Massiel

María de los Ángeles Félix Santamaría Espinosa (Madrid, August 2, 1947), better known by the stage name Massiel, is a singer-songwriter, actress and presenter. Spanish. She gave Spain her first victory in the Eurovision Song Contest, in 1968, with the song La, la, la , consecrating her career in her native country, Latin America. and Europe.

Biography

Early Years

Massiel was born in Madrid on August 2, 1947. The daughter of Asturian parents, she spent part of her childhood between Gijón and Oviedo. His father (initially a tailor, like his own father) was the musical promoter Emilio Santamaría Martín, a declared Republican, and his mother Concepción Espinosa Peñas (1920-2011), who died at ninety-one years of age. His father was a representative of, among others, Los Bravos, Los Brincos, Karina or Miguel Ríos. The artistic name by which she is known of her was given to her by her ballet teacher.The family lived in the well-known Leganitos street in the center of Madrid.

He has a brother five years younger, Emilio, who was his manager for a while.

Her first public performance was in 1966 in Madrid performing the song Say no. That same year he attended the so-called Festival de la Rosa in Rome, Viña del Mar, Chile, and Majorca, where he won the critics' award with the song Rufo el pescador .

In 1967 he made his first two films, Vestida de novia and Codo con codo, and achieved great success in Spain and Latin America with the song Rosas en the sea, written by Luis Eduardo Aute, whose Aleluya nº1 would also be interpreted. Some of those songs were considered by many to be some of the first protest songs or "new Castilian song".

Participation in Eurovision

Massiel in 1968

In 1968, he participated and won the Eurovision Song Contest at the Royal Albert Hall in London, with the song La, la, la, written by the Dynamic Duo. His triumph It was a big surprise since he beat the favourite, the British Cliff Richard with the song "Congratulations".

In the beginning, Spain was going to be represented by the singer-songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat, singing the same song, but a few days before Serrat refused to perform if he did not do it in Catalan. For this reason he was replaced by Massiel and only had nine days to arrive from Mexico and prepare the song that would ultimately be the winner. The Franco government granted her the Lazo de Isabel la Católica but she refused to receive it in audience, which according to Massiel earned her a year of ban on TVE, until she appeared at the 1969 festival in Madrid. She did, however, appear on the 1968 New Year's Eve show.

In 2008, following statements by journalist José María Íñigo in the documentary 1968. I lived the Spanish May, broadcast on the La Sexta television network, several media outlets spoke about the alleged purchase of votes by the Franco regime. However, this point was denied by the journalist. The words reached the English press and Cliff Richards himself ironically assured that perhaps they should give the award to him. Íñigo denied those words and both he and Massiel accused La Sexta of manipulating (attacking Emilio Aragón himself) to discredit the singer 40 years after the triumph and defend the controversial representative of that year, Chikilicuatre, created in a television program of the aforementioned chain. The EBU was forced to make a statement assuring that Massiel was the legitimate winner.

From that triumph, Massiel became an internationally known artist, making several appearances in cinema and theater, interpreting works by Bertolt Brecht or Shakespeare, and in television programs and series in different countries. On June 1, 1977, her son Aitor Carlos was born at Westminster Hospital in London.

