La Oreja de Van Gogh announces that Leire Martínez is no longer its singer | Culture

Leire Martínez has stopped being the singer of La Oreja de Van Gogh. This is what the group announced in a statement today, Monday: “After 17 wonderful years full of music and emotions that we will never forget, we want to announce that the professional trajectories of Leire and La Oreja de Van Gogh will follow separate paths. The decision has been hard and difficult, but it comes after a long time of reflection and deep conversations in which we have not managed to bring together our different ways of living as a group. A fascinating stage ends that we will all carry in our hearts and that has allowed us to enjoy the best profession in the world in a dream way.”

Leire Martínez (Rentería, Guipúzcoa, 45 years old) had been in La Oreja de Van Gogh since 2008, when she replaced Amaia Montero, the original singer of the San Sebastian band.

On October 7, La Oreja de Van Gogh finished its tour in Zaragoza. When it was time to interpret roses, Leire burst into tears.

What the group has not confirmed is the return of Amaia Montero, as has been speculated for some time. “Amaia’s return is not contemplated at the moment,” announce sources close to the group. These same sources do not rule out that the group’s original singer returns in the medium term. In recent months, Leire has been upset by these rumors. On Navarra Television he said: “I don’t like disrespect. The fact that it is said that Amaia returns to the group does not affect me. What I don’t like is being ignored.”

Martínez, who has been in the group for 17 years (seven more than Amaia) has had to deal with Montero’s shadow from the beginning. You only have to visit the band’s social networks to see it: while many followers claim the group’s former vocalist, others ask for “respect” for Leire.

Rumors of Amaia’s return to La Oreja de Van Gogh intensified on July 22 when Karol G invited Montero to the stage at her concert at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid. Instead of performing a song from the Colombian or from her solo career, Montero chose one of her former group’s hits, Roses.

(Breaking news. There will be an update soon)