Malú and Mika, Two Artists United by 'The Voice': "It's One of the Most Enriching Experiences as a Person"

Malú, the singer, admits she is her own toughest critic. As the most seasoned 'coach' on 'The Voice', she doesn't watch herself on television. "I believe we are always our harshest critics," she confesses. Returning for another season on this musical contest aired by Antena 3 on Friday nights (10:00 PM), she has learned to overcome this "barrier" of self-demand. "I started exposing myself in music just three days before turning 16. Now at 43, as a natural evolution of life, I believe it's crucial that things matter a bit less to me," she reveals.

Beside her is a newcomer, the British-Lebanese composer Mika. "When they called me to do it, it was a surreal moment. I thought it was a joke," admits the author of major music hits like 'Grace Kelly'. This musical duo shares the stage with two other singers, Sebastián Yatra and Pablo López, who press the red chair button on 'The Voice' to turn around and choose the contestant they want to team up with. In its latest episode, the show hosted by Eva González led its competitors with a 13.4% audience share and over 1.1 million viewers.

For Malú, this show, which she joined thirteen years ago, is a "constant learning experience." Back then, she shared the set with David Bisbal, Rosario Flores, and Melendi. She recalls the "fear" she felt when offered the project. "When 'The Voice' started, artists worked behind our microphones, our instruments, showcasing our songs and styles, but anything beyond that terrified us," she discloses.

"That's when we began to learn that people wanted much more music than they were being given the opportunity to have," reflects the artist, for whom the format has been "one of the most enriching experiences" she's had as a professional and a person. "As a human being, it opens many emotional chakras," adds the Madrid native.

The newcomer is Mika, who embraced the project even though he initially didn't master the language, although he had already been part of this musical program in its French version. In the eyes of the soloist, 'The Voice' in our country is "a mix of Spain and Latin America." "You have all the Spanish culture, the flamenco, and you have the international part. Culturally and musically speaking, it's a much bigger thing than in other countries," he notes.

The singer and composer also points out that participating in this production has been "a shock, but also a provocation to learn something new, and that's a privilege you usually have when you're a teenager." "When you're 42, you don't typically learn something triggered by an opportunity and fear. And fear is delicious when you need to learn something new. For us, fear is a hard drug," he explains.

Both singers share admiration for each other. For Mika, Malú "seems the toughest, the most stubborn, difficult, and sometimes too difficult, but the truth is she's the most generous." "She pretends to act with her head, but the truth is she's a singer who reacts with her heart," says the British-Lebanese artist.

On the other hand, the artist sees Mika as "a great discovery" because "he's someone who knows how to handle every situation." "He has the aura and energy of a star. He knows humour, he can speak, he has empathy, he's humble, and he has a tremendous artistic talent," she evaluates. "Every time he opens his mouth, we think: 'the one who didn't speak Spanish has outdone us all,'" she comments with laughter.

According to Mika, the key to success is "doing something unique." "Now you can identify your niche and do something almost extreme to develop a loyal audience that's yours. You do this without the industry's permission, but only if you're too different and unique," he concludes.