María Escarmiento

María Villar Rodríguez (born 13 October 1991), known professionally as María Escarmiento, is a Spanish singer and songwriter who first became known as a contestant on the tenth season of the talent show Operación Triunfo in 2018.[1][2] She developed a solo career that has moved from experimental reggaeton on her debut EP Sintiéndolo mucho (2020) to hyperpop-oriented releases such as the album Cosas de brujas (2023) and the EPs Sensación de calor, Sensación de calor 2 and iCandy (2024).[3][4][5]

Early life and education

Villar was born in Madrid on 13 October 1991.[1][2] She grew up in the Spanish capital and began studying at university before deciding to abandon her degree in order to move to New York to focus on music.[1][2] In New York she enrolled in music studies and formed the duo Brainfreeze with drummer Zoë Brecher, performing their own material in local bars while she completed her musical training.[1][2]

Career

After several years in New York, Escarmiento returned to Madrid, where she applied to perform in Operación Triunfo.[1][2][6]

2018: Operación Triunfo

In September 2018 Villar was selected as one of eighteen contestants for the tenth series of Operación Triunfo, broadcast on La 1 and commonly referred to as OT 2018.[1][2] She entered the Academia, and throughout the series she was nominated for elimination several times.[1] She was ultimately eliminated in the tenth live show, finishing eighth, with 43% of the public vote to save her.[1]

Escarmiento was discussed in the Spanish press for changing a controversial lyric in Mecano’s Quédate en Madrid, for expressing explicitly feminist views on issues such as body image and bisexual visibility, and for her relaxed attitude to television conventions.[7][8][9]

After leaving the programme, Villar was shortlisted by RTVE as a candidate to represent Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 with the song "Muérdeme", ultimately finishing second in the national song selection.[1][10]

On 10 July 2019 she released her debut solo single "Amargo amor", having announced it a week earlier via social media.[6] The same day she released "La diabla", a collaboration with Ms Nina.[2]

Escarmiento’s debut EP Sintiéndolo mucho was released on 3 July 2020 and produced largely by Merca Bae.[11][12]

In 2021 she released further material, including the EP Diplomática.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "María Escarmiento". Supra Music Hall (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "María Escarmiento". Apple Music (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  3. ^ Cidón, Carla (15 February 2023). ""Tengo mucha confianza en lo que quiero hacer"". Mondo Sonoro (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  4. ^ "Entradas María Escarmiento". Taquilla.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  5. ^ "María Escarmiento se recorrerá los principales festivales españoles con su Tour iCandy". ESCplus (in Spanish). 5 July 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  6. ^ a b "María Escarmiento: «Una de mis ralladas tras salir de 'OT' fue pensar que no iba a hacer nada»". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 12 May 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  7. ^ Bayod, Miguel (12 December 2018). "María Villar reivindica su feminismo: «Me encanta que a mi novio le guste mi culo»". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  8. ^ "María Villar (OT 2018): «Entiendo que una obra es sagrada, pero si se cambia puede ser igualmente estupenda»". Jenesaispop (in Spanish). 12 December 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  9. ^ Mopez, Víctor (27 June 2020). "María Escarmiento: «Realmente no sé cómo definir mi estilo, es tal cual me sale»". Los Replicantes (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  10. ^ "María Escarmiento: «Si hubiera ido a Eurovisión lo habría hecho de pena, no canto bien bajo presión»". El País (in Spanish). 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  11. ^ "María Escarmiento publica «Sintiéndolo mucho», su primer EP". Actuality FM (in Spanish). 4 July 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  12. ^ "María Escarmiento se consolida con «Sintiéndolo mucho»". Highxtar (in Spanish). 3 July 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  13. ^ "María Escarmiento – «Cosas de brujas»". Rockdelux (in Spanish). 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
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