In 1989, the Gypsy Kings broke into the pop charts and became the first world-music superstars. What is their country of origin?

Although their passionate music and Spanish-inflected vocals seem to place them firmly in Spain, the Gipsy Kings were formed in the south of France. The group's members, from the related Reyes and Baliardo families, were born and raised in and around the cities of Arles and Montpellier. They are part of the Gitano community, Spanish Romani people whose families fled Catalonia during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and established a new home in France.

This unique background is the very source of their groundbreaking sound. While living in France, the families preserved the rich Andalusian musical traditions of their ancestors, particularly rumba catalana. By blending this fiery, acoustic-driven style with Western pop and Latin rhythms, they created a sound that was both exotic and incredibly accessible. They primarily sing in Gitane, a dialect that is a mixture of Spanish, French, and Romani, perfectly reflecting their cultural identity. This fusion allowed them to break through language barriers and bring their distinct brand of flamenco-pop to a worldwide audience.