The renewed popularity of the tango as an international and glamorous dance form in recent years has brought increasing attention to its history, as well as to the gender relationships that have constituted a vast volume of the tango’s literary repertoire. And although much has been written about tango and its gender relationships, the women’s history behind it is still waiting to be told, as there has been a paucity of studies on women as interpreters, players, and writers. This article will address this vacuum by providing a detailed analysis of the contradictory gender representations conveyed by the lyrics of the tango’s Golden Era, vis-a`-vis the careers of women who not only interpreted mainstream tango songs but also challenged traditional gender roles via authorship and performance.