More than a hundred free concerts make up the musical program of La Mercè 2026, which from September 23 to 27 will turn the squares and streets of Barcelona into urban stages for a great international festival, with musical projects from some thirty countries. Música Mercè, BAM, and Acció Cultura Viva are the three pillars that shelter a program in which, once again, the most popular names, mostly local, gather at the concerts on Avinguda Maria Cristina and those on Bogatell beach. On the first stage, among others, Maria Jaume, Els Catarres, Els Amics de les Arts, and the former singer of La Oreja de Van Gogh, Leire Martínez, will perform; on the Poblenou stage, among others, Al·lèrgiques al Pol·len, Buhos, Miki Núñez, Svetlana, and La Pegatina will perform, who according to Gisela Sais, curator of Mercè Música, will offer a concert with "a large part of the repertoire in Catalan". Two concerts for these stages are yet to be announced: a "surprise artist" on Avinguda de Maria Cristina and a "group to be announced" on Bogatell beach.

Leire Martínez (Errenteria, 1979) has left behind seventeen years as the lead singer of La Oreja de Van Gogh to pursue her own career. Her thoughts on closing that chapter were made clear in the song she released last year. My nameIt is also the one she has chosen to open the album Stories of that girl (Sony, 2026). The Basque singer is currently presenting it live on a tour that includes a stop at the Polar Sound Festival in Baqueira-Beret on Saturday, March 14th, and a sold-out show at the Razzmatazz venue in Barcelona on Sunday the 15th.

It's been a matter of days: from unknown to front page. She began to tentatively emerge in this analysis last week, until this morning she landed on our front page and on the front page of every newspaper.

Leire Martínez (Errenteria, 1979) has been the vocalist of La Oreja de Van Gogh for almost seventeen years and throughout her career she has had to deal with the long shadow of Amaia Montero, the first singer of the San Sebastián group. Six months after his departure from the band was announced with a statement that took everyone by surprise –including her–, Martínez begins a solo career. The cover letter is My number, a song that includes numerous barbs against his companions. One example will suffice: "I was never yours, find someone to replace me. You did it once, but you can't hide two faces and one name anymore."