Former lyrical singer and music teacher, tropical diva Maridalia Hernández (born Maridalia Hernández Morel) made her live debut in 1981, while participating in a musical called Sonido Para Una Imagen (Sound For An Image) produced by José Luis Mella. Soon, the talented Dominican singer played the role of Maria Magdalena in Jesucristo Superestrella, the Spanish version of Jesus Christ Superstar. In 1983, Maridalia Hernández teamed up with Juan Luis Guerra to assemble the successful bachata-merengue outfit 4:40.nn In 1986, her performance at Viña del Mar captivated the panel of judges, achieving a well-deserved first place with "Para Quererte," composed by Manuel Tejada and José Antonio Rodríguez. ~ Drago Bonacich