The Three Wise Men brought a lot of sarcasm to Operación Triunfo. Only this excess explains that in an academic format that has a musical director, a singing teacher, a choreographer and even an interpretation teacher, a group of students is subjected to the evaluation of a jury that upholds concepts such as “expression” and “mood”. Perform BZRP Music Sessions Vol. 52, which is Quédate by Bizarrap and Quevedo. The anthem of summer 2022, a song that was heard more than 953 million times in six months and remained number one in the world for five weeks, but which lacked as much vocal subtlety as the exhaust of a souped-up Vespa.
Quevedo is an example of the fallacy on which the most famous television academy is based. Obsessed with taking their attendees out of their “comfort zone” – at this gala we heard so many times the terrible slogan that Ikea should consider sponsoring – they prepare attendees to be a multi-register artist, the one that the Market not required. Taylor Swift fans don't want her performing acrobatics to David Guetta remixes just to continue writing melancholic rebukes for wayward exes. Nor is it necessary for Pablo López to make a trap album or for Rosalía to switch to ska. Life is too changeable now, it's normal to long for it, at least when we press play on Spotify we have certainty.
Alex Márquez and Paul stuck with the kind of artists they wanted to be upon leaving the academy, using the privilege afforded them by their status as nominees to choose a theme. The two chose bass ballads, even though the Spanish music scene is oversaturated with melodic singers from Gente Joven. Álex interpreted “Contigo” by Sebastián Yatra and Pablo Alborán with conviction, because he is someone who conveys an unshakable belief in himself, although even he perhaps knew that the only doubt about his short-term fate would be the size of the ratings, to which he would be excluded. It was written that Paul chose “When The Party's Over” by Billie Eilish in Lewis Capaldi's version. He would not survive the end of his party and this was confirmed by the 81.2% of votes Alex received to leave the program. Paul was able to claim what was already clear at the first gala: he is one of the most interesting participants in the format. It probably didn't hurt that no teammate rescued him last week, something that usually tugs at the heartstrings of vigilantes.
The numbing serenity of the ballads was shattered by Eye of the Tiger, the central theme of the third part of Rocky, one of those examples of making a virtue out of necessity and, in the face of Queen's refusal, reached the soundtrack of Sylvester Stallone's film give him Another One Bites the Dust. The Survivor anthem served to represent the surprising change of image of Lucas, who, as if passing through the fog of Starfall, went from Snow Society protagonist to Blas Cantó. It was just as obvious that Bea was uncomfortable with the song for which she was ultimately nominated, as was Ruslana, who looks more like a finalist every week, and Juanjo with the excessive “I Put a Spell on You” Jay” from Screamin were Hawkins in their element. Although the singer previously performed it from a coffin, none of them appear to be anywhere near dead; in fact, they want to stay in the program until the end.
They don't know what it's like to get a nomination, and Cris and Naiara, who did the San Millán de la Cogolla version of El Farsante, don't know either. Perhaps it was the first time that it was possible to appreciate the diversity of consonants that fill Ozuna's song. The confusing outfits make us wonder if the simple pink costume is confusing “mistake” for “Pharaoh.” If there was real justice, they would take her to the court in The Hague. Luckily, they weren't blinded by their own brilliance and took full advantage of a song that promised as little sparkle as Miley Cyrus' Flowers, which came next. A song that only she can light up, just like only she can survive twerking with Robin Thicke. Since Álvaro and Violeta aren't Miley Stewart by day and Hannah Montana by night, no one gave them flowers, but they got a nomination.
While last week Chiara was reprimanded by the jury for “non-broadcast”, this week, while sitting at the piano and playing “Mia” by Belén Aguilera, she pirated all the broadcasts in Spain and even moistened Chenoa's gaze. It doesn't seem like a difficult challenge considering how intense the Mallorcan lives everything in general, but it meant addressing the Spanish-British's main deficiency in the previous gala. Since there is no peace for the Chiaristas, the jury this week accused her of being out of tune and collapsing somewhere and under a baseball cap Quevedo, the canary, not the Golden Age beef king.
The supposed highlight of the evening was missing: Martin did a pole dance imitation to the rhythm of Alors on Danse by Stromae and provided one of those moments that show that opinions are like podcasts, everyone has one. It stunned social media and the judges, while others saw a strident and unnecessarily sexualized version of a retirement anthem. The Belgian's elegant nihilism is the exact opposite of a number that would have been vulgar even in “Cheetahs”, where Nomi Malone stopped by when she arrived in Las Vegas. It is difficult to understand why Martin, one of the clear favorites, a good singer and dancer, charismatic and charming, – and half of a relationship that enchants those who only follow the salsa program – had to be reduced to a cosplay of Rodrigo Cuevas performing at a bachelor party that gets out of control.
Had Operación Triunfo been (more) scripted, what happened next would have seemed like an homage to the four Golden Globes that Succesion had won a few hours earlier. Just as everything exploded in the Roi series in the middle of the last season, here the big twist in the script came just before the halfway point of the show. After Álvaro, Bea, Chiara and Violeta were nominated, the teachers decided to save the always enthusiastic Álvaro. It's hard to say if there's an audience for his music, but he could name any of these celebrities you'd want to have a drink with. Álvaro is the kind of person you want everything to go well for, but maybe not good enough to win OT.
On the popularity catwalk, participants chose Bea over Chiara, while no one wrote Violeta's name. The unthinkable had happened: One of the clear favorites since Gala 0 will be leaving the academy next week. Two inseparable friends have been facing each other since the beginning of the show and in seven days the first fan favorite will be history, given the show “I Kissed a Girl” that was so attentive to the fables of the fandom, but that was in 2023. New storylines and After the mid-season, addictive ships await you, because things have never been smooth for the new OT.
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