Later Years

Over the years, his musical style varied; from his beginnings in the so-called protest song to his records dedicated to rancheras and Mexican corridos, another dedicated to Bertolt Brecht or his collaborations with various authors such as Luis Eduardo Aute, Manolo Díaz, Juan Pardo, José Luis Perales or Pablo Milanés. Throughout his musical life he has recorded more than fifty albums with five record companies: Zafiro, Polygram, Hispavox, Bat Discos and Emasstor, and his songs have appeared on more than 160 albums. In addition to those mentioned, other songs of his that have been successful have been Leave the flower, Lady poison, We will drink to him (by José Luis Perales), Blackbirds, windmills and sun, Difficult Times, El Noa-Noa, María de los Guardias, Eres, Accordion, Love... and he covered The Beatles' theme, Yesterday. In 1970 he presented the first Passport to Dublin program together with Julio Iglesias. In 1971 he participated in the Rio de Janeiro Festival and was awarded two & # 34; Gallos de Plata & # 34;. In 1972 he participated in the talk show & # 34; People want to know & # 34; from TVE, where he declared himself "anti-fascist". The program was never broadcast but is available in the RTVE archive. In 1981 he participated in Songs of Europe , the 25th Anniversary of Eurovision held in Mysen (Norway). In 1984 he offered a recital at the Viña del Mar Festival in Chile with enormous success. She combined her musical facet with that of an actress, participating in several films such as La vida alegre by Fernando Colomo. She made her theater debut in 1971 at the Teatro Bellas Artes with Fernando Fernán Gómez, and for TVE she recorded El rey monge in 1978.

In 1997 he decided to put an end to his recording career although he did not retire from music. In 2006 the album Massiel sings Bertolt Brecht (Ramalama) was reissued in CD format and in 2007 he collaborated on the album by Juan Rivas Mundo feliz, recording with him the song A wonderful world, which was the first recording by the artist in fifteen years. In that decade she appeared in different crónica rosa programs such as Espejo Público as well as on Cuban Television. Two of her albums, Viva and Deslices , have also been reissued on CD. Also this year, she is part of the organization of the TVE program Misión Eurovisión. In 2005 she participates in the Eurovision 50th anniversary show, broadcast from Copenhagen, presented by Cliff Richard. She in turn introduced Johnny Logan in English.

In 2008 he collaborated with Carlos Mejía Godoy, singing on several songs from the anthological album by this Nicaraguan artist, Aromas de libertad. Pop Art, the annual indie music festival held in Cáceres, awarded him the Special Award for an entire artistic career in September of this year, as well as the Award for Best Song of the Year for A wonderful world. At the awards ceremony, the award-winning indie groups performed versions of some of Massiel's hits. In February 2012, she returned to the stage to play the role of Carlotta Campion in Follies , the mythical Broadway musical that premiered for the first time in Spain under the direction of Mario Gas. In recent years she has given numerous interviews on different radio, television and online media, where she usually reveals her prodigious memory.

On August 9, 2013, she is in charge of reading the proclamation of the Semana Grande de Gijón from the city hall. In 2019 she received the Llanisca Adoption Award in Llanes (Asturias).

Personal Life

Massiel has been married twice, the first time to Dr. Luis Recatero. After her early separation, she had a relationship with the politician and journalist Carlos Zayas, whom she did not marry because then there was no divorce and she was still married to Recatero. With Carlos Zayas she had an only son, Aitor Carlos, born on June 1, 1977, and her second and last marriage was with the journalist Pablo Lizcano.

On July 22, 1975, an extreme right-wing group entered her home when the singer was with her maid, painting several swastikas, a fact that she reported to the police.

Massiel has reaped great professional and personal friendships with numerous artists, including Lola Flores, Rocío Jurado, Paco de Lucía, Luis Eduardo Aute, José Luis Cuerda and Gabriel García Márquez.

