A spontaneous kiss between Amaia Montero and Xabi San Martín during La Oreja de Van Gogh's performance at Córdoba Live drew attention away from the band's musical return. The incident took place on July 4, as the group closed its set with the emotional track 'Tan guapa.' The moment caught both the audience and Montero off guard: San Martín leaned in and kissed the singer, prompting laughter from Montero and an enthusiastic reaction from the crowd.
The scene quickly spread across social media, where fans dissected the gesture and its meaning. Many saw the kiss as a playful sign of friendship between longtime bandmates, while others speculated about the nature of their relationship. Some pointed out that San Martín placed his hand over Montero's mouth before the kiss, suggesting a staged or humorous act rather than a romantic one. The debate intensified as followers wondered whether such displays might make other members of the group or San Martín's wife, Martha, uncomfortable. She is known for keeping a low profile.
San Martín has described his long-standing connection with Montero in personal terms. In an interview with El Día, the keyboardist and songwriter said, “I had never lost contact with Amaia; we talked a lot,” and called the reunion “a magical situation.” He compared playing again with her original voice to returning to childhood. His comments frame the pair's bond around years of friendship and musical collaboration, while the Córdoba gesture has left fans debating its meaning.
The reunion extends beyond a return to the stage. La Oreja de Van Gogh formed in San Sebastián in 1996, with Montero as its original vocalist alongside San Martín, Pablo Benegas, Álvaro Fuentes and Haritz Garde. Montero left the group in 2007, and Leire Martínez took over as vocalist in 2008. The band announced Montero's return in October 2025, describing it as “another new stage” beginning with friendship and a renewed passion for music. The reunion tour, titled Tantas cosas que contar, began in Bilbao on May 9, 2026, marking three decades of the band's career.
San Martín has also said the band has “more than half an album written” and plans to record when the touring schedule allows a break. That work gives the reunion a longer musical horizon than the current run of concerts. The tour has also reached beyond Spain: after two Mexico City shows sold out, the group added a third date, information from Infobae.
The change in vocalists has prompted public comparisons between Montero and Martínez. In an interview with RTVE, Martínez rejected framing the discussion as a contest between the two singers, saying, “The debate is not her or me; they are there too, all the members of La Oreja de Van Gogh, and they were my bandmates.” Her comments point to the group's collective history as the original lineup performs together again.
Montero's personal life has often attracted public interest. Her relationship with Gonzalo Miró, which began in 2009 and ended in 2011, received wide media coverage. Both described the breakup as amicable and emphasized the value of their friendship. Before that, Montero was linked to Dani Martín, a connection Martín only recently confirmed in a televised interview. These past relationships continue to fuel curiosity about Montero's private life, especially as she renews her collaboration with La Oreja de Van Gogh.
The band's recent appearance in Córdoba is part of a broader run of high-profile musical events across Spain, drawing attention to changing dynamics within established groups. Interest in live performances also echoes the response to other major concerts, including Van Morrison's recent show in Barcelona, which drew impressive attention from fans and the media. For more on the impact of such events on Spain's music scene, see the coverage of Van Morrison's powerful blues performance in Barcelona.
La Oreja de Van Gogh remains one of Spain's best-known pop bands, with a career spanning three decades. Montero's return has taken the group back to stages in Spain and abroad, while new music is in progress. In Córdoba, a brief onstage moment became another focus around a reunion already drawing audiences for its music and history.
