Face of the week: Edurne

The 29-year-old songstress, who rose to fame after taking part in Spanish reality television programme, Operación Triunfo, is hoping for 12 points in Vienna on May 23rd when she competes for Spain in the 60th Eurovision Song Contest.

Edurne, performing at a party at the Austrian embassy in Madrid on Thursday, April 23rd. Photo: Fiona Govan

Spain has a chequered history at Eurovision. Massiel famously beat English crooner Cliff Richard and his classic “Congratulations” with her somewhat repetitive “La, La, La” in 1968, thanks to a helping hand by none other than Spanish dictator Francisco Franco who, it later emerged, had rigged the competition.

He reportedly had the competition fixed to improve Spain’s image abroad, buying television programmes from European neighbours in exchange for 'douze points' on the night of Eurovision.

Spain has also suffered more than its fair share of stage malfunctions at Eurovision. Out of the three instances where groups were allowed to restart their performance after something went wrong, two were Spanish. 

In 1990, the flamenco-inspired double act Azucar Moreno had to leave the stage after their backing track was out of cue with the orchestra, while in 2010 Spanish singer Daniel Diges was interrupted by notorious pitch invader, Jimmy Jump. 

Edurne, whose full name is Edurne García Almagro, is no stranger to performing; born in Madrid on December 22nd 1986, she took her first steps onto the stage at the tender age of nine as part of children’s musical group, Trastos.

She auditioned for Operación Triunfo, the Spanish version of the X Factor, in 2005, finishing in sixth place.

Since 2006 she has released five albums and had a string of hits in Spain, as well as duetting with English singer Olly Murs on his single “Hand on Heart” in 2006 and featuring on the Spanish soundtrack to 2015’s live action Hollywood version of Cinderella. 

She is currently dating Manchester United goalkeeper, David de Gea and regularly visits the city, in northern England. 

She provoked controversy recently when she was less than flattering about Manchester, prompting a local councillor to offer to give her and her footballer boyfriend a tour of the highlights of the city. 

But maybe she can make it up to her UK fans with this video, filmed exclusively by The Local, in which she greets her fans in English.