Francisco Contreras was born on January 21st of 1985 in the city of Elche, Alicante. Third son of three brothers, he start his flamenco´s career playing the guitar at the age of eight. At ten years old, he put his feet on a stage for his very first time in the village where all his family was born and where he past his holidays normally, Montejicar (Granada). Since that moment, he has never left the stage anymore. When he was only fifteen years old he took part in the famous contest call Cante de las Minas de la Unión. That was the moment when his artistical life started up.
In 2002 Francisco won the first prize in the young performers category in the National Contest “El Taranto” in Almería obtein a scholarship to study in the Foundation Cristina Heeren in Seville. While he was there, in Seville, took contact with the most famous flamenco performers of the moment like Calixto Sánchez, José de la Tomasa, Manolo Franco, Niño de Pura, Manolo Soler…
Its in that moment when he received one of the best news (notice) in his artistical life; the new foundation (founded) of his own Peña Flamenca, in Albatia (Murcia), that means to be one of the most youngers “cantaores” to have this honor. It was on Juny 20th of 2003.
Francisco Contreras “Niño de Elche” is a politically committed “cantaor” (singer) and that reflects in his lyrics and in his love for the poets of the República, like Miguel Hernández. Nowadays he recordered his first album call “Mis primeros llantos” with the collaboration of remarkable musicians and friends like Manolo Franco, Juan Ramón Caro, José Antonio Rodríguez, Daniel-Mendez-de Morón…
