Klaudya, the "Diva from Málaga" Who Sings in Hotels and Conquers TVE

She had been keeping the secret since November, when the recording of the show ended, and she began to breathe more easily when the mystery was unveiled in early January. That was when it was officially announced that the new talent show on Spanish Television focusing on opera had a winner from Málaga. Specifically, a female winner, as the final triumph of 'Aria, locos por la ópera' went to Claudia Teruel, artistically known as Klaudya. A 35-year-old soprano raised in the Perchel neighborhood—though she currently lives in Coín—and musically trained in Switzerland and France, as well as in Galicia and Málaga.

The singer highlights the difficulties of making a place for herself in the opera scene, a genre she fell in love with after listening to María Callas and encouraged by the vocal qualities discovered by a teacher at the Conservatory of Málaga. More than a decade later, she remains steadfast in her goal to dedicate herself exclusively to bel canto, although she is aware of the numerous challenges. "Opera singers in Spain, and especially in Andalusia, feel very frustrated because we have to go abroad since there are no opportunities here nor is our work recognized." For this reason (among others), she highly values programs like the one launched by La 1, which has made opera, usually labeled as elitist, "reach a wider audience. And this is something I also want to do, because I am convinced that those who get to know this genre will love it." That, she assures, was what happened to her, since she comes from a family where classical music did not exist although they supported her from the very beginning in her venture. Even from her early days in the Band of the Expiración brotherhood, where she spent ten years playing all kinds of instruments during Holy Week processions.

While making her initial steps, she began working in hospitality as a waitress, a sector she continues in, albeit from a different perspective, as she now performs "in hotels, restaurants, and private events" where she is called upon. She resides in the town of Coín, "very happy" (and where she collaborated with the Coral San Juan Bautista) and between Málaga, where her family lives, and Marbella, where she mainly practices her profession.

Klaudya admits that after winning the program on TVE, she did not want to create many expectations for the future, aware that she does not belong to a genre as popular as others. In fact, she does not know if there will be a second season but hopes that if the same producer (Gestmusic) continues, they would count on her as a guest artist as they had indicated to her.

Meanwhile, she is delighted that her triumph, at least, might contribute to enhancing the artistic pool of Málaga while for her it represents a "recognition of my trajectory." To start, last Friday she was received at the Coín Town Hall for her television victory and for this year, among other projects, she is working on organizing a concert in collaboration with the Málaga Town Hall and is preparing another one for November. In a recent organizational meeting, she mentions that an orchestra director commented that with her triumph she was already "the diva of Málaga, and when I told him that when I started singing I used to practice at the Perchel Association they called me the diva of Perchel, he said 'well, you've gone from being the diva of Perchel to the diva of Málaga'" (laughs). Although her reference is Callas, they are very different personally, and for example, she gladly sings a cappella in the city center and at the Cervantes Theater at the request of this newspaper in her effort to bring her beloved opera to the streets.

After a break, she resumed music in 2021 with a new introduction, inspired by Norse mythology. As she explains, she included the runes jena (y) and kenaz (k) in her name, symbols loaded with meaning since the 'k' represents inner light and creativity and the 'y' rewards effort, "which reminds us that everything comes in its time," she proclaims, proudly. A true statement of intent as she prepares "a compilation of arias and pop opera to launch a record," as she performs arias with an "epic limit," within her taste for the classical while keeping an eye on current times, being a "crossover and epic soprano."

As a reward for winning the first edition of 'Aria', from which she highlights that she formed "a close-knit group, something unusual in opera," she won a prize of 15,000 euros and the opportunity to perform at the prestigious International Festival of Music and Dance of Granada. Another stage to add in her career to conquer her dream.