Ana Torroja, whose voice once echoed across Spain as part of the iconic group Mecano, exchanged the hustle of Madrid for a quieter life in Mexico long ago. Since 2014, the singer, who turned 65 last year, has settled overseas with her husband, Rafael Duque, and their daughter Jara. The move was largely a forced decision after settling claims with the Spanish tax authorities, which cost her 1.4 million euros.
Torroja admits that in Latin America, the attitude toward stars of her caliber is entirely different. There, an artist remains an idol for life—and even after death, their fame only grows. In Spain, however, she believes the public tends to ‘turn the page’ quickly. Her relationship with former Mecano bandmates, the Cano brothers, is described as strictly professional. Despite years of working together and incredible success, after concerts everyone simply went their separate ways. Now, they’re scattered across different corners of the world.
When asked the question that has troubled fans for decades—whether a Mecano reunion is possible—Ana responds with candid skepticism. She believes the idea is practically impossible. The singer recalls that the rare attempts to bring the trio back together have failed for various reasons. According to her, each member has long since built their own well-established life, so there is no point in returning to the past. Torroja is convinced that she is now the only link the public has left to the legendary group, and that she has every right to perform their old hits. After all, no one expects the Rolling Stones to stop playing “Satisfaction.”
The artist’s personal life has turned out to be much more harmonious. Since 2003, she has been married to sound engineer Rafael Duque, who is not only her pillar in life but occasionally helps with her work as well. Ana calls her husband her main motivator, always pushing her toward new achievements. Their wedding was quite unusual: the couple exchanged vows on board a schooner anchored off the coast of Mallorca. The ceremony was witnessed by close family, friends, and the singer’s seven brothers. Two years later, at age 45, Torroja became a mother for the first time—the couple welcomed their daughter Jara. According to her mother, the girl inherited Ana’s adventurous spirit and love of new things. Today, she is studying finance at a university in the Mexican capital.
In 2022, the singer added an aristocratic title to her list of accomplishments. She became the Marquise de Torroja, inheriting the title from her father. It was originally established by Francisco Franco in 1961 for her grandfather, the renowned engineer Eduardo Torroja Miret, in recognition of his professional achievements. Ana emphasizes that she values this title as an acknowledgment of her ancestor’s accomplishments rather than as a typical noble privilege, and she remains unfazed by the public debate that the event sparked.
The family does not plan to return to Spain anytime soon. In Mexico, Ana Torroja is currently working on her new album, scheduled for release in 2026. This will be her first record where she has written all the lyrics herself. Ahead of the 30th anniversary of her solo career, she has already released two singles, hinting at the start of a new creative chapter filled with music and fresh ideas.
