The scandal Amaya Montero tried so hard to avoid has finally erupted. Confirmation of her return to her original group has come as a heavy blow to the singer who replaced her all these years and is now a judge on the popular “Operación Triunfo” show. This drama will unfold before the entire country, no matter how much Amaya tries to distance herself from the maneuvers of her former-soon-to-be colleagues from La Oreja de Van Gogh. The situation is extremely delicate for her: after many years of public sympathy due to her struggles with mental health, she now risks shifting from being a victim to being seen as the main villain. Just a few careless social media posts could radically change her public image.
For 16 years, La Oreja de Van Gogh toured and recorded albums with Leire Martínez, who stepped in after Amaya left due to disagreements with her bandmates. The new lineup never quite matched the overwhelming success of the original, but the group managed to stay afloat. Everything changed in July 2024, when Amaya unexpectedly performed with Karol G at the “Bernabéu” stadium. This appearance sparked a wave of rumors: what if the original LODVG lineup is about to reunite?
This idea was clearly appealing, as by October the group had already announced the departure of Leire Martínez. More precisely, her contract simply wasn’t renewed, as if she were just a temporary employee. This move, organized by the male members of the group, was widely seen by the public as highly inappropriate, a sentiment reflected in hundreds of articles and thousands of social media posts. Some even dreamed of a joint album by Leire and Amaia as a response to the group’s founders.
There was obviously not enough time between Leire’s dismissal and the official announcement of Amaia’s return to smooth things over. The situation was further inflamed by journalists’ claims that the decision to reunite the original lineup had been made long before Martínez was let go. Adding fuel to the fire, Amaia’s close friend, Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, accidentally leaked and confirmed this information. Reportedly, after this incident, Amaia cut off contact with her.
Amaia Montero’s frustration is understandable: how can a pop diva sell albums and fill stadiums if she’s being seen as Cruella de Vil? To make matters worse, news of the reunion broke while Leire Martínez was serving as a judge on “Operación Triunfo.” That project will no doubt strengthen her image as a true victim in this story. Although the show no longer enjoys its former mass appeal, it still attracts a young audience who follow it closely on Amazon Prime and YouTube.
To fully grasp the complexity of the situation, it’s worth noting the participants’ reactions. Leire Martínez appeared composed on the program “El tiempo justo.” She stated that she is focused on her work and is not planning to comment, as it is not her news and others should speak on the matter. However, journalist Luis Pliego revealed on the same show that beneath this calm lies deep pain. According to him, people working with her on the TV project say she is devastated and feels like a ‘broken toy.’
Her downcast state is also confirmed by the director of the famous TV academy, Noemí Galera. Announcing to students that they would be performing Leire’s song at the next gala concert, she asked them to give the singer extra support this week. Meanwhile, the group’s plan is to use nostalgia for Amaia to boost ticket sales for the 2026 tour. The singer from Irun remains silent about both her return and Leire’s departure. A challenging promotion period lies ahead, especially if she continues to avoid commenting on the complicated situation, in which the male members of the group are benefiting, while both vocalists, Leire and Amaia, stand to lose something.
