María de los Ángeles Felisa Santamaría Espinosa, better known by her stage name Massiel, is a pop singer from Spain. She was born on August 2nd, 1947, in the city of Madrid. As a child, she had an early exposure to the world of show business due to the fact that her father was an artistic manager; this led to her very early decision to become a singer and actress. Her first single “Di Que No” was released in 1966, followed by a string of singles that gained her a following in Spain. The following year, her single “Rosas En El Mar” launched her to higher levels of popularity. In 1968, Massiel was asked to step in and replace singer-songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat as Spain's representative at the Eurovision Song Contest. Her song, “La, La, La” was the winner of the competition. Massiel would go on to alternate between music and acting, appearing in various film and television projects. In 1983, Massiel released her album Corazon de Hierro, a massively successful record all through Spain and Latin America, including the hit single “Brindaremos Por Él.” Also known for her defiant anti-fascist stance, she made the headlines in 1984 by thanking exiled poet Patricio Manns after winning the Silver Seagull at the Viña del Mar festival during Pinochet's rule. After briefly retiring from music in the late 90s, in 2005 she appeared in the 50th Anniversary Special of the Eurovision Song Contest to perform “La, La, La,” the song that made her an international star. Since then, she’s continued embarking on musical and acting projects, including starring on an acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Follies.
