resulted in the recording of an album under the new name of Baccara. The album, written and produced by Rolf Soja and Frank Dostal, would surpass the expectations of the record label and of both girls.
In 1977, Baccara sold more than 16 million copies of the single "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie", getting registered in the pages of the Guinness Book Of Records as the female musical group that had sold the most records to that date. "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" was the first single sung by a female duet to reach number one in the United Kingdom and the first by a Spanish artist until Julio Iglesias, four years later.
Baccara became one of the Spanish groups of greater international recognition, although harvesting most of its success outside of Spain. They reached number one practically in all European countries, with particular success in Germany (where their records were produced), Norway, Russia, Sweden and (to a lesser degree) the United Kingdom. The audience discovered two women who, until today, have not been surpassed in elegance and glamour, with a peculiar wardrobe always in black and white, and with sensual songs.
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