Discography

Singles and Eps

• 1966 "Say I don't know why/Line/I don't understand"
• 1966 "He was my friend"/"I know you laugh at thinking"
• 1967 "Rosas en el mar" /"Llueve" /"The stars will know" /"Until tomorrow"
• 1967 "Aleluya No1"
• 1967 "The Moza of the Sad Eyes"/"Mirlos, mills and sunshine"
• 1968 "La La La"/"Thoughts, feelings"
  • 1968 "La La La (Alemán)" International
  • 1968 "La La La (French)" International
  • 1968 "La La La" / "Thoughts, feelings" International
  • 1968 "La La La"/"He gives me love (La La La) International
  • 1968 "La La La" / "The stars will know" International
  • 1968 "La La La" / "Rosas en el mar" International
  • 1968 "Thinking, Feelings"/"La, La, La"/"Rosas en el mar"/"Aleluya" Colombia
• 1968 "Leave the Flower"/"Middle Sun"
• 1968 "The Rocks and the Sea"/"Life and Death"
• 1968 "Children and men"/
• 1969 "Amen"/
• 1969 "Songs" / "How the Mermaids Sing"
• 1969 “In Search of You”
• 1970 "Behind the Mountain"/Season Travel
• 1971 "Dear love"
• 1971 "Twenty anniversary: Words"
• 1971 "I will return to the sea"
• 1972 "Balada de Maria Sanders"/Balada de la Comfort"
• 1972 "running"
• 1973 "Rompe the Silences"/"Running, Running"
• 1977 “My voice borders to the north”
• 1977 "You ask me if I'm happy"/"To live"
• 1978 “That I lost you, that you leave”
• 1981 "El Noa-Noa"/"El Amor"
• 1981 “Slave of You”
• 1982 "You" / "From 7 to 9"
• 1982 "Difficult times"/"Loca"
• 1983 "Marinero"/"Another woman"
• 1983 "We'll drink for him"/ "Woe the baby."
• 1983 "Holder"/"Stop fighting"
• 1984 "Acordeón"
• 1984 "I'll start over"/"You left"
• 1985 "Vaca Pagaa"/Popurrí"
• 1985 "Rosas en el mar"
• 1985 "What else would I like"
• 1986 "They will return"/"Today I have proposed to think of you"
• 1986 "What I changed for you"/"I post after 12 a March 20"
• 1986 “The Last Flag”
• 1986 “My Party”
• 1990 “The void that leaves love”
• 1990 “I am more me”
• 1990 "That is my people"
• 1990 “Deslizes”
• 1990 “Sueños”
• 1990 “Loco de Zamba”
• 1990 “The Success”

Albums

• 1967 Massiel (LP)
• 1969 Songs of the film "Songing Life" / Massiel in Beatleland
• 1970 Massiel in Mexico
• 1972 Baladas y canciones de Bertolt Brecht
• 1975 Viva...
• 1976 Carabina 30-30
• 1977 Alienation
• 1979 Massiel in Mexico
• 1981 Difficult times
• 1983 Iron Heart
• 1984 Release
• 1985 Massiel en des... concert (directo Teatro Alcalá)
• 1986 From inside
• 1990 Deslizes
• 1993 White check
• 1997 Untie me
• 1997 Vivencias (Mexico)
• 2007 Massiel canta Bertolt Brecht (reissue)

Compiled

• 1968 High flying (Venezuela)
• 1968 Massiel is different (Uruguay and Bolivia)
• 1972 The best of Massiel
• 1992 Massiel
• 1997 Authorport: The Best of Massiel
• 1998 Massiel, Pop de los 60
• 1998 Great successes
• 1998 My moments (Mexico)
• 1999 All recordings for Polydor Discos (1976-1977)
• 2003 His first years (1966-1975) 2 CD
• 2008 His two great albums: "Viva" (1975) and "Deslizes" (1990)
• 2009 Only successes (Chile)
• 2009 Great successes
• 2010 His years in Hispavox (1981-1986) 3 CD
• 2013 The Season
• 2018 Origen

Filmography

• 1966 Bride Dress
• 1967 Codo with elbow
• 1967 Old Color Days
• 1968 Singing to life
• 1969 The Conflict Taxi, directed by José Luis Sáenz de Heredia and Mariano Ozores
• 1977 Viva/muera Don Juan Tenorio
• 1987 Joyful life
• 1994-1996 Oh, sir. (TV series)
• 1999 Laughing dead
• 2015 Joana Biarnés, one among all (documentary)
• 2017 The girls of the televote (Spot Netflix)
• 2019 Aute portrait (documentary)