Born on 29 October 1930 in the Cayo Hueso neighborhood of Havana, Portuondo had three sisters [REF].
From 1952-1953 she sang for the Orquesta Anacaona, and later in 1953 both sisters joined (together with Elena Burke and Moraima Secada) the singing group Cuarteto d'Aida, formed and directed by pianist Aida Diestro [REF].