Massiel

María de los Ángeles Felisa Santamaría Espinosa (born 2 August 1947), known professionally as Massiel , is a Spanish pop and protest singer. She won the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 with the song "La, la, la", being the first performer from Spain to ever win the contest.

She released her first recordings in 1966. She decided to abandon her music career in 1996, but released another album a year later and a further one in 2007, along with two new editions of 1970s albums.

Biography Massiel was born in Madrid, Spain. Her Asturian father, Emilio Santamaría Martín, was an artistic manager, so she was around singers and groups from her earliest childhood, and at a young age she decided to become a singer, actress, and songwriter. Her Asturian mother was Concepción Espinosa Peñas (1920–2011).

She released her first recordings in 1966: "Di que no", "No sé porqué", "Llueve", "No comprendo", "Y sabes qué vi", "Rufo el pescador", "Aleluya", and "Él era mi amigo. The song "Rosas en el mar", written by her friend Luis Eduardo Aute in 1967, established her as a singer in Spain and Latin America. In 1967, she acted in the film Vestida de novia.

On 25 March 1968, Joan Manuel Serrat, the in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968, was removed after recording, releasing, and promoting the song "La, la, la" –written by and , the members of Dúo Dinámico–, for his demand to sing it in Catalan in the contest. Therefore, Massiel, who was on tour in Mexico, was brought in as a late replacement. In just a few days, she had to rush back to Spain, learn the song, record it in several languages –Spanish, English, French, and German–, travel to several European cities for promotion, and go to London for the contest rehearsals. On 6 April 1968, she performed "La, la, la" in the Eurovision Song Contest held at the Royal Albert Hall winning the competition beating the favorite, "Congratulations" by Cliff Richard, by just one point. She became the first performer from Spain to ever win the contest. Some years later, she performed dramatic roles in theatrical productions like A los hombres futuros, yo Bertolt Brecht (1972), Corridos de la revolución: Mexico 1910 (1976) and Antonio y Cleopatra in 1980. In 2005, she appeared on the fiftieth anniversary special Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest and sang the song that made her internationally famous. In 2007 she became a member of the jury, the national final to select the Spanish song and performer for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. She made a short comeback to sing on this show "Busco un hombre", one of the songs in competition, to be sung by the show's winning performer. It had been eleven years since Massiel had been on stage.

In 2012, Massiel starred in the Spanish production of Follies by Stephen Sondheim under the direction of Mario Gas, in the role of Carlotta Campion, the yesteryear film star who sings the iconic tune "I'm Still Here". The production ran from February to April at the Teatro Español in Madrid.

Discography

Some singles: 1966: "Di que no" 1966: "Él era mi amigo"/"Sé que ries al pensar" 1967: "Rosas en el mar" #1 Mexico 1967: "Aleluya Nº1" #1 Mexico 1967: "La moza de los ojos tristes"/"Mirlos, molinos y sol" 1968: "La, la, la"/"Pensamientos, sentimientos" 1968: "La, la, la (German version)" International 1968: "La, la, la"/Pensamientos, sentimientos" International 1968: "La, la, la"/"He gives me love (La, la, la English version)" International 1968: "La, la, la"/"Las estrellas lo sabrán" International 1968: "La, la, la"/"Rosas en el mar" International 1968: "Deja la flor"/"Sol de medianoche" 1968: "Las rocas y el mar"/"Vida y muerte" 1968: "Niños y hombres"/"A espaldas de mi pueblo" 1969: "Amén"/"Ay volar" 1970: "Cantan las sirenas"/"Canciones" 1970: "Detrás de la montaña"/Viejo marino" 1971: "Dormido amor" 1972: "Balada de Maria Sanders"/Balada de la comodidad" 1973: "Rompe los silencios"/"Corriendo, corriendo" 1977: "Tu me preguntas si soy feliz"/"Para vivir" 1981: "El Noa Noa"/"El Amor" 1982: "Eres/De 7 a 9" 1982: "Tiempos difíciles"/"Loca" 1983: "Marinero"/"Otra mujer" 1983: "Brindaremos por él"/"Ay la nena" 1983: "Más fuerte"/"Basta de peleas" 1984: "Acordeón" 1984: "Voy a empezar de nuevo"/"Te fuiste" 1985: "Vaca pagana"/"Popurrí" 1985: "Rosas en el mar" 1985: "Qué más quisiera yo" 1986: "Volverán"/"Hoy me he propuesto pensar en ti" 1986: "Lo que cambie por ti"/"Poco después de las 12 de un 20 de marzo" 1990: "Ese es mi pueblo"

Some albums and LPs: 1968: Cantando a la vida soundtrack 1970: Massiel en México 1972: Baladas de Bertolt Brecht 1972: Lo mejor de Massiel 1975: Viva 1976: Carabina 30-30 1977: Alineación 1981: Tiempos difíciles 1982: Rosas en el mar 1983: Corazón de hierro 1984: Sola en libertad 1985: Massiel en Des...Concierto 1986: Desde dentro 1990: Deslices 1997: Desátame 1997: Autoretrato: Lo mejor de Massiel 1998: Grandes Éxitos 1999: Todas sus grabaciones en Polydor (1976–1977) 2003: Sus primeros años (1966–1975) 2 CD's 2007: Massiel canta a Bertolt Brecht (CD + Book) 2008: Sus álbumes

Filmography Film Vestida de novia (1967) Cantando a la Vida (1969) El taxi de los conflictos (1969) La vida alegre (1987) Dying of Laughter (1999)

Stage A los hombres futuros, yo Bertolt Brecht (1972) Corridos de la revolución: Mexico 1910 (1976) Antonio y Cleopatra (1980) Follies (2012)