Haila María Mompié González, better known as Haila, is a celebrated Cuban singer born on January 28, 1974, in Las Tunas, Cuba. She began her career in the entertainment industry as a dancer, a foundation she has undoubtedly leveraged in her musical journey. Her foray into music started in 1991 when she joined the group “Septeto Tradición.” That same year, she began performing as a solo artist at the cabaret Las Avenidas. She later became a member of the group "Habana Son," but it wasn't until 1994, when she joined the orchestra "Bamboleo," that she truly skyrocketed to fame and earned her well-deserved place within the son, traditional, and popular dance music scene in Cuba.
From her time in "Bamboleo," she has two albums left, several international tours in the United States, Belgium, England, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, France, and the affection of her loyal fans who have followed her wherever she goes.
Four years later, in 1998, joined by Leonel Limonta, she founded the orchestra "Azúcar Negra" and continued to achieve success and spread her music both in Cuba and abroad. This project produced an album that was released in 2001. That same year, she decided to embark on a new solo journey.
He has shared the stage with fellow professionals from Cuba and many other countries: Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Chucho Valdés, Rey Ruiz, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Isaac Delgado, Osdalgia, David Calzado, Adalberto Álvarez, Oscar de León, among others.
His musical career has been acknowledged multiple times; for instance, in 2012, he won the Cubadisco award in the Dance Music category for his album Mala.
Discography: Te gusto o te caigo bien (1997, with Bamboleo), Yo no me parezco a nadie (1997, with Bamboleo), Gracias (1997, with Formell), Andar Andando (2001, with Azúcar Negra), Haila (2001), Haila live (2002), Diferente (2004), Tal como soy (2008), Mala (2012)
In 2020, she announced a collaboration with Descemer Bueno to record the song Lo que viene.
In November 2016, following the death of Fidel Castro, Haila along with Silvio Rodriguez, Alexander Abreu, and other Cuban artists gathered at the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana to honor his remains. The singer was interviewed by the island's television and made statements expressing her admiration for the leader of the Cuban Revolution. From that moment, her figure became central in the Cuban emigration that criticized her for her words towards Castro as well as for her willingness to sing to him on that occasion in front of the Presidential Palace.
In January 2018, Mompié arrived in Miami to celebrate her birthday surrounded by significant controversy due to the rejection she faced from a large segment of the Cuban exile community.
In February 2020, the singer was rejected by a group of Cubans in Montreal, Canada, where the artist traveled to perform at the Rialto Theatre the show "Noche Cubana con Felix!".
On October 15, 2020, the Mayor of Miami, Francis Suárez, declared Haila as a persona non grata in the city of Miami, considering, in the politician's words, that "it's no secret his admiration for the Castro regime, specifically for the late Fidel Castro; they only come to Miami to provoke," said the mayor in November 2019.
