Virginia Maestro
Encyclopedia
Virginia Maestro Díaz is a Spanish
singer-songwriter
. She is the winner of Operación Triunfo 2008
, a Spanish version of "Pop Idol".
In 2009 she associated herself with Labuat
, a musical project with Risto Mejide
, one of the judges of OT, and The Pinker Tones
.
from an early age, especially those of her parents adolescence
. Nowadays, she takes most influence from the 50's and 60's, naming Eva Cassidy
, The Beatles
, Janis Joplin
, Solomon Burke
, Radiohead
, Otis Redding
, Ray Charles
and Sam Cooke
as her favorite artists.
At the age of twelve,influenced by her sisters, she began teaching herself how to play the guitar
and she wrote her first songs in a diary
, to whom she called "Diario de Sensaciones" (Sensations' Diary). When she was fifteen, she entered in her first band and started to participe in jam sessions
. Until her entrance in OT, she had been a part of Fundación Virginia, Little Vicky & the Shout Band, 7Funk, The Flik Flak Duo, Boogie Flu and had shared the stage with such bands as Black Jack Bob & the New Deal and Mingo & The Blues Intruders. Aside from that experiences, she had also been a soprano
at the University of Seville
choir
, where she studied music.
s for the second and third series of the contest
, finally, in 2008, Virginia Maestro was casted to the sixth series of Operación Triunfo
, (roughly Operation Victory) a talent show in Spain
. She differentiated herself from other contestants with her distinctive style and song choices, preferring jazz
-blues
tunes over pop
. She was almost voted off the show several times but was saved by the public, until she was named the winner in the finale. During the contest, she gained a fan base who began to call her "La Niña Azul" (the Blue Girl). Therefore, her fan base is often called "La Marea Azul" (the Blue Tide). She is the only contest in history of the OT to reach number 1 on the Spanish
i-tunes chart
, which she accomplished with covers of Creep, My Baby Just Cares For Me
and Moonlight Shadow
.
While in the competition, she received support from Risto Mejide
, the most opinionated member of the jury. He would later became the producer of Labuat
.
, which opened for Beyonce in Spain in May, 2009. Her music video of Soy Tu Aire, the first single from the album, is an Internet sensation. On June 2009, "De Pequeño" was released as the second single. " She made an appearance in the sixth gala of OT 2009 singing the song. Also in June, it was announced that a second album is being prepared and that Risto Mejide
would not be involved. Carta de Otoño", the only song composed solely by her, was released as the third and last single on October 2009. The first album of the band was nominated for best album of the year.
In March, 2010, during an interview for OperacionTriunfo.com, Maestro announced that, due to time conflicts, the Pinker Tones will not produce the new album, leaving her as the only initial member of the band working on the second album. She has also confirmed the album will include her own compositions, in both Spanish and English.
On October 2010, Maestro announced the title of the second album, "Dulce Hogar
" (Sweet Home, in Spanish) and that she would use the moniker Virginia Labuat. The first single debuted on 25 January 2011 in Europa FM and was available for download on 8 February 2011, and the whole album was released on 29 March 2011. A limited special edition of the album includes an EP with a few rare songs she had performed live during the previous years, as well some Spanish versions of the English songs. Shortly after the release, the album was already on Spanish Top Charts.
, which has been denied by both.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. She is the winner of Operación Triunfo 2008
Operación Triunfo Sixth Series
This is the 6th series of Spanish reality TV show Operación Triunfo.Castings started in Barcelona on February 18, 2008. The season began on April 8 with 18 contestants.-Contestants:* Virginia - 25, - WINNER* Pablo - 24, Málaga - 2nd place...
, a Spanish version of "Pop Idol".
In 2009 she associated herself with Labuat
Labuat
Labuat is a Spanish music band, formed in 2008 by the music duo The Pinker Tones, publicist Risto Mejide and Operación Triunfo 2008 winner Virginia Maestro....
, a musical project with Risto Mejide
Risto Mejide
Evaristo Mejide -usually known as Risto Mejide- is a Spanish publicist, author, music producer and songwriter, best known as a judge on the television show Operación Triunfo....
, one of the judges of OT, and The Pinker Tones
The Pinker Tones
The Pinker Tones are an alternative pop band from Barcelona, Spain. They have released 6 albums to date, and have been included on many more. The Whistling Song is featured in all versions of EA Sports' FIFA 2009.- Artists and Music :...
.
Influences and Early career
Virgínia has said in various interviews that she was exposed to lots of different kinds of musicMusic
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
from an early age, especially those of her parents adolescence
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
. Nowadays, she takes most influence from the 50's and 60's, naming Eva Cassidy
Eva Cassidy
Eva Marie Cassidy was an American vocalist known for her interpretations of jazz, blues, folk, gospel, country and pop classics. In 1992 she released her first album, The Other Side, a set of duets with go-go musician Chuck Brown, followed by a live solo album, Live at Blues Alley in 1996...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
, Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke was an American singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, mortician, and an archbishop of the United House of Prayer For All People. Burke was known as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", and as the "Bishop of Soul", and described as "the Muhammad Ali of soul", and as "the most...
, Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
and Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
as her favorite artists.
