Shg took the stage for the first time at the age of six, singing José Alfredo Jiménez's "Regalo a Dios," a sweet experience the artist never forgot. The daughter of Ramon Araujo and Japanese descendant Isabel Young, Gabriel was always supported by her parents. At the age of 15, the enthusiastic teenager moved to Tijuana to study accountancy and pursue a singing career. She recorded her first song, "Comprendeme," in 1977. Later, she came in second place at a local festival known as Valores Juveniles (Youthful Values), after singing "No Me Lastimes Mas." In 1986, Ana Gabriel represented Mexico at the OTI Festival, having her breakthrough two years later after releasing Tierra de Nadie, which included her first smash, a song called "Simplemente Amigos."

Gabriel's work has often hit the top of the Latin charts, including many singles during the 1980s and '90s (1987's "Ay Amor," 1989's "Simplemente Amigos," 1990's "Es Demasiado Tarde" and "Quien Como Tu," 1991's "Ahora," 1992's "Evidencias," and 1997's "Con un Mismo Corazon"). During the 2000s, her albums gained more fame than her singles, led by chart-toppers in 2005 (Historia de una Reina) and the following year (La Reina Canta a Mexico). Into the 2010s, Gabriel's work continued to sell well, including 2013's Un Mariachi en Altos de Chavón (plus the live set Altos de Chavón: El Concierto) and 2014's Mexicanísimo. ~ Drago Bonacich