Leire Martínez: "The company president said to me: 'What breasts you have!'"

“We were celebrating a number one hit, and the company president said to me: 'Mmm, what breasts you have!'” With this statement, Leire Martínez, former lead singer of La Oreja de Van Gogh, illustrated the structural sexism in the music industry that she herself has experienced. She recounted this during the talk 'Beyond Empowerment: Women Transforming the Industry' held at the BIME music festival. The conversation, moderated by Albina Cabrera from KEXP radio, revolved around female leadership in music. During the discussion, with a calm yet firm voice, Martínez recalled the aforementioned incident she personally experienced. “I have always been among men and remember how the president of a company, while celebrating a number one, said to me: 'What breasts you have!' None of those present said anything,” she recounted. Despite not feeling supported by those around her, she did not hesitate to respond: “Yes, I have two great breasts and many other virtues you will never be able to appreciate.”

Upon leaving the meeting, she told her bandmates: “I think I've ruined the relationship with Sony Music.” The lack of reaction from the men surrounding her in that situation led the singer to make the following reflection yesterday: “I insist that this is not solved only with community among women. We also need men to take action when they see these situations.”

Chilean singer Francisca Valenzuela, who participated alongside the Basque artist in the talk, also recalled abusive and discriminatory situations, such as when she was groped or asked to “take off her clothes” in her early days. For her, the best way to face these situations is to have “the option to choose” and to be able to escape.

Apart from these episodes, Leire Martínez provided new details about her time as the lead singer of La Oreja de Van Gogh. After leaving the San Sebastián group just over a year ago, the singer from Rentería once again made several jabs at the band she was part of for 17 years, which this month announced the return of Amaia Montero and a tour throughout Spain.

As expected, she reflected candidly: “Now I see that, by accepting it, many things are silenced. After 17 years, I have been a stranger to many. I accepted it because I understood it was my place in the group. But I have realized in the end that, subtly, perhaps unintentionally, my opinion was never heard as much.” She also recalled that upon joining the group, she entered a place “with an already established trajectory and very defined roles.”