The Cuban Enrique Chávez, a 34-year-old from Santiago residing in Madrid, featured in one of the most striking moments of the Blind Auditions of La Voz España 2026 as he performed "O mio babbino caro" with a lyrical voice that left everyone present speechless.
Chávez is a countertenor, a type of male voice capable of reaching ranges typical of the female voice, which led the four coaches—sitting with their backs to the stage—to believe throughout the entire performance that the singer was a woman.
Seconds before turning around, the surprise was immense. "It’s a man!" exclaimed Mika upon discovering who was behind that voice.
Only Melendi and Mika pressed the button to turn their chairs. The latter did so at the last second of the performance and was visibly impressed: "How can you not be on The Voice with that voice?" he told the Cuban.
The aria performed by Chávez, from the opera Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini, was originally written for a female soprano voice and has been popularized by artists such as Maria Callas and Montserrat Caballé.
That a man approaches her in her natural register is technically possible but unusual, which explains the widespread confusion.
The most unexpected moment, however, came after the performance. Melendi, in a gesture he described as exceptional, voluntarily chose not to sign the contestant and advised him to choose his rival instead.
"I'm going to do something that goes against my competitive nature," began the Asturian singer before passing the mic.
"I have a very special connection with your town, I love your town for many reasons, we have family ties. This is tough because I may be rejecting a winner," explained Melendi, whose paternal grandfather was from Camagüey, although he never got to meet him.
The Asturian coach went further and argued that Mika, with more training in classical music, could guide Enrique better in the competition: "Sometimes, wanting means letting go, and I don't have the knowledge of classical music that Mika has. I wouldn't know how to advise you, as he does, adapting that to a program like this. I have to be honest with you and say that I believe your coach for this journey is Mika."
Enrique Chávez's response left Mika stunned in his chair and Melendi with his mouth agape: "First of all, thank you to all four of you, I admire you. But I'm going with you, Melendi."
In YouTube, the viewers' comments reflected the impact of their performance: "What a voice, it reaches the heart", wrote a user.
It is not the first time a Cuban has made an impact on La Voz España: in 2021, Carlos Ángel Valdés reached the grand final with Luis Fonsi's team, and in 2025 Andrés James conquered the blind auditions with "Chan Chan."
Regarding Melendi, his connection with Cuba goes beyond the program: in June 2025, he unfurled a Cuban flag during a concert and sent a message for the island's freedom.
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