The Cuban countertenor Enrique Chávez advanced through the battle phase of La Voz España 2026 with a performance that moved both the coaches and the audience, performing alongside Lorena Bonnin the Queen classic "Who Wants to Live Forever" on the Antena 3 stage.
Both contestants are part of Melendi's team, who had to face one of the toughest decisions of the competition. The Asturian singer described the duel as "the most lyrical" of the battles he had experienced on the show and openly admitted that he didn't want to choose between either of them.
The tension even reached the preliminary rehearsals, where Melendi was on the verge of tears upon hearing them sing, telling both of them, "You are very good."
The performance left the other coaches speechless. Mika was the most expressive in his reactions: "Hearing those two lyrical voices is incredible. It's a spectacular moment that touches your soul," he declared after the performance. Vanesa Martín, for her part, joked with Melendi, saying, "Opera is chasing you," reminding him that he won in 2018 with the young Melani and her impressive lyrical voice.
In the end, Melendi made his decision and chose Enrique Chávez to continue in his team. Lorena Bonnin was not eliminated from the show: Vanesa Martín —who serves as the fifth coach in this edition with the ability to save one contestant per team— returned her to Melendi at the end of the night.
Enrique himself expressed his gratitude towards his rival on social media with affectionate words: “Singing alongside Lorena was wonderful, an amazing girl. Thank you. You are one of a kind, Lore.”
This victory in the battles isn't the first time Enrique has surprised on the show. During the blind auditions, the Cuban baffled all four coaches by performing the aria "O mio babbino caro" by Puccini with a voice that everyone believed to be female. Mika exclaimed, "It's a man!" as he turned around, and then added, "How could you not be on The Voice with that voice?"
Although Mika and Melendi turned their chairs, Enrique chose the latter. The bond between them goes beyond the competition. The Asturian coach has Cuban roots—his paternal grandfather was from Camagüey—and he has publicly expressed his affection for the island on multiple occasions. In June 2025, Melendi unfurled a Cuban flag at a concert in front of a Cuban audience in the United States and shouted, "Long live my free Cuba!"
Cuba has a long tradition of presence in La Voz España. Carlos Ángel Valdés reached the grand final in 2021 with Luis Fonsi's team, and Andrés James conquered the blind auditions in 2025 performing "Chan Chan" by Compay Segundo.
Enrique Chávez, a 34-year-old from Santiago residing in Madrid, continues to compete as part of Melendi's team and is emerging as one of the most unique contestants of the season, with a distinctive voice.
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