At the age of twelve,influenced by her sisters, she began teaching herself how to play the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and she wrote her first songs in a diary
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
, to whom she called "Diario de Sensaciones" (Sensations' Diary). When she was fifteen, she entered in her first band and started to participe in jam sessions
Jam Sessions
Jam Sessions is a guitar simulation software title and music game for the Nintendo DS based on the Japan-only title Sing & Play DS Guitar M-06 originally developed by Plato. It was brought to North America and Europe, courtesy of Ubisoft...
. Until her entrance in OT, she had been a part of Fundación Virginia, Little Vicky & the Shout Band, 7Funk, The Flik Flak Duo, Boogie Flu and had shared the stage with such bands as Black Jack Bob & the New Deal and Mingo & The Blues Intruders. Aside from that experiences, she had also been a soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
at the University of Seville
University of Seville
The Universidad de Sevilla or University of Seville, in English, is a top-ranked European university in Seville, Spain. Founded under the name of Colegio Santa María de Jesús in 1505, the University of Seville, with a student body of over 50,000, is one of the top-ranked universities in the country...
choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, where she studied music.
Operación Triunfo 2008
After being turned down on the castingCasting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
s for the second and third series of the contest
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
, finally, in 2008, Virginia Maestro was casted to the sixth series of Operación Triunfo
Operación Triunfo
Operación Triunfo is a reality-show talent contest which first aired on Spain's TVE network in 2001. A kind of cross between Pop Idol, Voces en Función, Star Search, and Big Brother, the show aimed to find the country's next solo singing sensation, putting a selection of hopefuls through their...
, (roughly Operation Victory) a talent show in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. She differentiated herself from other contestants with her distinctive style and song choices, preferring jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
tunes over pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. She was almost voted off the show several times but was saved by the public, until she was named the winner in the finale. During the contest, she gained a fan base who began to call her "La Niña Azul" (the Blue Girl). Therefore, her fan base is often called "La Marea Azul" (the Blue Tide). She is the only contest in history of the OT to reach number 1 on the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
i-tunes chart
Chart
A chart is a graphical representation of data, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart"...
, which she accomplished with covers of Creep, My Baby Just Cares For Me
My Baby Just Cares for Me
"My Baby Just Cares for Me" is a jazz standard written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by Gus Kahn. It was written for the 1930 film version of the 1928 Ziegfeld musical comedy Whoopee!, starring Eddie Cantor. It is known as the signature tune of singer and pianist Nina Simone.-Nina Simone...
and Moonlight Shadow
Moonlight Shadow
"Moonlight Shadow" is a pop song written and performed by English multi-instrumentalist Mike Oldfield, released as a single in May 1983 and included in the album Crises of the same year. The vocals were performed by Scottish vocalist Maggie Reilly, who had joined Mike Oldfield in 1980...
.
While in the competition, she received support from Risto Mejide
Risto Mejide
Evaristo Mejide -usually known as Risto Mejide- is a Spanish publicist, author, music producer and songwriter, best known as a judge on the television show Operación Triunfo....
, the most opinionated member of the jury. He would later became the producer of Labuat
Labuat
Labuat is a Spanish music band, formed in 2008 by the music duo The Pinker Tones, publicist Risto Mejide and Operación Triunfo 2008 winner Virginia Maestro....
.
Labuat
After winning OT and earning a contract with Sony BMG, she became part of the musical project LabuatLabuat
Labuat is a Spanish music band, formed in 2008 by the music duo The Pinker Tones, publicist Risto Mejide and Operación Triunfo 2008 winner Virginia Maestro....
, which opened for Beyonce in Spain in May, 2009. Her music video of Soy Tu Aire, the first single from the album, is an Internet sensation. On June 2009, "De Pequeño" was released as the second single. " She made an appearance in the sixth gala of OT 2009 singing the song. Also in June, it was announced that a second album is being prepared and that Risto Mejide
Risto Mejide
Evaristo Mejide -usually known as Risto Mejide- is a Spanish publicist, author, music producer and songwriter, best known as a judge on the television show Operación Triunfo....
would not be involved. Carta de Otoño", the only song composed solely by her, was released as the third and last single on October 2009. The first album of the band was nominated for best album of the year.
In March, 2010, during an interview for OperacionTriunfo.com, Maestro announced that, due to time conflicts, the Pinker Tones will not produce the new album, leaving her as the only initial member of the band working on the second album. She has also confirmed the album will include her own compositions, in both Spanish and English.
On October 2010, Maestro announced the title of the second album, "Dulce Hogar
Dulce Hogar
Dulce Hogar is the second studio album by Virginia Maestro, after the release of Labuat. Released on March 29, 2011, it consists in a collection of fourteen songs completely written by herself, in both Spanish and English...
" (Sweet Home, in Spanish) and that she would use the moniker Virginia Labuat. The first single debuted on 25 January 2011 in Europa FM and was available for download on 8 February 2011, and the whole album was released on 29 March 2011. A limited special edition of the album includes an EP with a few rare songs she had performed live during the previous years, as well some Spanish versions of the English songs. Shortly after the release, the album was already on Spanish Top Charts.
Personal life
In OT, Virginia confessed she has never been able to quit smoking. When she entered to the academy, she had a boyfriend, but they broke up soon after. There have been rumors she was dating Risto MejideRisto Mejide
Evaristo Mejide -usually known as Risto Mejide- is a Spanish publicist, author, music producer and songwriter, best known as a judge on the television show Operación Triunfo....
, which has been denied by both.