The long-awaited return of Amaia Montero to La Oreja de Van Gogh: "I went down to hell itself, but here I am with my scars"

Silvia Cantera

Back in 1998, in her debut album 'Dile al sol', Amaia sang in 'Soñaré' that she would like to "see San Sebastián in the 26th century" from her spaceship. It was then hard to imagine all the twists her life would take in less than thirty years. For a couple of hours, we all boarded her time machine. She too, who after 19 years away from the band, reunited with the girl who was crowned the 'queen of pop' and this Saturday at the BEC (Bilbao Exhibition Centre) reclaimed her throne and made her long-awaited though controversial comeback a reality. "Many lives have passed in these years and being here with you is much more than a concert."

Although her tour 'So Much to Tell' kicked off with a double date this weekend in Vizcaya in front of 30,000 people, her first song, '20 de enero' was a nod to San Sebastián. She emerged from the ground, propelled by a platform in a spectacular entrance that made it clear they came with everything and that it is the most ambitious tour of La Oreja despite their long and successful career.

In the first verse, she had already won over the entire stadium, whose choruses and cries of euphoria even drowned out Amaia, dressed in a pink jumpsuit that shone in the dark. She followed with 'Deseos de cosas imposibles' and 'El último vals', the first of the only two songs played from the nearly 17 years of Leire Martínez's era. Hits like 'Inmortal' and 'Cometas por el cielo' were left out in a clear bet on the band's origins with her unmistakable voice, which at times seemed strained on the most demanding notes, and she made a few discreet slip-ups in the lyrics.

In her first speech, she did not mince words: "There were moments when I thought I would never step on a stage again. I was lost, totally lost, to the point of not recognizing myself. I went down to hell itself and it's not just a figure of speech. With my scars, after fighting hard, here I am," she declared, referring to the mental health episodes she had to face that worried her fans. She had been almost seven years without performing and since then her only appearance had been a surprise at the Bernabéu singing 'Rosas' as a guest of Karol G in 2024. Two years later she came back with her band "more eager than ever" and with her unmistakable voice tone. "My band, my guys, my mates. Tonight, we are going to sing," she declared.

• More topics
• Donostia-San Sebastián
• Amaia Montero
• Mental Health